Red-hot 2nd half moves Gold Rush past Eagles

TEXARKANA, Texas — Lance Williams scored a career-high 27 points, and J’Quan Ewing produced 16 points and 15 rebounds to help Xavier University of Louisiana earn an 87-71 Red River Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory against Texas A&M-Texarkana.

The RRAC standings remained the same at the top — four teams, which includes the Gold Rush, are separated by a half-game. LSU-Shreveport (8-2 RRAC), LSU-Alexandria (8-2) and Texas College (9-3) all won at home. XULA, the only RRAC men’s team to win on the road Saturday, is 8-3 in conference and 12-4 overall.

Williams was 9-of-15 from the floor, 4-of-7 on 3-pointers and 5-of-6 from the line in 39 minutes. He became the fourth XULA player to score 25 in a game. His made 3s and five steals were season highs.

Ewing produced his second straight double-double, and his rebounds are the most in a game by a XULA player this season.

XULA trailed 35-34 at halftime before producing its highest scoring half on an opponents’ court — 53 points — since 55 in the second half at Mobile on Nov. 11, 2013. It was the highest scoring Gold Rush period in a conference road game since 55 in the second half at Dillard on Feb. 5, 2011.

The Gold Rush are 5-0 on the road this season when scoring 80-or-more points.

Four XULA players reached 15 points. Joining Williams and Ewing were Cory Wells with 19 and Jeremy Lindsey with 17. Wells had nine rebounds and five assists, and Lindsey made three 3s.

Levelle Zeigler scored 27 points and Justin Davis 16 for the Eagles (5-11, 3-7).

It was the third road game of the week for the XULA men, who will play RRAC home games at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Southwest (N.M.) and 4 p.m. Saturday against Paul Quinn.

Red River Athletic Conference scores of Jan. 20, 2024
XULA 87, Texas A&M-Texarkana 71
LSU-Shreveport 95, North American 72
Jarvis Christian 83, Southwest (N.M.) 53
LSU-Alexandria 95, Huston-Tillotson 79
Louisiana Christian 76, Our Lady of the Lake 65
Texas College 70, Paul Quinn 50

Red River Athletic Conference standings through Jan. 20, 2024
8-2 LSU-Shreveport
8-2 LSU-Alexandria
9-3 Texas College
8-3 XULA
6-5 North American
6-6 Jarvis Christian
5-7 Southwest (N.M.)
4-7 Our Lady of the Lake
4-8 Paul Quinn
3-7 Texas A&M-Texarkana
3-8 Huston-Tillotson
2-8 Louisiana Christian