Box score

        ALEXANDRIA, La. — Xavier University of Louisiana allowed one point in the final 6 1/2 minutes Monday but still lost 60-59 to Louisiana Christian in the men's basketball semifinals of the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.
        XULA's men (22-6) will learn Thursday if they earned an at-large bid to NAIA nationals. That tournament field of 64 teams will be announced online at 7 p.m. CST on the NAIA's Facebook page.
        The Gold Rush led 35-33 at halftime after leads of 9-2 and 30-21 but led for only 53 seconds in the second half. XULA's final lead was 42-41 after Nigel Allen's basket with 12:37 remaining. There were ties at 51 and 54, then Kae'ron Baker's two free throws at 7:12 put the Wildcats (15-13) ahead to stay.
        With the Wildcats leading 60-58, XULA's Makye Richard was fouled with 3.2 seconds remaining. Richard made the first free throw, then missed the second. LCU's KJ Bilbo grabbed the rebound, but was called for traveling on the XULA baseline with 1.2 seconds remaining. But there was no final shot for the Gold Rush — an offensive foul during the inbounds play ended XULA's final possession.
        XULA statistical leaders included Allen with a season-high 15 points, Richard with 12 points — his 13th consecutive game in double figures — and Corey Dunning and Cameron Wells with nine points apiece. Wells had seven rebounds and a career-best eight assists.
        Kae'ron Baker, the NAIA leader in scoring average this season at 24.9, had 18 points for Louisiana Christian. Jordan Adebutu scored 16, including a game-high four 3-pointers.
        The Gold Rush outshot the Wildcats 46.8 to 38.6 percent from the floor, but XULA committed 24 turnovers — its second most in a game this season — and was outscored 19-9 in free throws. Baker made 10-of-14 free throws.
        Louisiana Christian ended XULA's bid for a third consecutive conference tournament championship. The Gold Rush won Gulf Coast Athletic Conference tournaments in 2020 and 2021, then moved to the RRAC in July.
        LSU-Shreveport, the defending champion, will play Louisiana Christian for the RRAC Tournament title at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. LSUS made 20-of-29 3-pointers in a 114-64 victory against LSU-Alexandria in the other semifinal.