XU is 13-0 after 69-42 victory over Webber International
December 29, 2010

Box score

     MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Anthony Simmons scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half Wednesday to lead unbeaten Xavier University of Louisiana to a 69-42 men's basketball victory over Webber International in the Miami Gardens Classic.
     The Gold Rush, ranked ninth in NAIA Division I, are 13-0 for the first time since the 1940-41 season. Xavier has a 17-game regular-season winning streak.
     Simmons picked up three first-half fouls, two on offense, but he didn't disappear after halftime when Xavier pulled away.
     "You've got to play carefully (with three fouls)," said Simmons, a sophomore forward from Rochester, N.Y. "But you have to stay focused and play smart."
     Seniors Devin Andrew and Michael Harvey added 10 points apiece for Xavier. Tyler Auerbacher led Webber International (5-5) with nine points.
     Xavier allowed its fewest points since a 58-40 victory against Paul Quinn on Dec. 6, 2008, and its fewest points on the road since a 43-42 victory against SUNO on Feb. 7, 2008.
     "Defense was the reason we won," Simmons said. "The first half we came out a little sluggish because of the Christmas break, but we picked it up in the second half."
     The Gold Rush trailed for about 2½ minutes in the first half, but five players scored in a 9-0 run that put XU ahead to stay at 16-10. Xavier led 26-20 at halftime and held a double-digit lead the final 14 minutes after Simmons caught a a pass from Chris Iles and hit a jumper at the foul line to make it 37-27. The final margin was XU's largest of the game.
     "I thought our guys did a good job responding after the Christmas break," Xavier Coach Dannton Jackson said. "We settled down in the second half and got some big defensive stops."
     Andrew scored in double figures for the 12th time in 13 games this season.
     Xavier defeated Webber International for the second time this season and leads the series 5-0.
     The Gold Rush will play its second and final game of this event at 4 p.m. EST Thursday against Dakota Wesleyan (12-4), which did not play Wednesday but defeated St. Thomas (Fla.) 68-52 Tuesday for its fourth consecutive victory.