Gold Rush beats Loyola, stays tied for first in GCAC
January 29, 2009

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Shaun Dumas scored 23 points for the second straight game, and Xavier University of Louisiana defeated Loyola 66-48 at The Barn on Thursday to remain in a tie for first-place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball standings.
     The victory, occuring in an NABC Coaches vs. Cancer Game, was the fifth in a row for the Gold Rush (14-6 overall, 6-2 GCAC), which shares the conference lead with LSU-Shreveport and Tougaloo. Loyola (12-7, 5-3) lost its share of the conference lead and lost a GCAC road game for the first time this season.
     Dumas, Xavier's only double-figure scorer, also had five rebounds, four assists and six steals in 40 minutes. He scored 15 points in the second half to help Xavier pull away after leading 33-25 at the break.
     Ryan Brock, the GCAC scoring leader, had 16 points for Loyola and finished with less than 20 for the first time in seven games. Sean Bennett scored 11.
     Michael Harvey, Kelechi Okoroha and Landon Bussie each scored eight points for Xavier, and Bussie grabbed nine rebounds.
     Xavier outshot Loyola 51 to 40 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Wolfpack 35-20. Xavier limited an opponent to less than 60 points for the fifth consecutive game — the first time that has happened since the 1992-93 season — and held Loyola to its fewest points this season.
     Xavier has won 22 straight against GCAC in-city opponents, a streak which began in the 2004-05 season. The Rush will travel to Loyola next Wednesday after visiting Spring Hill on Saturday.
     The crowd of 680 included director-actor Spike Lee, who spoke to the Xavier team in its locker room after the game.