Gold Rush climb into tie for 22nd nationally
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana moved from 23rd to a tie for 22nd Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
The Gold Rush (19-6), a 78-62 winner Monday at SUNO, share the position with Central Baptist, a Conway, Ark., school which is in the top 25 for the first time. This is the third consecutive poll that XULA is in the top 25.
Heading the list of “others receiving votes” is Dillard, XULA’s next opponent at 5 p.m. Saturday in the Crosstown Classic presented by Raising Cane’s at the Convocation Center.
Dillard will be the first of four consecutive Gulf Coast Athletic Conference home opponents to close the Gold Rush regular season.
NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Feb. 11)
| RANK | PREVIOUS | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS |
| 1 | 2 | The Master’s (Calif.) (9) | 25-1 | 219 |
| 2 | 4 | LSU-Shreveport (La.) | 24-2 | 211 |
| T3 | 1 | William Penn (Iowa) | 23-2 | 202 |
| T3 | 6 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 24-2 | 202 |
| 5 | 3 | Columbia (Mo.) | 24-2 | 191 |
| 6 | 14 | Carroll (Mont.) | 22-4 | 183 |
| 7 | 12 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 23-3 | 169 |
| 8 | 16 | Westmont (Calif.) | 20-4 | 167 |
| 9 | 5 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 21-4 | 158 |
| 10 | 8 | Montana Western | 20-5 | 153 |
| 11 | 10 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 21-4 | 150 |
| 12 | 15 | Oklahoma City | 18-6 | 149 |
| 13 | 9 | Hope International (Calif.) | 22-4 | 139 |
| 14 | 17 | William Carey (Miss.) | 18-5 | 135 |
| 15 | 11 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 19-6 | 107 |
| T16 | 18 | Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) | 18-8 | 104 |
| T16 | 7 | Science & Arts (Okla.) | 19-6 | 104 |
| 18 | 13 | LSU-Alexandria (La.) | 19-7 | 103 |
| 19 | 19 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 20-6 | 91 |
| 20 | 24 | Texas Wesleyan | 17-8 | 86 |
| 21 | 25 | Life (Ga.) | 18-8 | 73 |
| T22 | NR | Central Baptist (Ark.) | 17-5 | 65 |
| T22 | 23 | Xavier (La.) | 18-6 | 65 |
| T24 | 21 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 18-7 | 54 |
| T24 | NR | Graceland (Iowa) | 17-9 | 54 |
Others Receiving Votes: Dillard (La.) 44; SAGU (Texas) 26; Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 18; Wayland Baptist (Texas) 14; Campbellsville (Ky.) 13; Wiley (Texas) 13; Peru State (Neb.) 10; Missouri Baptist 9; Vanguard (Calif.) 5; William Jessup (Calif.) 3.
Ed Cassiere
