Rush beat Bulldogs to set up title showdown Wednesday

NEW ORLEANS — Jeff Dixon had career highs of 25 points and 11 assists Saturday to lead NAIA No. 22 Xavier University of Louisiana in an 84-79 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Tougaloo.

Dixon, a junior point guard, did not commit a turnover in 34 minutes.

XULA will close its regular season with a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday home game against Talladega. The winner will earn a share of the GCAC regular-season championship with Dillard. The GCAC Tournament will begin Friday with three first-round men's games at Dillard's Dent Hall. Dillard has clinched the No. 1 seed for the tournament, and the XULA-Talladega winner will be the No. 2 seed.

Dillard has concluded its conference schedule at 9-3, and Talladega is tied for second with XULA at 8-3. Talladega began the day in sole possession of first place but lost 69-64 at Philander Smith while Dillard won 76-50 at Edward Waters.

There were seven ties and 10 lead changes in the second half. Dixon's basket with 3:58 remaining put the Gold Rush (21-7) ahead to stay at 76-74.

Rayshawn Mart and Jalen David scored 18 points apiece for XULA, and Virgil Davison had 16.
Denarius Odell scored 21 points, Tonzell Handy 19 and Dearius Griffin 10 for the Bulldogs (15-8, 6-5).

XULA led 46-40 at halftime after leading by 14.

Dixon became the first Gold Rush player to reach 20 points and 10 assists in the same game since Shaun Dumas had 30 and 12 against Tougaloo on Feb. 5, 2007, at The Barn. Dumas, now the boys basketball coach at Crescent City Christian School in Metairie, La., was in attendance Saturday.



Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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