Box Score NEW ORLEANS — Sophomore
Devin Andrew scored 14 of his career-high 19 points in the second half Friday to rally Xavier University of Louisiana to a 58-55 men's college basketball victory over Southern Polytechnic at The Barn.
It was the opener for both teams, the 13th consecutive time that Xavier won its first game and the earliest opener in Gold Rush history. It also was the first time since 1956 that Xavier won an opener with less than 60 points.
Ryan DeRousselle's basket with 2:19 remaining put the Gold Rush ahead to stay 53-52 and gave Xavier its first lead in more than 34 minutes. Andrew's basket with 34 seconds remaining made it 55-52, then
Landon Bussie preserved the victory with three free throws in the final 21 seconds.
Southern Poly, which made nine first-half 3-pointers, missed twice from that range in the final possession.
Andrew was the only double-figure scorer for Xavier, No. 19 in Victory Sports Network's NAIA Division I preseason rankings. Bussie scored eight points and
Cornelius Kennedy seven for the Rush. Andrew and
Dannie Woods each grabbed six rebounds.
Joe Posey scored 16 points and Travis Smith 14 for the Hornets, and each made four 3-pointers.
Posey's 3-pointers at 6:40 and 4:26 of the first half gave the Hornets 15-point leads — the second time it was 30-15 — before Xavier closed the gap to 33-23 by halftime.
Xavier scored the first seven points of the second half but still trailed 43-32 with 10:17 remaining. Then Andrew scored five points in a 12-3 run which reduced the Hornets' lead to 46-44 at 7:05.
Xavier outshot Southern Poly 44 to 35 percent from the floor — 53 to 29 percent in the second half — and outrebounded the Hornets 36-28. Both teams committed 20 turnovers.
Southern Poly was 2-of-10 from 3-point range in the second half after going 9-of-18 before the break.
The Rush outscored the Hornets 21-8 from the line, 17-6 in the second half.
Xavier will play Carver at 5 p.m. Saturday at The Barn. Southern Poly will stay in town and visit Loyola at 7 p.m.
