Gold Rush 19th, extend NAIA's longest poll streak

NEW ORLEANS — The rankings streak continues for Xavier University of Louisiana's men's basketball program.

The Gold Rush were 19th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Coaches' Preseason Top 25 poll. The XU men are in the top 25 for the 51st consecutive time — the longest active streak in the division — and the 64th time in the last 65 polls.

Xavier, 24-10 a year ago, will open the 2015-16 season with home games against Webber International at 7 p.m. Thursday and Carver at 6 p.m. Friday in the Convocation Center.

Xavier is one of three Gulf Coast Athletic Conference teams in the top 25. Talladega, the GCAC defending regular-season and tournament champion and a 2015 national semifinalist, is No. 3.

Philander Smith is 20th. It's the first time since Jan. 27, 2015, that the GCAC has three teams in the top 25 and the first time since Feb. 4, 2014, that there are three among the top 20.

The Gold Rush are one place ahead of Philander Smith nationally after finishing one spot behind the Panthers — Philander Smith was second, Xavier third — in the GCAC coaches poll announced earlier this month.

Philander Smith will visit Xavier Jan. 11, and Talladega will visit Jan. 25. Non-conference XU home opponents in the top 25 are LSU-Shreveport (Dec. 29) and William Carey (Feb. 11). The Pilots and Crusaders are tied for 14th.

This is the sixth consecutive time that the XU men start the season in the top 25 and the fourth consecutive year they're in the top 20.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches'
Preseason Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records from 2014-15 season)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Dalton State (9) 32-4 250 1
2 Pikeville (1) 27-5 238 6
3 Talladega 32-5 230 2
4 Arizona Christian 25-9 222 15
5 LSU-Alexandria 23-4 210 17
6 Georgetown (Ky.) 28-8 199 19
7 Hope International 32-3 197 4
8 Evangel 21-13 196 12
9 Freed-Hardeman 29-4 195 9
10 Mid-America Christian 25-11 179 10
11 Martin Methodist 30-5 163 7
12 Wayland Baptist 27-6 159 13
13 Lewis-Clark State 25-8 132 23
14-tie LSU-Shreveport 21-11 129 RV
14-tie William Carey 20-11 129 NR
16 Columbia (Mo.) 26-7 116 18
17 Westmont 25-11 115 3
18 Campbellsville 29-6 113 8
19 Xavier 24-10 112 21
20 Philander Smith 20-10 107 RV
21 MidAmerica Nazarene 11-17 105 NR
22 Benedictine (Kan.) 24-9 92 22
23 Montana Western 23-10 72 14
24 Southwestern Assemblies of God 22-11 64 RV
25 Our Lady of the Lake 25-6 61 16

Dropped from rankings: No. 5 Cal State San Marcos, No. 11 Concordia (Calif.), No. 20 Missouri Valley, No. 24 Oklahoma City, No. 25 Cumberlands
Others receiving votes: Cumberlands 59, Peru State 28, Faulkner 27, Vanguard 25, Rocky Mountain 21, William Penn 12, Bethel (Tenn.) 10, Park 7, Lindenwood-Belleville 6, John Brown 5, Carroll (Mont.) 4, Oklahoma City 3, La.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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