NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's defense delivered a 67-60 Red River Athletic Conference men's basketball victory Thursday against Texas A&M-Texarkana.
        The Gold Rush spent nearly 38 minutes with the lead and guarded TAMUT into season lows for points, field-goal percentage (32.3 percent) and made 3-pointers (2).
        XULA (19-7 overall, 14-5 RRAC) moved into a second-place tie with the Eagles (21-6, 14-5), who began the day in a first-place tie with LSU-Shreveport. The Pilots won 91-75 at home against Texas College.
        XULA, LSUS and TAMUT will conclude their regular seasons with RRAC games Saturday: XULA at noon and at home against Paul Quinn, LSUS at 4 p.m. and at home against Jarvis Christian and TAMUT in a 4 p.m. matchup at Louisiana Christian.
        The RRAC Tournament will be Feb. 24-26 at Alexandria, La., and involve eight of the league's 11 teams.
        Jeremy Lindsey scored 20 points for the Gold Rush, and TJ Jones and Lance Williams scored 10 apiece. Williams had six assists, and Cameron Wells grabbed eight rebounds.
        Tray Spence had 28 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles, and Kobe Powell had 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals.
        XULA led 38-23 at halftime.
        XULA outshot TAMUT 47.9 to 32.3 percent from the floor, but the Eagles had a 44-29 rebound advantage.
        The XULA men have won six straight, nine of their last 10 games and 13 of their last 16.
        XULA will honor its seniors and fifth-year players — Cameron Wells, Jones, Brandon Green, Brian White and Xavier Reaves — in a pregame ceremony Saturday. At halftime of Thursday's game, XULA honored departing members of its competitive cheer program, which in 2022 won the NAIA national championship.