NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball soon will embark on one of its most ambitious schedules ever.
Thirteen-of-30 regular-season games in 2016-17 will be against teams that qualified for national postseason tournaments the previous year. Of those 13 games, 10 will be against teams that won in the first round. During a five-game stretch between semesters, XULA will play three times against 2016 national quarterfinalists.
"This is probably one of the toughest schedules in the country," said first-year head coach Alfred Williams, who announced the schedule Monday. "If you want to be the best you've got to play the best.
This schedule will test us to see where we are going into conference. Our guys want to play tough competition. It will bring the best out of our players. It will test their focus and attention to detail."
XULA was 21-13 in 2015-16 and finished second in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament for the second consecutive year.
The postseason teams on the schedule are Wayland Baptist, LSU-Alexandria, William Carey, Carroll (Mont.), Barry, Keiser, Dillard and Talladega. XULA will play two games apiece against LSUA, William Carey, Dillard and Talladega. All but Wayland Baptist and William Carey advanced in the postseason.
After opening the season Oct. 25 at home against Carver, the Gold Rush will play home games against NAIA national tourney qualifiers Wayland Baptist Nov. 4 and LSU-Alexandria Nov. 9. LSUA was No. 1 in the national coaches poll for five consecutive weeks last season.
The quarterfinalists XULA will play are Carroll (Mont.) (NAIA) Dec. 19 at home, at Barry (NCAA DII) Dec. 31 and at Keiser (NAIA) Jan. 3. Visiting XULA Feb. 9 will be Concordia (Ala.), the USCAA runner-up last season.
Dillard and Talladega compete in the NAIA's GCAC with XULA, and both opponents reached the second round of nationals last season. Dillard will visit XULA Jan. 28 in the Crosstown Classic, and Talladega will visit Feb. 20 in the next-to-last game of the regular season.
LeMoyne-Owen of NCAA DII will be XULA's homecoming opponent for the third consecutive year. The Magicians and Gold Rush will tip off at 1 p.m. Nov. 19.
Also on the schedule will be road exhibitions against NCAA Division I members Jackson State Nov. 11 and Southeastern Louisiana Nov. 21. XULA will play Jackson State for the first time since December 1977.
The GCAC Tournament will be March 3-5, followed by the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship March 15-21 at Kansas City, Mo. XULA seeks to extend a school record by qualifying for nationals a seventh consecutive time.
Williams — a XULA player for three seasons (2004-05, 2006-08) and assistant coach for six (2009-15) — said he is confident his team will succeed.
"With the roster we have, I like our chances," Williams said.
Xavier University of Louisiana
2016-17 Men's Basketball Schedule
Oct. 25 (Tue.): CARVER, 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 (Fri.): WAYLAND BAPTIST (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 9 (Wed.): LSU-ALEXANDRIA, 7 p.m.
Nov. 11 (Fri.): at Jackson State, noon (exhibition)
Nov. 12 (Sat.): at William Carey, 6 p.m.
Nov. 15 (Tue.): LOYOLA (N.O.) (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 19 (Sat.): LeMOYNE-OWEN (DH), 1 p.m. (Homecoming)
Nov. 21 (Mon.): at Southeastern Louisiana, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Nov. 29 (Tue.): at LSU-Alexandria, 7 p.m.
Dec. 1 (Thu.): PAUL QUINN, 7 p.m.
Dec. 16 (Fri.): at Loyola (N.O.), 7 p.m.
Dec. 19 (Mon.): CARROLL (MONT.), 7 p.m.
Dec. 29 (Thu.): at Paul Quinn, 2 p.m.
Dec. 31 (Sat.): at Barry, 4 p.m. EST
Jan. 2 (Mon.): Concordia (Canada), 7 p.m. EST (Chuck Daly Classic, West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Jan. 3 (Tue.): at Keiser, 7 p.m. EST (Chuck Daly Classic, West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Jan. 7 (Sat.): • TOUGALOO (DH), 5 p.m.
Jan. 13 (Fri.): RUST, 7 p.m.
Jan. 16 (Mon.): • SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 21 (Sat.): • EDWARD WATERS (DH), 5 p.m.
Jan. 23 (Mon.): • at Philander Smith (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 (Sat.): • DILLARD (DH), 5 p.m. (Crosstown Classic)
Jan. 30 (Mon.): • at Talladega (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 (Wed.): WILLIAM CAREY (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 (Sat.): • at Edward Waters (DH), 5 p.m. EST
Feb. 6 (Mon.): • PHILANDER SMITH (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 9 (Thu.): CONCORDIA (ALA.), 7 p.m.
Feb. 13 (Mon.): • at SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 15 (Wed.): STILLMAN (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 18 (Sat.): • at Dillard (DH), 5 p.m.
Feb. 20 (Mon.): • TALLADEGA (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 (Sat.): • at Tougaloo (DH), 5 p.m.
March 3-5 (Fri.-Sun.): Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament
March 15-21 (Wed.-Tue.): Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship, Kansas City, Mo.
Home games in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS
• Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game
(DH) Doubleheader with Xavier's women
All times are Central except where noted
Schedule is subject to change
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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