NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana suffered its first men's basketball loss of the season, 74-70 to Loyola on Tuesday at XU's Convocation Center.
Morris Wright led the Gold Rush (4-1), ranked 19th in NAIA Division I, with a career-high 18 points. Gary Smith scored a career-high 16 points, and Sydney Coleman produced Xavier's first double-double of the season, 14 points and 11 rebounds. Coleman has scored in double figures in every game this season.
Kyle Simmons and Mason Ibert scored 15 points apiece for the Wolf Pack (1-3). Jalen Gray scored 14 points, and Cameron Hill scored 11.
Simmons made the second of two free throws with 10:43 remaining to put Loyola ahead to stay, 52-51. Ibert's basket at 6:18 gave Loyola a 64-55 lead.
Xavier rallied and twice cut Loyola's lead to one in the final 75 seconds -- the second time on Wright's 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining -- before Gray made 3-of-4 free throws to close the scoring.
Xavier led 37-35 at halftime after shooting 60 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush led by six three times in the second half, the last time at 47-41 after Wright's basket at 14:37.
Smith, a sophomore guard, reached double figures for the first time at Xavier. He scored 12 points in the second half.
Loyola outshot Xavier 47.2 to 41.8 percent from the floor for the game and 46.4 to 31.4 percent in the second half. It was the first game this season that the Gold Rush shot less than 50 percent. At the line Xavier shot a season-high 87 percent, making 20-of-23 free throws.
The city rivals will meet again at 4 p.m. on Dec. 14 at Loyola.
Next for Xavier will be its homecoming game at 2 p.m. Saturday against Texas College at the Convocation Center. The game will be preceded by a noon matchup between Xavier's and Texas College's women's teams.
Box score
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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