NEW ORLEANS -- Renard Smith scored a career-high 26 points and made a Convocation Center-record-tying six 3-point field goals Saturday in NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana's 85-75 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Tougaloo.
The Gold Rush (15-3 overall, 3-0 GCAC) have won four in a row and remained in a first-place tie in the conference with Philander Smith, a 75-72 winner at Edward Waters.
Smith made three consecutive 3-pointers during a 14-0 run in the final five minutes of the first half to erase Tougaloo's largest lead, 26-23. Xavier led 40-34 at halftime and 61-43 after a Denzell Erves basket with 12:07 remaining.
Erves, the reigning GCAC Player of the Week, had 15 points and 10 rebounds. It was his fourth double-double in five games, his 11th of the season and the 18th of his career. Wanto Joseph had his second double-double of the season, 14 points and a career-best 13 assists. Anthony Simmons scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Juan Gray had 21 points, six assists and five steals for Tougaloo (3-10, 1-2). Cordaryl Campbell scored 20 points, and Denzel Hardy had 15 points and five assists.
Smith made 6-of-9 3-pointers to tie the Convocation Center men's record set by Jarvis Christian's Chris Davis against Spring Hill in the Big Easy Classic on Nov. 10.
Joseph produced the most assists in a game by a Gold Rush player since Shaun Dumas had 13 on New Year's Eve against Wiley in 2006.
Xavier shot 51.9 percent from the floor -- 65.2 percent in the second half -- and limited the Bulldogs to 41.9 percent. The Gold Rush outrebounded Tougaloo 41-25.
Xavier will continue a four-game GCAC home stand at 7:30 p.m. Monday against SUNO, which is tied for third place in the conference with Talladega and a game behind the leaders.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorVISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
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