Box Score      NEW ORLEANS — Michael Harvey came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points Monday and lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 70-54 men's basketball victory over Philander Smith at The Barn.
     The Gold Rush — which climbed four spots Monday to No. 14 in Victory Sports Network's NAIA Division I rankings — is 5-0 for the second consecutive year and the fourth time in six seasons.
     Harvey, a sophomore guard from Amite, La., was 6-of-9 from the floor in 10½ minutes and made a pair of 3-pointers. It was the first time in 16 collegiate games that he scored in double figures.
     Olumide Olafioye was 4-of-4 from 3-point range and scored 12 points for Xavier, and reserve guard Harold Cleveland scored a season-high 11. Twelve of Xavier's 14 players scored, and nine of them assisted on baskets.
     Gavin Jones scored 15 points, Tommy Bozeman 12 and Stephen Murdock 10 for Philander Smith (0-6). Bozeman, Murdock and Ivory Warmack grabbed seven rebounds apiece, and the Panthers outrebounded the Rush 39-28. But that was one of Philander Smith's few statistical advantages.
     Xavier limited the Panthers to 31.9 percent from the floor and gained 25 turnovers. Shaun Dumas of the Rush collected a season-best six steals to move his four-year career total to 298.
     Philander Smith spent about a minute with the lead before Ryan DeRousselle's 3-pointer two minutes into the game put Xavier ahead to stay at 4-2. The Rush led 39-23 at halftime and took its biggest lead, 64-35, on a pair of Landon Bussie free throws with 8:38.
     Philander Smith entered the game averaging 70.6 points. The Panthers' 54 points were a season low, and they suffered their largest loss of the season. Xavier leads the series 4-0, and all the margins are in double digits.
     It was the 120th victory in Dannton Jackson's six seasons as Xavier's head coach, and 63 of them — more than half — are by 10 or more points.
     Xavier will play its alumni homecoming game at noon Saturday against Texas College at The Barn. Philander Smith will remain in New Orleans and play Loyola at 7 p.m. Tuesday.