Gold Rush climb one spot, rank 13th in NAIA Division I

NEW ORLEANS -- Ascending for the sixth time in eight weeks, Xavier University of Louisiana is 13th in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25. The 10th rankings of the season were announced Tuesday.

The Gold Rush (20-7 overall, 9-2 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) climbed one spot from the previous week after defeating then-NAIA No. 24 Philander Smith 103-99 in overtime and Tougaloo 83-61. The XU men reached 20 victories for the fourth consecutive season.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 34th consecutive time -- the longest active streak in the division -- and the 47th time in the last 48 polls. It's Xavier's fifth consecutive week in the top 15.

Talladega, another GCAC member, is the top 10 for the eighth consecutive poll. The Tornadoes dropped from sixth to eighth.

Cal State San Marcos is No. 1 for the fifth consecutive week.

The Gold Rush played host to Belhaven on Tuesday, then will close the regular season in a 5 p.m. Saturday game at conference and city rival Dillard. Xavier will play host to the GCAC Tournament from March 6-9.

New rankings will be announced next Tuesday.

The top 25:

1. Cal State San Marcos
2. Pikeville
3. William Carey
4. Columbia (Mo.)
5. Southwestern Assemblies of God
6. Freed-Hardeman
7. Emmanuel (Ga.)
8. Talladega
9. Benedictine (Kan.)
10. Vanguard
11. Rocky Mountain
12. LSU-Shreveport
13. Xavier
14. Georgetown (Ky.)
15. Culver-Stockton
16. Arizona Christian
17. Oklahoma City
18. Montana State-Northern
19. Evangel
20. St. Gregory's
21. Westminster (Utah)
22. Our Lady of the Lake
23. St. Catharine (Ky.)
24. Lindenwood-Belleville
25. Biola

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