Garza leads Wiley past Gold Rush
For immediate release . . . December 6, 2006
Box Score

MARSHALL, Texas — Hector Garza scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half Wednesday to lead Wiley to a 79-61 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana .

Garza made all five of his 3-pointers during a two-minute span of the second half to break a tie at 35 and give the Wildcats a 50-37 lead with 13:04 remaining. From 15:08 to 6:33 of the second half, Wiley outscored Xavier 30-4.

Shaun Dumas scored a season-high 17 points for Xavier (6-2), and Mark Stewart scored 10, seven below his average entering the game.

Wiley led 26-25 at halftime, then shot 62 percent from the floor in the second half and outscored the Gold Rush 53-36. The Wildcats finished at 58.1 percent, the best by a Xavier opponent this season, and the Rush finished at a season-worst 38.2 percent.

Xavier was a season-best plus-11 in turnover margin — the Rush committed 15 and gained 26 — but was a season-worst minus-21 in rebounding as Wiley controlled the boards 39-18.

Wiley (6-3) has won five straight since its 56-53 loss at Xavier on Nov. 10. It's the first time in seven tries that the Wildcats have beaten the Rush during XU Coach Dannton Jackson's four seasons. It was Jackson's first loss in 17 games against Red River Athletic Conference teams, and Xavier's 19-game winning streak against HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) also ended.

The Gold Rush's next game will start at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Nicholls State. Xavier's next home game will start at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 against Mobile.