Xavier men beat Loyola, end losing streak
February 28, 2008

Box Score

NEW ORLEANS — Kelechi Okoroha scored six of his 19 points during a 21-4 run Thursday which rallied Xavier University of Louisiana to a 67-62 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over Loyola at The Barn.

Xavier (21-8 overall, 11-6 GCAC) snapped a four-game losing streak and clinched homecourt advantage for a Wednesday quarterfinal game in the GCAC Tournament.

Shaun Dumas had 10 points and a season-high 10 assists — the seventh double-double of his career — for the Gold Rush, which defeated the Wolfpack for the 11th consecutive time and leads the series 24-2.

Luke Zumo scored 16 points, Mario Faranda 14 and Sean Bennett and Beaulieu 13 apiece for Loyola (15-12).

Zumo's basket with 12:04 remaining gave Loyola its largest lead of the game, 47-41. Then Xavier answered with its decisive run, which included Okoroha's basket after an offensive rebound put the Rush ahead to stay, 51-49, at 7:08. Dumas had two baskets and four assists during the run.

Xavier outshot Loyola 55 to 46 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Wolfpack 33-20. Alfred Williams and Dannie Woods each grabbed 10 rebounds for the Rush, with Woods reaching double figures for the first time and matching his career high of three blocked shots. Xavier finished with a season-high-tying five blocks after zero blocks the previous five games.

Xavier shot 65 percent from the floor in the first half and led 37-35 at the break.

The Rush earned homecourt advantage for the GCAC quarterfinals by winning and by Spring Hill's 71-67 home loss to Mobile. With one regular-season game remaining for all GCAC members, only two seeds have been determined. LSU-Shreveport has clinched the No. 1 seed and homecourt advantage throughout the tournament, and Mobile will be the No. 2 seed. Xavier is tied for third place with Tougaloo but will be the No. 4 seed if it finishes in a tie with the Bulldogs.

Xavier will close the regular season against Dillard at 7 p.m. Saturday at New Orleans Arena in the Crosstown Classic presented by Siemens. Loyola will host Tougaloo at 7 p.m. Saturday.