Sunday, November 24, 2013

Rogers and Coleman help Gold Rush rout Texas College

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier Rogers' 19 points and Sydney Coleman's 15 points and 10 rebounds led NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana to a wire-to-wire 83-47 men's basketball homecoming victory Saturday against Texas College.

Rogers made 3-of-4 3-pointers and, for the third time in four games, led the Gold Rush (5-1) in scoring. Coleman produced his second consecutive double-double and reached double figures in points for the sixth time in as many games.

Morris Wright had 11 points and seven assists for Xavier, and RJ Daniels and Anthony Goode scored nine points apiece.

Percy Evans, with 17 points, was the only player for Texas College (2-3) to score more than seven.

Rogers scored five points during a 7-0 run in the first five minutes. Xavier made 20-of-28 free throws to build a 45-28 halftime advantage and led by more than 30 points for the final 8:51.

The winning margin was Xavier's largest since the 2009-10 season opener.

Xavier shot a season-best 60.9 percent from the floor -- the fifth time in six games it topped 50 percent -- and limited Texas College to 20 percent, the lowest by an XU opponent since the start of 2006-07. Xavier had season highs of six blocked shots and 14 steals -- Wesley Pluviose-Philip had three blocks, and Goode had two blocks and five steals -- and outrebounded the Steers 49-24.

Xavier's Olivier Siewe grabbed a career-high-tying nine rebounds, eight in the second half, and Coleman and Gary Smith had three steals apiece.

Texas College shot better from 3-point range (7-of-23) than it did on 2-pointers (4-of-32).

Xavier will play Wiley at 6 p.m. Tuesday to start a stretch of 8-of-10 games on the road. The next Gold Rush home game will start at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 against NAIA No. 10 William Carey.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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