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. Shreveport broadcaster Travis Shurling
will handle the play-by-play . . . LSUS is No. 23 in the men's NAIA Division I coaches poll.
