XU Rush to play 15 at home, exhibition at Vandy, 2 with UNO

Gold Rush Head Coach Dannton Jackson
(Photo Courtesy: Xavier University Sports Information)

NEW ORLEANS — Fifteen home games, back-to-back road exhibitions against NCAA Division I opponents and eight matchups against city schools are among the highlights of the 2011-12 Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball schedule.

Ninth-year head coach Dannton Jackson announced the schedule Friday.

Xavier, 27-6 last season and No. 17 in the final NAIA Division I coaches poll, will begin its 74th season Nov. 2 against Carver College at The Barn. It will be the 18th consecutive season that the Gold Rush open at home, and the XU men will attempt to win their opener for the 16th straight season.

XU's men will play six of their first eight regular-season games at home and another stretch Jan. 10-Feb. 1 with eight of nine at The Barn. But during that early period — immediately after the Carver game — the Gold Rush will travel to play NCAA D-I opponents Western Kentucky on Nov. 5 and Vanderbilt on Nov. 7. It will be the third straight season that Xavier visits the Hilltoppers and the first time that the Rush meet an SEC team in an exhibition.

The schedule contains the annual Gulf Coast Athletic Conference home-and-away matchups with city rivals SUNO and Dillard — Dillard will visit Xavier on Jan. 28 for the Crosstown Classic, part of Rush/Nuggets Alumni Weekend — and there will be two games apiece against Loyola and the University of New Orleans.

UNO, still classified as Division I but transitioning to NCAA Division II, will play host to the Gold Rush on Jan. 4 and visit The Barn on Feb. 1. It will be the first time that XU and UNO meet in the regular season since Feb. 11, 1976, and it will be the Privateers' second visit to The Barn — the first was on Feb. 15, 1974.

Loyola will visit Xavier on Nov. 29 and play host to the Gold Rush on Dec. 17.

For the second straight season there will be consecutive games against longtime rival Wiley, starting with a Nov. 19 matchup during Xavier's homecoming. The Rush also will play home-and-away non-conference series with Mobile, St. Thomas (Fla.) and William Carey. Xavier will play twice in south Florida between Christmas and New Year's Day for the third straight season.

The GCAC schedule will include Xavier's first-ever league matchups with Edward Waters and Fisk, which joined the league in 2010, and with Philander Smith, which joined in July. Talladega, the other GCAC school to join in July, returns after a three-year stint from 1999-2002. The conference will employ its traditional double round-robin scheduling after an unbalanced league schedule last season. Edward Waters and Jacksonville, Fla., will play host to the GCAC Tournament for the second straight year.

The GCAC will crown a regular-season and tournament champion, and the latter will receive an automatic bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship at Kansas City, Mo. Xavier qualified for nationals last season as an at-large selection and reached the tournament for the fifth time in seven seasons.

2011-12 Xavier University Men's Basketball Schedule Click here for an alternative link to the basketball schedule Nov. 2 (Wed.):  CARVER, 7 p.m. Nov. 5 (Sat.):  at Western Kentucky, 7:30 p.m. (exhibition) Nov. 7 (Mon.):  at Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. (exhibition) Nov. 11 (Fri.):  ST. THOMAS (FLA.), 7 p.m. Nov. 14 (Mon.):  at Mobile, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 (Sat.):  WILEY (DH), 2 p.m. (Homecoming) Nov. 26 (Sat.):  at Wiley, 2 p.m. Nov. 29 (Tue.):  LOYOLA (DH), 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 (Sat.):  CONCORDIA (ALA.) (DH), 4 p.m. Dec. 6 (Tue.):  MOBILE, 7 p.m. Dec. 13 (Tue.):  at William Carey, 7 p.m. Dec. 17 (Sat.):  at Loyola (DH), 4 p.m. Dec. 28 (Wed.):  Florida Memorial, 5 p.m. EST (St. Thomas Classic) Dec. 29 (Thu.):  at St. Thomas (Fla.), 7 p.m. EST (St. Thomas Classic) Jan. 4 (Wed.):  at New Orleans, 7 p.m. Jan. 7 (Sat.):  • at Philander Smith, noon Jan. 10 (Tue.):  • SUNO (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 (Fri.):  • EDWARD WATERS (DH), 7:30 p.m. Jan. 14 (Sat.):  • FISK (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 16 (Mon.):  • PHILANDER SMITH (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 21 (Sat.):  • TALLADEGA (DH), 7 p.m. Jan. 23 (Mon.):  • at Tougaloo, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 28 (Sat.):  • DILLARD (DH), 7 p.m. (Crosstown Classic and Rush/Nuggets Alumni Weekend) Jan. 30 (Mon.):  WILLIAM CAREY, 7 p.m. Feb. 1 (Wed.):  NEW ORLEANS, 7 p.m. Feb. 6 (Mon.):  • at SUNO, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 (Sat.):  • at Talladega, 7 p.m. Feb. 13 (Mon.):  • TOUGALOO, 7:30 p.m. (Senior Night) Feb. 18 (Sat.):  • at Edward Waters, 4 p.m. EST Feb. 20 (Mon.):  • at Fisk, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 (Sat.):  • at Dillard, 7 p.m. (Allstate Sugar Bowl Bleu Devil Classic) March 1-3 (Thu.-Sat):  GCAC Tournament, Jacksonville, Fla. March 14-20 (Wed.-Tue.):  Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship, Kansas City, Mo. Home games in (in bold and CAPITAL LETTERS) are played at The Barn (capacity 1,300), Xavier University campus, New Orleans • Gulf Coast Athletic Conference game DH — doubleheader with Xavier's women TBA — To be announced All times are Central except where noted Call (504) 520-7329 for ticket information

Ed Cassiere

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Xavier Gold Rush to conduct tryouts Friday at The Barn

Head coach Dannton Jackson will
conduct  tryouts for the Xavier men's
 basketball team Friday at the Barn

New Orleans - Xavier University of Louisiana will conduct men's basketball tryouts for the 2011-12 season this Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at The Barn.

Participants must be full-time Xavier students and enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours for the fall 2011 semester.

Contact assistant coach Alfred Williams at (504) 520-6778 or awilli39@xula.edu for more information.

Xavier was 27-6 in 2010-11, ranked 17th in the final NAIA Division I poll and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the fifth time in seven seasons.





By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Super Elite Summer League tips off for the third time

NEW ORLEANS — The third annual Super Elite Summer League, a boys high school basketball event, tipped off Wednesday at The Barn, Xavier University of Louisiana's gymnasium.

Xavier and O. Perry Walker High School co-sponsor the league, which includes teams from Brother Martin, Catholic (Baton Rouge), Ellender, Jesuit, Karr, McDonogh 35, O. Perry Walker, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, Scotlandville and Riverside.

"I am excited to have some of the best teams in the area back at Xavier this summer," XU men's coach Dannton Jackson said. "Approximately 150 young men will participate, and I look forward to evaluating the local talent. This event once again will benefit local basketball, the community and Xavier."

Games will be played on six consecutive Wednesdays, with the finale July 6.



Schedule (PDF file)

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Xavier Gold Rush to conduct tryouts Saturday at The Barn

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will conduct men's basketball tryouts for the 2011-12 season on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Barn.

Participants must bring an academic transcript. The tryout is open to current XU and junior-college students and to 12th-graders graduating in 2011.

The Barn, Xavier's gymnasium, can be found on online maps by using 3999 Short Street and the 70125 zip code.

Contact assistant coach Alfred Williams at (504) 520-6778 or awilli39@xula.edu for more information.

Xavier was 27-6 in 2010-11, ranked 17th in the final NAIA Division I poll and qualified for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the fifth time in seven seasons.

PDF brochure

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Informaiton Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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Honorable mention for XU's Simmons on All-Louisiana team

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Anthony Simmons received honorable mention on the All-Louisiana collegiate men's basketball team announced late Saturday.

Warren, a 6-foot-8 sophomore forward from Rochester, N.Y., and a graduate of Allendale Columbia School, averaged nine points and 5.5 rebounds in 32 games with 19 starts for the Gold Rush, which was 27-6 and earned an at-large bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. Simmons was Xavier's No. 2 scorer and rebounder and led the team with a .598 field-goal percentage.

All-Louisiana Basketball Honorable Mention
Anthony Simmons

Simmons helped the XU men record their first 13-0 start since 1940-41 and their winningest season since 1983-84.

A Louisiana Sports Writers Association panel selected the team.

2010-11 LSWA All-Louisiana Men's Basketball Team
First Team
Anatoly Bose, Nicholls State
Kendall Timmons, Tulane
Pat Richard, McNeese State
Olu Ashaolu, Louisiana Tech
Ryan Brock, Loyola

Second Team
William Mosley, Northwestern State
Will Pratt, Northwestern State
Diego Kapelan, McNeese State
Zach Kinsley, New Orleans
Justin Patton, Grambling

Third Team
Eric Young, LSU-Shreveport
J.J. Thomas, Louisiana-Lafayette
Derrick Parker, LSU-Shreveport
Fred Brown, Louisiana-Monroe
DeAndre Brown, Louisiana Tech

Player of the Year: Anatoly Bose, Nicholls State
Newcomer of the Year: Eric Young, LSU-Shreveport
Freshman of the Year: J.J. Thomas, Louisiana-Lafayette
Coach of the Year: Dave Simmons, McNeese State

Honorable Mention: P.J. Alawoya, McNeese State; Devon Baker, Northwestern State; Trent Hutchin, Southeastern Louisiana; Brent Leduff, SUNO; Anthony Simmons, Xavier; Tommie Sykes, Louisiana-Monroe; Rolston Turner, LSU.



By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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XU Gold Rush's Kenner is a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Jamaan Kenner is a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete in men's basketball.

Kenner — a junior guard from LaPlace, La., and a graduate of East St. John High School — was one of 59 to receive that honor Monday. NAIA athletes qualify for the award with minimums of junior academic status and a cumulative 3.5 grade-point average. Kenner is a senior academically and a biology/pre-medical major with a 3.59 GPA.

Jamaan Kenner
2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete

He helped the Gold Rush finish 27-6 this season — the most victories by an XU men's team since 1983-84 — finish second in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and earn an at-large bid to the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship. Kenner averaged 4.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in 32 games with 16 starts. He made 28-of-89 3-pointers and hit a season-high four treys against Concordia (Ala.) on Jan. 6. Kenner was the GCAC Player of the Week for Dec. 6-12.

"Jamaan Kenner is an outstanding representative of Xavier University and the men's basketball program," eighth-year head coach Dannton Jackson said. "He works diligently in the classroom and on the court."

Kenner was the lone men's or women's basketball player from the GCAC to be named a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete this season.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULA Athletics

Evangel shoots past Xavier Gold Rush at NAIA national tourney

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 17, 2011) -- Senior guard Spud Harbour scored 27 points Thursday to lead Evangel University to a 79-71 victory over Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening round of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.

The Crusaders (26-8), from Springfield, Mo., shot 52.8 percent from the floor and earned their 11th consecutive victory. They'll play second-ranked Concordia (Calif.) in the second round at 2:15 p.m. Friday. Xavier, ranked 17th and in the national tournament for the first time since 2008, finished 27-6 with its winningest season since 1983-84.

Senior guard Michael Harvey, in his final Xavier game, led the Gold Rush with 18 points, including a career-high-tying four 3-pointers. Chris Iles had 16 points and four assists, Cordell Hadnot had eight points and eight rebounds, and Denzell Erves had eight points and seven rebounds. In the first half Harvey scored 11 points, and Iles had 10 after going 4-of-4 from the floor.

The 2010-11 Xavier University of Louisiana 27-6 men's basketball team.
Head Coach Dannton Jackson,  Eighth season at Xavier, 179 wins 81 losses 
17 of 18 seniors to play for Coach Jackson have earned degrees from Xavier; 1 still enrolled
(Photo courtesy of Xavier University)

Evangel, ranked 15th in the final coaches poll, spent more than 38½ minutes with the lead. Xavier's only advantage was at 7-6, and there were ties at 3 and 44 before Evangel went ahead to stay on Chad Gillaspy's basket with 16:49 remaining. The Crusaders stretched their lead to 68-56 on Mitch McHenry's basket with 7:17 remaining, then made 8-of-8 free throws in the final 3:15 after Xavier closed the gap to 71-69 on Hadnot's free throw at 3:29.

Harbour scored 15 points to help Evangel lead 39-34 at halftime. Harbour finished with three 3-pointers, three assists and 10-of-11 free throws.

McHenry made 7-of-10 from the floor and scored a season-high 17 points, all in the second half, for Evangel, and Gillaspy had 15 points, 7-of-11 field goals, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Evangel was the first team this season to shoot better than 50 percent from the floor against Xavier, which entered the game in the top five nationally in scoring defense and field-goal percentage defense. The Gold Rush shot 45.9 percent but made 1-of-8 from 3-point range after hitting 5-of-9 in the first half.

Harvey finished his career with 143 3-pointers. He scored Xavier's first points on a trey at 18:42, giving him sole possession of fourth place on Xavier's all-time list. He entered the game tied with Michael Varnado, who played from 2001-05.

Xavier lost in the first round at nationals for the ninth time in its last 10 appearances. The Gold Rush are 4-12 in 12 appearances, and each of the last five losses was by single digits.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
Xavier University of Louisiana
Visit: XULA Athletics