Gold Rush earn 66-63 GCAC victory at SUNO

NEW ORLEANS — William Loyd’s shot-clock-beating layup with 58 seconds remaining Monday put Xavier University of Louisiana ahead to stay in a 66-63 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men’s basketball victory against SUNO at The Castle.

The XULA men (13-9, 4-3) have won four of their last five games.

Loyd had a busy final minute. After his go-ahead basket, he blocked a Ray Anderson shot on the next possession, then closed the scoring with two free throws with 8.6 seconds remaining. Anderson missed a 3-pointer on the final possession.

Loyd and Damani Flanagain scored 16 points apiece for the Gold Rush. Flanagain’s total was a season high.

Anderson and Marcel Daniels scored 12 points apiece for the Knights (7-16, 1-7 GCAC), and Dimitri Cook had 11.

Both teams shot 50 percent from the floor. XULA made 17-of-21 free throws for a season-high 81 percent.

Half of XULA’s games this season have been decided by four points or fewer. XULA is 7-4 in those games.

XULA will stay on the road for three out-of-town games in five days — 7 p.m. Thursday at Oakwood in Huntsville, Ala., 5 p.m. Saturday at Talladega in Talladega, Ala., and 7:30 p.m. EST next Monday at Edward Waters in Jacksonville, Fla. Talladega and Edward Waters are GCAC opponents.