Okoroha leads Xavier past Belhaven
For immediate release . . . January 20, 2007
Box Score

NEW ORLEANS — Kelechi Okoroha collected 17 points and a season-high seven assists Saturday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to an 81-69 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Belhaven at The Barn.

The victory was the second in a row for the Gold Rush (9-7 overall, 2-4 GCAC) after losing its first four conference games. Belhaven is 9-8, 2-4.

Okoroha scored 13 points in the second half.

Mark Stewart had 14 points, Shaun Dumas 13 and Rashaad Lewis a season-high 11 for Xavier. Lewis grabbed nine of Xavier's season-best 51 rebounds.

Bobby Johnson scored 14 points, Dax Miller 13, Justin Hansberry 11 and Julien Marion 10 for Belhaven. Johnson entered the game averaging 26.3 points per game and shooting 56 percent from the floor but made just 5 of 14 shots in 36 minutes.

"K.C. (Okoroha) and Alfred (Williams) did a good job defending Johnson," Xavier Coach Dannton Jackson said. "We double-teamed him at times to get the ball out of his hands. We tried to make (Johnson) feel uncomfortable and wear him down."

Xavier never lost the lead after scoring the first five points. The Gold Rush led 39-28 at halftime and held its biggest advantage, 79-64, when Lewis made a free throw with one minute remaining.

The Rush outshot the Blazers 43 to 40 percent from the floor and outrebounded them by 20. Xavier has won 16 of the last 19 meetings against Belhaven and is 25-1 in The Barn against the Blazers.

"I'm not overzealous or depressed about winning two in a row," Jackson said. "I'm somewhere in the middle. We're still trying to grow, just trying to get better. Our guys are doing a better job of where and how to get their shots. We're mentally tougher. We've just got to work on one game at a time."

Xavier's next game will start at 7:30 p.m. Monday at The Barn against GCAC opponent William Carey.