Gold Rush loses exhibition at Arkansas
For immediate release . . . October 31, 2006
Box Score

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Charles Thomas scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half Tuesday to lead Arkansas to an 82-49 men's basketball exhibition victory against Xavier University of Louisiana at Bud Walton Arena.

Thomas was 5 of 5 from the floor in the first half to lead the Razorbacks to a 39-17 advantage at the break.

Junior guard Mark Stewart scored a game-high 19 points for Xavier, which will open the regular season at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Texas College in The Barn. Alfred Williams scored 10 points and Olumide Olafioye nine for the Gold Rush.

Darian Townes and Sean McCurdy scored 11 points apiece for Arkansas, which outshot Xavier 49 to 26 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Gold Rush 41-35. Xavier committed 26 turnovers, twice as many as Arkansas.

The Razorbacks never trailed and scored 11 consecutive points to build a 21-7 lead with eight minutes remaining in the first half.

Sonny Weems' free throw with 11:28 remaining capped a 12-0 run and gave the Razorbacks their biggest lead, 67-24, but Xavier outscored Arkansas 25-15 the rest of the game.

"I was very proud of our guys," Xavier Coach Dannton Jackson said. "Our guys played extremely hard the entire game. We had an extremely slow start, but we settled down in the second half and played much better.

"Arkansas was a very tall and long team, but they only beat us by six on the boards, and we got 10 offensive rebounds. We did a good job at the line making 19 of 24 free throws."

It was the first of two Xavier exhibitions against NCAA Division I opponents. The Gold Rush will visit Texas on Monday.