Gold Rush hold on to defeat LSUS Pilots 63-58

NEW ORLEANS — RJ Daniels scored 18 points to match his career high, and Xavier University of Louisiana shut out LSU-Shreveport in the final three minutes to earn a 63-58 men's basketball victory Tuesday in the second game of the Gold Rush Holiday Classic.
     
The Gold Rush (11-4), ranked 17th in NAIA Division I, are 9-0 at home this season.
     
Fisk defeated Mobile 60-36 in the opening game.
     
Daniels, a senior guard/forward, was 7-of-10 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line in 29 minutes as a reserve. He scored in double figures for the sixth time this season, and he led Xavier in rebounds with six.
     
Daniels scored 14 points to lead Xavier to a 32-13 advantage through the first 16 minutes. The Gold Rush led 36-24 at halftime.
     
Lyndale James' basket with 3:03 remaining gave LSUS (6-6) its only second-half lead, 58-57, but the Pilots went 0-of-8 from the floor and committed one turnover thereafter. Xavier tied the score at 58 with 2:31 remaining when Lucas Martin-Julien made 1-of-2 free throws, then took the lead for good at 2:14 when Martin-Julien made two more free throws.
     
Gary Smith's basket with 41 seconds remaining gave Xavier a 62-58 lead.
     
Martin-Julien scored 13 points, Smith 11 and Morris Wright 10. It was the first time in 18 games that Wright did not lead Xavier in scoring. Martin-Julien had five assists and a career-high-tying four steals.
     
Daniels' other 18-point performance was Nov. 30, 2013, on the road against LeMoyne-Owen.
     
Josh Walker scored 14 points, Tyrell Springer 13 and Manny Martin 11 for LSUS. Zay Henderson grabbed eight rebounds.
     
Xavier, in the opener of a five-game home stand, outshot the Pilots 51.2 to 35.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 37-28. LSUS was plus-9 in turnovers, committing 12 and gaining 21.
     
The teams split their two-game season series. LSUS won 65-55 Nov. 24 at Shreveport, La.
     
On Wednesday, LSUS will meet Mobile at 3 p.m., and Xavier will play Fisk at 5 p.m. to conclude the event.

BOX SCORE

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