Olafioye gets 22 in Gold Rush win at Paul Quinn
December 30, 2008

Box score

     DALLAS — Olumide Olafioye scored a season-high-tying 22 points Tuesday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to an 80-77 men's basketball victory over Paul Quinn in the HBCU Classic.
     It was the first regular-season road victory of the year for the Gold Rush (8-3) and the eighth consecutive loss for Paul Quinn (2-10).
     Olafioye had 12 first-half points to help Xavier take a 38-29 lead at the break. The Rush extended the lead to 70-58 before holding off a late Paul Quinn rally.
     Kelechi Okoroha had 17 points and nine rebounds for Xavier, and Shaun Dumas had 13 points, four assists and a season-high eight rebounds. Freshman Cordell Hadnot scored a season-high 11 points in his first collegiate regular-season start.
     Carl Nelson led Paul Quinn with 20 points. Johnathan Alexander and Rashad Norman scored 14 points apiece for the Tigers, and Demontre Rutledge had 12.
     Xavier shot 60 percent from the floor and was 5-of-8 from 3-point range. The Rush committed 24 turnovers, nine more than the Tigers, but had a 35-25 rebound advantage.
     Xavier swept the two-game season series. The Gold Rush defeated Paul Quinn 58-40 at The Barn on Dec. 6. The Rush has won 11 in a row over Paul Quinn, which has not beaten Xavier since the 1991-92 season.
     The Rush will play Jarvis Christian at 4 p.m. Wednesday — the second and final day of the event — and Paul Quinn will play Dillard at 6 p.m. Jarvis Christian defeated Dillard 83-64 on Tuesday.