The conference announced the order of finish and preseason team Tuesday but did not reveal the teams' point totals or distribution of first-place votes — a departure from previous seasons.
XULA will open its 80th season at 2 p.m. EDT Friday at St. Thomas (Fla.) in Miami Gardens. The Gold Rush home opener will tip off at 7 p.m. Nov. 6 against Miles at the Convocation Center.
A year ago the XULA men placed fourth in the GCAC at 6-6 and were 10-20 overall to finish with their first sub-.500 record since 1989-90, when they were 14-21. Dillard, GCAC Tournament champion each of the past two seasons and GCAC regular-season champion a year ago, was the coaches' pick for first place, followed by Tougaloo, Talladega, Philander Smith, Edward Waters — the Panthers and Tigers tied for fourth — XULA and SUNO.
David — a 6-foot-4 senior guard/forward from Mount Vernon, N.Y., a graduate of Mount Vernon High School and a former Moberly Area (Mo.) Community College standout — led the Gold Rush last season with 11.5 points and 1.3 steals per game and was second-team All-GCAC.
Davison, a graduate of Hillcrest High School in Memphis, Tenn., is in his first XULA season after transferring from Dyersburg State Community College. A 5-8 junior guard, Davison averaged 23 points as a Dyersburg sophomore and 16.1 points as a freshman.
The NAIA announced Tuesday its preseason national coaches polls. XULA opponents making the top 25 were No. 2 LSU-Alexandria, No. 15 Dillard and No. 16 William Carey in Division I and No. 14 Florida Memorial and No. 20 St. Thomas (Fla.) in Division II.
| GCAC Men's Basketball 2017-18 Coaches Poll | |||||
| Rank | School | ||||
| 1 | Dillard | ||||
| 2 | Tougaloo | ||||
| 3 | Talladega | ||||
| 4-tie | Philander Smith | ||||
| 4-tie | Edward Waters | ||||
| 6 | XULA | ||||
| 7 | SUNO | ||||
XULA in previous GCAC polls | ||
| 2016-17 — 3rd 2015-16 — 3rd 2014-15 — 2nd 2013-14 — 2nd 2012-13 — 1st 2011-12 — 2nd 2010-11 — 1st 2009-10 — 8th 2008-09 — 2nd 2007-08 — 1st 2006-07 — 6th | 2004-05 — 3rd 2003-04 — 4th 2002-03 — 5th 2001-02 — 1st 2000-01 — 2nd 1999-2000 — 3rd 1992-93 — 2nd 1991-92 — 1st 1989-90 — 6th 1988-89 — 4th 1987-88 — 2nd | |
| 2017-18 Preseason All-GCAC Men's Basketball | |
| Player | School |
| Rick Cooper | Dillard |
| Jessie Ward | Dillard |
| Jalen David | XULA |
| Virgil Davison | XULA |
| Devonte Dixon | Talladega |
| Deangelo Anthony | Talladega |
| Christopher Journet | Philander Smith |
| JaCarre Crockett | Philander Smith |
| Tonzell Handy | Tougaloo |
| Anfernee Parker | Tougaloo |
GCAC Preseason Player of the Year: Jessie Ward, Dillard Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications XULAgold.com XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA twitter.com/xulagold www.facebook.com/xulagold | |
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