Box Score NEW ORLEANS — Seniors
Michael Harvey and
Devin Andrew combined for 37 points Saturday, 26 in the second half, to lead NAIA No. 11 Xavier University of Louisiana to an 89-75 men's basketball victory over Dillard before a packed house of 1,200 at Dent Hall.
The victory was the eighth in a row for the Gold Rush, 22-2 for the first time since the 1981-82 season. Dillard (6-12) has lost nine straight.
Harvey finished with a season-high-tying 20 points, including a career-high-tying four 3-pointers, and Andrew scored 17. Both played 21 minutes and combined to shoot 14-of-19 from the floor.
Chris Iles added 16 points and
Cordell Hadnot 13, both season highs, for Xavier.
All five Dillard starters scored in double figures. Myron McGowan had 15 points, Terry Church 12, and Cameron Hill, Kenyon Harper and Jermille Fluker scored 11 apiece. Harper had eight assists.
Xavier, outscored 13-6 in the first 6½ minutes, rallied to take a 34-30 halftime lead. The Gold Rush never lost the lead in the second half and led by at least eight for the final 13 minutes. The final margin was Xavier's largest of the game.
Xavier committed 27 turnovers but shot a season-best 60.8 percent from the floor — 69.6 in the second half — and limited Dillard to 36.7 percent. The Gold Rush outrebounded the Blue Devils 49-26, with Hadnot grabbing 10 boards for his first double-double of the season.
Xavier scored its most points in this city, HBCU and GCAC rivalry since 1993. The Gold Rush lead the series 73-47, including three straight and 13 of the last 15 meetings. The teams will meet again Feb. 26 at Xavier.
Xavier will travel to Spring Hill for a 7 p.m. game Monday.
NOTES: Xavier's streak of 17 consecutive games allowing fewer than 70 points ended. It was XU's best sub-70 streak in one season since 1950-51. The previous best since 1950-51 had been 11 straight games in 2000-01 . . . Xavier has won eight straight and 32 of its last 35 games against NAIA opponents from New Orleans . . . The Gold Rush are 9-1 in Saturday games this season.
