NEW ORLEANS — The Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team picked up where it left off 19 days ago.
     The XULA men, in their first game since semester exams, made a season-high 12 3-pointers and cruised to an 86-59 victory against a Thomas University team that was receiving votes in the NAIA Division II coaches poll.
     It's the first time in 23 years that the Gold Rush (6-5) won by 25-or-more points in consecutive games. XULA beat Jarvis Christian 97-61 Nov. 29, also at home.
     XULA will return to the Convocation Center Wednesday for a 3 p.m. game against the University of the Virgin Islands. It will be the final Gold Rush game before Christmas.
     XULA climbed above .500 for the first time in a month. The Gold Rush started the season 4-0, then lost five in a row — all by single digits — before these back-to-back routs.
     XULA produced five double-figure scorers and nearly had a sixth. Johnell Lane missed a third-straight 20-point performance but finished with 18 points, including five 3-pointers. Rayshawn Mart had 16 points and game highs of four steals and seven assists. Khalil McCoy scored 12 — he made 3-of-4 3-pointers — Ahmed Coulibaly had 11 points and a career-best nine rebounds, and Jeff Dixon had 10 points, three assists and no turnovers in his season debut.
     William Loyd finished with nine rebounds, three assists and three steals despite playing his final 12 minutes with four fouls, and Ed Carter had nine points and five assists.
     Dexter Hood had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Night Hawks (7-6), and freshman Trint Bryant scored 19 points on 8-of-12 from the floor in his collegiate debut. TU athletics director Mike Lee said the NAIA Eligibility Center cleared Bryant to play 30 minutes before tip-off.
     XULA won nearly every statistical category, including 38-28 in rebounds and plus-9 in turnovers, committing 13 and gaining 22. XULA outshot Thomas 46.8 to 45.3 percent from the floor and made 16-of-22 free throws to the Night Hawks' 7-of-10.
     XULA's 72.7-percent free-throw accuracy was a season high. The Gold Rush entered the game at 61.3 percent for the season.