Wolfpack beats Gold Rush for first time in 14 attempts
February 4, 2009

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Loyola's Ryan Brock scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half Wednesday, and the Wolfpack held off a late rally by Xavier University of Louisiana to earn a 61-53 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory at The Den.
     The Wolfpack (14-7 overall, 7-3 GCAC) took sole possession of second place in the conference, snapped a 13-game losing streak against the Gold Rush (14-8, 6-4) and beat Xavier at The Den for the first time. Xavier leads the series 26-3 and had not lost to the Wolfpack since 2002.
     Sean Bennett added 16 points for Loyola, which survived Xavier's 12-0 run to cut the Wolfpack's lead to 49-45 with 2:45 remaining. The Gold Rush never got closer, and Loyola scored on five consecutive possessions after Kelechi Okoroha's basket for Xavier made it 53-49 with 1:24 remaining.
     Okoroha and Shaun Dumas scored 17 points apiece for Xavier.
     Both teams shot around 40 percent from the floor, but Loyola outscored Xavier 19-10 in free throws. The Wolfpack led the final 35 minutes and held a 28-17 halftime advantage.
     Loyola is a half-game behind GCAC leader LSU-Shreveport, which will play host to Tougaloo on Thursday. LSUS will travel to Xavier for a 7 p.m. game Saturday.
     NOTES:  Both games of Saturday's Xavier-LSUS doubleheader will be broadcast live and online for free via Teamline.com. The link is http://www.teamline.cc/teampage?teamcode=7111 and Shreveport broadcaster Travis Shurling will handle the play-by-play . . . LSUS is No. 23 in the men's NAIA Division I coaches poll.