Postgame video with Alfred Williams, TJ Jones

        CALDWELL, Idaho — In the fifth largest city (population 64,124) of the Gem State, Xavier University of Louisiana sparkled like a diamond in a 95-57 Tuesday victory against Hope International in the 2023 NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship First Round, presented by Ballogy.
        Here's how good the Gold Rush (23-8) were:
        •  XULA outscored the Royals 16-0 in the first 5:25.
        •  XULA's most points in an NAIA tournament game since its first appearance in 1972.
        •  XULA's largest winning margin at nationals and first double-digit victory in this tournament since 1973.
        •  XULA's best rebound margin at nationals, plus-18.
        •  XULA's highest-scoring first half at nationals — the Gold Rush led 54-29 at the break — largest scoring margin in any half at nationals and just the second double-digit halftime lead in 27 games at nationals.
        •  XULA's first win at nationals against an opponent from the western United States. The Gold Rush were 0-7 against that region before Tuesday, including a 2014 first-round loss to Hope.
        •  XULA shot 54.4 percent from the floor, its No. 2 best performance at nationals and just the third time in 27 tournament games that the Gold Rush reached 50 percent. The Gold Rush made 12 3-pointers.
        "We played very well, offensively and defensively," seventh-year XULA head coach Alfred Williams said. "We did a good job with rebounding and holding Hope under 40-percent shooting. We made some shots early and stayed focused throughout the game."
        Jathen Ross scored 18 points, Xavier Reaves 11 and Lance Williams 10 for XULA, which has won 10 of its last 11 games, 14 of 17 and 17 of 21. TJ Jones and Tracy Steele scored nine points apiece, and Jones had six assists. For Hope International (20-11), Sebastian Castro scored 14 points.
        XULA won a first-round game at nationals for a program-record third straight year. From 1974-2020, XULA was 1-16 in that round. It was more of the same brilliance from nine days ago, when the Gold Rush closed with a 41-18 run in the final 14:45 to upset 17th-ranked LSU-Shreveport in the title game of the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament at Alexandria, La. Over its last 54 minutes and 45 seconds, XULA has outscored opponents 136-75.
        The Gold Rush will play No. 1 overall seed College of Idaho (31-1) at 7 p.m. MST Wednesday for the right to advance to the final 16 next week at Kansas City, Mo. College of Idaho defeated Westcliff 78-61 in the other first-round game — the Yotes' 31st consecutive victory and 37th in a row at home.