Box Score      MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Xavier University of Louisiana, down three points twice in the final four minutes, lost 62-53 to Faulkner on Thursday in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I men's basketball teams.
     Xavier Rogers scored 17 points for the Gold Rush, ranked 25th, and Sydney Coleman and Wesley Pluviose-Philip scored nine apiece. Pluviose-Philip grabbed eight rebounds.
     Jake Mitchell scored 15 points and Stephen Strachan 14 for 17th-ranked Faulkner, and Cyrille Sandjon had nine rebounds.
     Both teams are 9-4.
     Xavier trailed 53-43 after Strachan's basket with eight minutes remaining, but the Gold Rush closed the gap to 54-51 on Morris Wright's basket with 3:52 remaining. Faulkner followed with a turnover, but Xavier missed a 2-pointer.
     It was 56-53 after a Rogers basket with 1:53 remaining, but the Gold Rush turned it over after another defensive stop. Faulkner then outscored Xavier 6-0 in the final minute, all on free throws.
     A Rogers basket at 4:52 of the first half gave Xavier its final lead, 24-22. Faulkner led 35-29 at halftime and did not lose its lead in the second half.
     Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the floor. Faulkner made 25-of-33 free throws — 19-of-24 in the second half — and Xavier made 16-of-28. Faulkner outrebounded Xavier 40-30.
     It was the final game before Christmas for the XU men, whose next game will start at 2 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Belhaven. The next Gold Rush home game will be Jan. 11 against SUNO.