Wednesday, February 18, 2015

After 5 straight gains, Gold Rush slide to 20th nationally

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana's streak of five consecutive climbs in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 ended Tuesday when the Gold Rush dropped from 17th to 20th.

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.

 
NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches'
Top 25 Poll

(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Feb. 15)

RankTeamRecordPointsLast
1Talladega (7)23-32482
2Freed-Hardeman (2)23-22413
3Pikeville (1)24-2234 4
4-tieCal State San Marcos24-32231
4-tieHope International22-22235
6Dalton State22-32098
7Concordia (Calif.)22-520310
8 Georgetown (Ky.)22-41899
9Columbia (Mo.)22-4173tie-12
10Campbellsville22-51716
11Arizona Christian21-61657
12Montana Western19-615715
13Martin Methodist21-4156 tie-12
14Mid-America Christian 18-814916
15Wayland Baptist21-414418
16LSU-Alexandria15-313614
17Benedictine (Kan.)20-612611
18Evangel16-912022
19Our Lady of the Lake18-410221
20Xavier19-810117
21Lewis-Clark State20-693RV
22Bethel (Tenn.)20-67819
23Cumberlands19-76025
24Oklahoma City13-75323
25Westmont17-849RV

Others receiving votes: Southwestern Assemblies of God 48, Philander Smith 36, Carroll (Mont.) 32, Central Methodist 29, Wiley 25, William Carey 10, LSU-Shreveport 5, Great Falls 3, Missouri Valley 3
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director 
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XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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