NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana withstood a late rally from city rival Loyola to grab a 69-67 men's basketball victory Monday at The Den.
        It was the second victory in three days for the Gold Rush (2-2). The Wolf Pack, 32 months after an NAIA national championship season, are 1-5 with a five-game losing streak.
        Lance Williams' basket with 5:13 remaining gave XULA its largest lead at 68-55. But Kosta Bjelicic's 3-point play and Cameron Williams' 3-point basket helped Loyola close to 68-67 in the final 10 seconds. After James Weathers made 1-of-2 free throws for XULA with three seconds remaining, a Loyola turnover ended the game.
        Lance Williams scored 25 points for the second time this season. Seviuhn Turner was 9-of-12 from the floor for 19 points, and Weathers scored 12. Williams, Turner and Weathers all are from Baton Rouge, La.
        Williams and Turner grabbed seven rebounds apiece, and Turner had five steals.
        Leonard Jackson scored 15 points, Cameron Williams 13 and Bjelicic 11 for Loyola.
        Both teams shot slightly better than 46 percent from the floor, and both had 33 rebounds. XULA committed a season-low eight turnovers and produced a season-best 12 steals.
        Coupled with XULA's 81-76 victory in the women's game, it was the first time since Feb. 18, 2010, that the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets swept a doubleheader at The Den. Both XULA teams won at Loyola in the 2007-08 and 2013-14 seasons but not in doubleheaders. There also were 10 consecutive XULA sweeps at The Den from the seasons of 1995-96 through 2004-05.
        XULA will bus to Texas Wednesday for Red River Athletic Conference games at North American on Thursday and Huston-Tillotson on Saturday. The Gold Rush are 1-1 in the RRAC.