Dumas scores 22 in Gold Rush victory at SUNO
January 17, 2009

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Shaun Dumas scored 22 points Saturday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 68-57 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory over Southern University of New Orleans and spoil the Knights' return to their home gymnasium.
     It was SUNO's first men's game at The Castle since February 2005. The facility was damaged during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, and the Knights played home games at Delgado Community College the past 2½ seasons. Attendance was 1,000, 200 less than capacity.
     Olumide Olafioye added 11 points and Devin Andrew 10 for the Gold Rush (10-6 overall, 2-2 GCAC), which led 32-19 at halftime and maintained its lead throughout the second half.
     Lionel Green scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds for SUNO (0-13, 0-4). Brent Leduff scored 15 points, and Billy Wilson had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
     Xavier shot 72.2 percent from the floor in the second half and outshot the Knights 55.6 to 40 percent for the game. The Rush outrebounded SUNO 14-4 in the first 12 minutes and finished with a 37-25 advantage.
     Dumas, surpassing 20 points for the second time in three nights, was 9-of-14 from the floor. He scored a season-best 28 at home Thursday against Tougaloo.
     SUNO's first-year head coach, Dale Valdery, is a Xavier alum who played for the Gold Rush in the 1970s and was head coach from 1990-2002. He also coached Xavier's women for six seasons.
     Both teams will play GCAC home games at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Xavier will meet William Carey, and SUNO will play Spring Hill.