Box Score      SHREVEPORT, La. — Tyrone Hamilton scored 22 points Thursday, and Chris Gatlin added 21 to lead LSU-Shreveport to an 80-74 men's basketball victory over Xavier University of Louisiana in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
     Both teams are 8-5.
     Shaun Dumas scored 18 points, Olumide Olafioye 15, Cornelius Kennedy a season-high 13 and Michael Harvey 11 for Xavier.
     The Gold Rush rallied from a 39-38 halftime deficit to take a 49-43 lead with 16 minutes remaining, but the Pilots answered with an 18-5 run to take the lead for good. LSUS built its lead to 76-64 in the final two minutes.
     The loss was the fifth in seven games for Xavier, and LSUS won for the fifth time in six games.
     It was the Pilots' third consecutive victory against Xavier since the Rush won at 75-72 in overtime at LSUS on Jan. 23, 2008. The Pilots entered that game 17-0.
     Both teams will play GCAC opponents at 7 p.m. Saturday. Xavier will travel to Belhaven, and LSUS will play host to Spring Hill. Belhaven won 51-50 at Spring Hill on Thursday.