LSUS beats Xavier for 3rd straight GCAC tourney title
March 10, 2008

Box Score

SHREVEPORT, La. — Josh Porter scored 22 points Monday to lead NAIA No. 4 LSU-Shreveport to an 80-76 men's basketball victory over Xavier University of Louisiana in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

The Pilots (30-2) won the tournament for the third consecutive year and before a standing-room-only crowd of 1,200 at The Dock. LSUS and Xavier (24-9) both advanced to the NAIA Division I National Tournament, which will start March 19 at Kansas City, Mo.

Travis Cash added 18 points and Jamon Morris 14 for top-seeded LSUS, which earned its fifth consecutive victory and defeated the Gold Rush for the second time in three meetings this season.

Shaun Dumas scored a season-high 23 points for third-seeded Xavier, playing in its first GCAC final since 1996. Kelechi Okoroha scored 18 points, and Dannie Woods and Alfred Williams scored 13 apiece.

LSUS led 43-33 at halftime and 53-39 with approximately 15 minutes remaining when Ta'Kevin Huey made a 3-pointer. Dumas then scored seven points and assisted on two baskets during a 17-2 run which gave Xavier its first of two one-point leads in the second half. Williams' basket with about 11 minutes remaining capped the run and gave Xavier a 56-55 lead.

LSUS then built a pair of 4-point leads before a Dumas basket at 6:10 gave the Rush its final lead, 69-68.

J'Quincy Jones' layup on the next possession gave the Pilots the lead for good, 70-69.

Trailing 79-76 in the final 35 seconds, Xavier missed a pair of shots, the latter a 3-point attempt by Stewart. Williams fouled Jones during the scramble for the rebound, then Jones made the first of two free throws for the final point with 3.6 seconds remaining.

LSUS became the second team this season to score 80 points against Xavier, which led the GCAC and ranked sixth in NAIA Division I in scoring defense with 63.7 points per game. The Pilots entered the game leading the conference and No. 8 nationally with 87.7 points scored per game.

Xavier was trying to become the first GCAC tourney champion since 1998 to defeat the top two seeds. The Rush won 68-57 Friday at second-seeded Mobile.

LSUS is the third school to win three consecutive GCAC men's basketball championships. William Carey (1983-85) and Spring Hill (1992-94) also did it.