Thursday, February 5, 2015

No. 18 Gold Rush await No. 3 Talladega at XU Monday

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana moved Tuesday from 19th to 18th in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.

The Gold Rush (18-6 overall, 7-1 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) climbed for the fourth consecutive week. Sustained success has fueled Xavier's ascent; the Gold Rush's seven consecutive victories are tied for the second-longest current win streak in NAIA DI.

The Gold Rush are in the top 25 for the 44th consecutive time. That's the longest active streak among NAIA DI men's teams. Xavier appeared in 57 of the last 58 top-25s.

The NAIA DI team with the longest active win streak is Talladega, winner of 15 in a row and a half-game ahead of Xavier in the GCAC standings. The Tornadoes moved from fourth to third nationally and became the GCAC's first top-3 team since LSU-Shreveport was second on Feb. 20, 2008.

Xavier and Talladega will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday at XU's Convocation Center. It will be Xavier's fifth game of the season against a top-10 opponent. Talladega will be the highest-ranked opponent to play the Gold Rush at Xavier since No. 3 LSUS on Feb. 14, 2008.

Talladega was the last team to defeat Xavier — 93-78 on Jan. 5 at Talladega, Ala., when the Tornadoes were ranked sixth and the Gold Rush were 22nd.

Xavier's next game will start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against GCAC opponent Voorhees at the Convocation Center.

GCAC member Philander Smith, 24th last week, fell out of the top 25 after being ranked in the first six polls of the season. Cal State San Marcos is No. 1 for the second consecutive week after receiving 7-of-10 first-place votes.

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

(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Feb. 1)

RankTeamRecordPointsLast
1Cal State San Marcos (7)20-22481
2Hope International (3)20-12443
3Talladega20-32294
4Freed-Hardeman19-22255
5Pikeville 21-2223 2
6Campbellsville20-32106
7Benedictine (Kan.)19-41957
8-tieBethel (Tenn.)18-418022
8-tieConcordia (Calif.)19-4180tie-14
10Arizona Christian18-516510
11Montana Western17-516418
12Dalton State17-31598
13 Georgetown (Ky.)19-3156tie-14
14Mid-America Christian 15-715017
15Columbia (Mo.)19-414813
16Martin Methodist19-3135 tie-14
17Oklahoma Baptist17-512720
18Xavier17-611119
19LSU-Alexandria13-210825
20Great Falls16-510612
21Wayland Baptist17-41049
22Our Lady of the Lake14-47711
23Evangel14-87621
24Cumberlands18-55723
25Southwestern Assemblies of God16-648RV

Others receiving votes: Philander Smith 40, Missouri Valley 39, Westmont 36, William Carey 23, Wiley 19, Montana Tech 7, Central Methodist 3, LSU-Shreveport 3


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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