JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —
Morris Wright's 200th career 3-pointer
put Xavier University of Louisiana ahead to stay Saturday in a 42-39 Gulf Coast Athletic
Conference men's basketball victory against Edward Waters.
Xavier (18-10, 5-5) allowed its fewest points in more than 100 games
to snap a two-game losing streak.
Wright, who led all scorers with 13 points, made his only 3-pointer
of the game with 10:44 remaining to give Xavier a 28-26 lead. Wright capped the scoring
with two free throws with 11 seconds remaining, and Charles-Eddie Smith of Edward Waters (11-15, 3-7)
missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Wright is the second Gold Rush player to make 200 career 3-pointers.
Mark Stewart, whose career ended in 2008, made 299.
No other Xavier player scored more than six points.
Elex Carter grabbed
12 rebounds and
Kevin Murph seven, both career highs, and
Leland Alexander and
Chris Ward had five rebounds apiece.
Wright had three steals.
Cameron Venus scored 11 points and Oceann Maddox nine for the Tigers.
Xavier limited Edward Waters to 26.4 percent field-goal shooting — 18.2
percent (6-of-33) in the final 25 minutes. Xavier ranks third in NAIA Division I in scoring
defense and fourth in field-goal percentage defense.
After a halftime tie at 18, Edward Waters twice led by three, the second
time at 26-23 with 11:31 remaining after a pair of Venus free throws.
Xavier set a GCAC record for fewest points by a winning team. The points were
Xavier's fewest in a victory since a 35-33 decision over Clark (Ga.) in the 1948-49 season.
The Gold Rush are 9-0 against Edward Waters since the Tigers joined
the GCAC in 2010.
Xavier will finish the regular season with GCAC games at Tougaloo
at 7:30 p.m. Monday and at Dillard at 5 p.m. Saturday.