Stewart scores 28 to rally Gold Rush to victory
For immediate release . . . November 7, 2006
Box Score

AUSTIN, Texas — Mark Stewart scored 20 of his career-high 28 points in the second half Tuesday to rally Xavier University of Louisiana to a 67-58 men's basketball victory against Huston-Tillotson.

Stewart was 8 of 14 from the floor and 6 of 9 from 3-point range. He made five 3-pointers in the second half.

Xavier trailed 32-27 at halftime but rallied by shooting 66 percent from the floor after the break. The Gold Rush never trailed after taking the lead with 17 minutes remaining.

Stewart's previous high was 21 points against Mobile on Jan. 29, 2004.

"Early in the game Mark was rushing his shot a little, but he settled down and took some good shots in the second half," Xavier coach Dannton Jackson said. "The balls went in the basket, and our guys did a good job defensively."

Shaun Dumas added 11 points and three steals for the Gold Rush (2-0), which will play Wiley at 7 p.m. Friday in The Barn. Kelechi Okoroha scored 10 points and Aaron Burgess eight for Xavier, and Alfred Williams led the Rush with eight rebounds.

Doug Krause led Huston-Tillotson (0-1) with nine points. The Rams made nine consecutive field-goal attempts during a 6 1/2-minute stretch to take their largest lead, 29-21, with 3:55 remaining in the first half.

Xavier outshot the Rams 50 to 44 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 32-25. This was Xavier's first meeting with Huston-Tillotson since the 1973-74 season.