Xavier (20-8 overall, 9-3 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) were 24th on Jan. 6, then climbed from 21st to 20th to 19th to 18th to 17th in successive weeks. An eight-game win streak, the Gold Rush's longest in four years, fueled the climb.
One XU streak, however, didn't end. This is the 46th consecutive Gold Rush appearance in the top 25 -- the longest active streak in NAIA DI men's basketball. Xavier has appeared in 59 of the last 60 top 25s.
Xavier ended a two-game losing streak Monday with a 75-64 GCAC victory at Tougaloo. That enabled the Rush to reach 20 victories for the fifth consecutive season and the 30th time overall, a Louisiana men's collegiate record.
GCAC leader Talladega is No. 1 in the nation this week. The Tornadoes, who received 7-of-10 first-place votes, were No. 3 last Monday when they won 78-69 at Xavier, then climbed to No. 2 the next day. It is the first NAIA No. 1 ranking in Talladega's history.
Cal State San Marcos, No. 1 the previous three weeks, dropped into a fourth-place tie with Hope International. No. 2 Freed-Hardeman received two first-place votes, and No. 3 Pikeville earned one.
Philander Smith, a 61-60 winner at home Saturday against Xavier, remained outside the top 25 for the third straight week. The Panthers are 27th.
Xavier does not have to leave town again this season unless it qualifies for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Kansas City Mo. The Gold Rush will close the regular season against two GCAC city rivals -- 7:30 p.m. Monday at SUNO, 7 p.m. Feb. 28 against Dillard in the Crosstown Classic at XU's Convocation Center -- then play host to all three men's rounds of the GCAC Tournament.
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