Xavier's late surge clinches victory at Loyola
January 31, 2008

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS — Mark Stewart and Shaun Dumas each made a pair of 3-pointers during an 18-4 second-half run Thursday which clinched NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana's 77-61 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over Loyola at The Den.

The victory was the fourth straight for the Gold Rush (17-4 overall, 7-2 GCAC) and third straight on the road. Xavier clinched its eighth consecutive winning season and its 15th in 17 years.

There were 10 ties and five lead changes before Xavier pulled away in the final 7 1/2 minutes. The Rush led 54-52 before the run, which Stewart capped with a 3-pointer to made it 72-56 with 1:57 remaining.

Alfred Williams had 16 points and nine rebounds for Xavier. Kelechi Okoroha had 14, Olumide Olafioye 13 and Stewart 12 for his 17th consecutive game in double figures.

Dumas, a 5-foot-11 point guard, had a game- and career-high 11 rebounds. Xavier outrebounded the Wolfpack 44-34 and outshot Loyola 47 to 39 percent from the floor.

Luke Zumo scored 16 points, Torry Beaulieu 15 and Mario Faranda 13 for Loyola (11-8, 4-5), which has a three-game losing streak. Zumo made five 3-pointers.

Faranda's basket at 4:34 of the first half gave Loyola its last lead, 24-22. Williams then scored five points during an 11-0 run which gave the Rush a 33-24 halftime lead.

Coupled with LSU-Shreveport's 90-77 home victory against Tougaloo, Xavier grabbed sole possession of third place in the GCAC. The Rush is one game behind co-leaders LSUS and Mobile. Xavier entered Thursday in a third-place tie with Tougaloo.

Xavier's next game will start at 7 p.m. Saturday at William Carey. Loyola will play SUNO next at 3 p.m. Monday at Delgado Community College. Both are GCAC games.