ALEXANDRIA, La. — Makye Richard scored 25 points Friday — his most in 37 games with the program — to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 67-59 victory against 25th-ranked Cumberlands (Ky.) in the the 2020-21 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship Opening Round, presented by Ballogy.
        XULA (14-4) will play eighth-ranked SAGU (10-2) — Southwestern Assemblies of God (Waxahachie, Texas) — in the round of 32 at 3 p.m. Saturday at Alexandria's Rapides Parish Coliseum. The winner will advance to the round of 16 next week at Kansas City, Mo.
        It was XULA's first victory at nationals since an 82-79 victory against Georgetown (Ky.) on March 15, 2007 — when current head coach Alfred Williams was a junior standout on the team. It's XULA's second victory at nationals since 1973.