No. 16 Gold Rush earn highest NAIA ranking since January 2016

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed to 16th Wednesday in the NAIA Division I men’s basketball coaches poll — the highest Gold Rush ranking in nearly four years.

The Gold Rush climbed from an “others receiving votes” position of 28th in the October preseason poll. It’s XULA’s highest ranking since 14th on Jan. 12, 2016.

The poll is derived on results through Sunday (Nov. 24). Not considered in the rankings was XULA’s 91-89 overtime home victory Tuesday against city rival Loyola, which climbed from 17th to third.

Loyola is one of three teams in the preseason top 25 that XULA defeated. The others were William Carey and Wiley, both of which dropped out of Wednesday’s rankings.

The top 25 includes:
• Four teams from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference: No. 13 Talladega, XULA, No. 24 Dillard and No. 25 Tougaloo.
• Five Louisiana teams: Loyola, No. 7 LSU-Shreveport, No. 11 LSU-Alexandria, XULA and Dillard.
• Five HBCU teams: Talladega, XULA, No. 19 Stillman, Dillard and Tougaloo.

XULA will visit the University of New Orleans at 6 p.m. Saturday, then break for semester exams. The next home game will start at 5 p.m. Dec. 17 against Mobile at the Convocation Center. Between those games will be a 4 p.m. rematch Dec. 14 against Loyola at The Den.

The next top 25 will be announced Dec. 11.

2019-20 NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Nov. 24)
Rank Team Record Points Last
1 Georgetown (Ky.) (9) 8-0 219 1
2 The Master’s 6-0 208 2
3-tie Mid-America Christian 9-0 198 18
3-tie Loyola (N.O.) 10-0 198 17
5 Pikeville 10-0 195 5
6 William Penn 8-1 186 4
7 LSU-Shreveport 6-1 178 11
8 Providence (Mont.) 5-0 171 12
9 Wayland Baptist 6-1 164 3
10 Arizona Christian 5-1 153 10
11 LSU-Alexandria 5-2 146 6
12 John Brown 8-0 145 NR
13 Talladega 8-1 123 8
14 Lewis-Clark State 8-0 118 23
15 Hope International 8-0 111 RV
16 XULA 9-3 110 RV
17 Montana State-Northern 4-0 109 19
18 Life 8-0 105 NR
19 Stillman 7-2 101 14
20 Park (Mo.) 5-1 88 24
21 Dalton State 7-1 85 NR
22 Westmont 7-0 64 NR
23 Thomas More 8-0 58 NR
24 Dillard 7-4 52 RV
25 Tougaloo 7-1 46 NR

Dropped from rankings: No. 7 William Carey, No. 9 Benedictine (Kan.), No. 13 Science & Arts, No. 15 Vanguard, No. 16 Cumberlands, No. 20 Central Methodist, No. 21 Campbellsville, No. 22 Wiley, No. 25 Peru State
Others receiving votes: SAGU 33, Lyon 25, Lindsey Wilson 22, Science & Arts 17, Carroll (Mont.) 17, Peru State 17, Texas College 14, Central Baptist 12, Bethel (Tenn.) 7, Shawnee State 6