NEW ORLEANS — Anthony Simmons scored 20 points, and freshman reserve RJ Daniels made three consecutive 3-pointers late in the first half Sunday to spark NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana in an 88-68 men's basketball victory against Carver College.
     The Gold Rush (2-0) defeated an Atlanta opponent for the second consecutive day in XU's new Convocation Center. Xavier beat Morehouse 80-66 Saturday. It's the 11th consecutive season that Xavier won its first two games.
     Simmons, a two-time All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference forward, was 7-of-8 from the floor and 6-of-7 from the line in 26 minutes. He scored 14 second-half points.
     Daniels made three consecutive 3-pointers in less than two minutes. His first trey put Xavier ahead to stay, 26-24. Xavier led 41-34 at halftime and by 24 points five times in the final seven minutes.
     Nick Haywood scored 18 points for the Gold Rush. Wanto Joseph had 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Daniels and Denzell Erves scored 11 apiece, and Erves grabbed 11 rebounds for his second double-double in as many days.
     Nickolas Hood scored 24 points, Joe Comer 19 and Julian Bratton 15 for Carver (0-4).
     Xavier committed 24 turnovers, 11 more than Carver, but outrebounded the Cougars 43-17 and outshot them 59.6 to 44.2 percent from the floor. Daniels made all four of his shots, and freshman John Gibson was 3-of-3 in the final six minutes.
     The start of the game was delayed nearly two hours because of a power outage which affected Xavier and the surrounding neighborhood. Power went out around noon, and the game, which had been scheduled for 2 p.m., tipped off at 3:56.
     Xavier will play Jarvis Christian at 6 p.m. Friday in the Big Easy Classic at the Convocation Center. Spring Hill will meet Tuskegee at 4 p.m. in the opening game.