Gold Rush beats William Carey for third straight victory
For immediate release . . . January 22, 2007
Box Score

NEW ORLEANS — Sophomore guard Shaun Dumas scored 19 points Monday — his fifth consecutive game in double figures — to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 71-66 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against William Carey at The Barn.

It was the third consecutive victory for the Gold Rush (10-7 overall, 3-4 GCAC) and the fifth time this season that Xavier won after trailing at halftime.

Mark Stewart added 15 points for Xavier, including 10 of 11 free throws in the final seven minutes, and Olumide Olafioye scored 10. Rashaad Lewis grabbed 11 rebounds.

Scotty Fletcher, Jeremy Holder and Dexter Cheairs scored 15 points apiece for William Carey (11-7, 5-4). The Crusaders' Jarekus Singleton, who entered the game with an NAIA Division I-leading 25.8 scoring average, scored nine points and lost his No. 1 ranking after going 3 of 15 from the floor — 2 of 11 from behind the arc — and 1 of 4 from the line in 37 minutes. Singleton also had nine assists, five turnovers and three steals.

Xavier trailed 22-13 with 6:51 remaining in the first half before closing the deficit to 34-30 at the break. Cornelius Kennedy's basket at 8:38 of the second half put the Rush ahead to stay at 50-49 and was part of a 10-0 run.

Xavier outshot William Carey 44 to 34 percent from the floor. The Rush shot a season-best 80 percent from the line and made a season-high 24 free throws.

Xavier's next game will start at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against GCAC opponent SUNO at the Delgado Community College gym in New Orleans. The Gold Rush will play Dillard at 7 p.m. Saturday in the teams' first matchup at The Barn since 1999.