NEW ORLEANS — Jordan DeCuir and Jalen Brooks scored 22 points apiece Monday to lead NAIA No. 23 LSU-Shreveport to a wire-to-wire 76-70 Red River Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.
        The Pilots (14-4 overall, 8-2 RRAC) moved into a first-place tie in the league with Texas A&M-Texarkana, which was idle. The Gold Rush (10-6, 6-4) remained in third place.
        Xavier Reaves had 18 points and 15 rebounds for XULA. Lance Williams scored a season-high 17 points for the Gold Rush, and Cory Wells had 11. The double-double was Reaves' fifth this season. Reaves' rebounds and TJ Jones' seven assists were the most in a game by a XULA player this season.
        LSUS led 42-32 at halftime — the Pilots shot 61.5 percent from the floor in the first half — and pulled away after XULA cut the Pilots' lead to 49-48 in the 28th minute.
        DeCuir made 4-of-4 3-pointers — the freshman is 12-of-15 behind the arc in the last four games — and his points were a season high. Brooks grabbed 11 rebounds in his 12th double-double of the season, his fourth in a row and the sixth in his last seven games.
        LSUS ended the seven-game home win streak of the Gold Rush. XULA had not lost in its Convocation Center since an 87-77 decision against Louisiana Christian on Feb. 14, 2022. Before Monday, XULA was 6-0 this season at home.
        Next for XULA will be Dillard at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Crosstown Classic at the Convocation Center.