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NEW ORLEANS -- Larry Bullock's two free throws with 7.7 seconds remaining Thursday lifted Albany State to a 62-61 men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 13 Xavier University of Louisiana.
The Rams rallied from a 15-point deficit in the final 12 minutes to become the first non-NAIA opponent to defeat the Gold Rush (3-1) in the Convocation Center, which opened two years ago.
Albany State, an NCAA Division II member, counted the game as an exhibition. But Xavier counted it as a regular-season game.
Bullock, who scored 19 points, gave the Rams their first lead of the second half, 60-59, on a basket with 37 seconds remaining. Xavier regained the lead on the next possession, 61-60, on Morris Wright's basket with 24 seconds to play.
After Bullock made his decisive free throws, Wright missed a shot in the lane with two seconds remaining, and the Rams controlled the rebound.
It was a role reversal from last season, when Bullock's turnover with 13 seconds remaining set up Wright's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining in a 71-68 XU victory.
Wright scored 15 second-half points and for the game made 10-of-11 free throws. Chris Wheeler scored 15 points and Earl Farnum 11 for Albany State, which will open its regular season one week from Friday against West Florida in the Holiday Inn Classic at Valdosta, Ga. Wheeler and Farnum made three 3-pointers apiece.
Anthony Goode scored 17 points, Morris Wright 12 and Gary Smith a season-high 10 for Xavier. Jarvis Thibodeaux grabbed eight rebounds, and Wright tied his season high with seven assists.
Goode and Smith combined for all the points in an 11-0 run which gave Xavier a 17-13 lead in the eighth minute. A 15-2 run in the final seven minutes gave the Gold Rush a 35-27 halftime lead, and Thibodeaux's basket with 11:59 remaining gave the Rush a 49-34 advantage.
Xavier outrebounded the Rams 36-30, but Albany State outshot Xavier 39.2 to 38 percent from the floor and committed six fewer turnovers. Both teams made nine 3-pointers.
Xavier will play another NCAA Division II opponent, Miles, at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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