HATTIESBURG, Miss. — NAIA No. 7 William Carey limited Xavier University of Louisiana to two points during an extended second-half stretch to pull away for a 77-68 men's basketball victory Thursday.
     The Crusaders (3-2) gained a two-game season split with the Gold Rush (4-3). XULA won 80-66 at home Nov. 5.
     Johnell Lane's sixth 3-pointer of the game cut Carey's lead to 60-56 with 9:31 remaining, but William Carey answered with a 12-2 run that Cameron Douglas capped with two free throws at 1:44.
     Douglas scored 17 points, Anthony Jones 16 — 13 in the second half — and Jartavious Dobbs 12 for William Carey. Rodney Mallett and Brandon Cranford scored 11 points apiece.
     Lane made three 3s in each half to finish with a game- and season-high 20 points. William Loyd had 17 points and nine rebounds for XULA, and Rayshawn Mart scored 11 points.
     XULA led for 2:19, all in the first half. William Carey led 36-31 at halftime and took the lead for good with 14:35 remaining when two Dobbs free throws made it 45-43.
     William Carey excelled at the line, making 20-of-25 free throws to XULA's 8-of-11. The Gold Rush committed a season-high-tying 19 turnovers, seven more than the Crusaders.
     "The game was won on the free-throw line," said XULA head coach Alfred Williams, who added, "It's hard to beat a team two times, and even more difficult twice within 10 days. William Carey wanted this game more than we did.
     "William Carey played extremely well at home. We can't turn the ball over 19 times and settle for jump shots. We relied heavily on jump shots instead of putting ball on the floor and attacking. William Carey attacked us."
     XULA, playing three times on the road in four days, will visit NCAA Division II Columbus State at 1 p.m. EST Saturday in Columbus, Ga. The Gold Rush will be in Atlanta Sunday for a 4 p.m. EST matchup with another NCAA D2 opponent, Clark Atlanta.