NEW ORLEANS — TJ Jones' game-high 20 points and career-best 14 assists Tuesday sparked Xavier University of Louisiana in a 104-69 Red River Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against North American University.
        The Gold Rush (16-4 overall, 12-3 RRAC) moved into a tie for second place in the conference with Texas College. XULA will visit first-place LSU-Alexandria (15-5, 13-2) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
        Jones, a 5-foot-8 graduate student in his fifth season at XULA, became the eighth Gold Rush player to reach 20 points and 10 assists in the game and the second in the last 33 seasons. Jones played 28 minutes and was 8-of-10 from the floor with three steals.
        Jones was one of five from XULA to reach 15 points. Jeremy Lindsey scored 19, J'Quan Ewing 16, and Cory Wells and Jathen Ross had 15 apiece. Ewing tied his season high for points, Lindsey made 4-of-4 3-pointers, and Ross made 5-of-6 3s.
        E.J. Wynn, with 15 points, was the only double-figure scorer for the Stallions (8-14, 7-9).
        XULA made 11-of-13 from the floor, including 5-of-5 3s, during a 30-7 surge in the final 8:10 of the first half. XULA led 55-24 at halftime and 102-58 with 3:24 remaining.
        XULA outshot North American 66.1 to 31.7 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush made a season-high-tying 12 3s in 22 attempts.
        The XULA men reached 100 points for the first time since November 2019 and for the first time in regulation in their Convocation Center, which opened in November 2012. The 104 points were XULA's most in a game since November 2007.
        XULA clinched its seventh consecutive winning season and its 23rd in the last 24 seasons. XULA will finish .500 or higher for the 32nd time in the last 33 seasons.