Notre Dame defeats Gold Rush 67-52 in exhibition

Their secret ambition is to play Notre Dame when their team develops to the place where it would be a worthy competitor to the famous South Bend institution. — Chester L. Washington, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Courier sports editor, in an Oct. 19, 1935, column about Xavier University of Louisiana

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Dane Goodwin’s 21 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday led Notre Dame to a 67-52 men’s basketball exhibition victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Gold Rush, a longtime NAIA member, played well against the NCAA Power 5 opponent. XULA scored first in each half, outrebounded the Fighting Irish 46-33 and trailed 18-17 in the 10th minute, 43-37 in the 27th minute and 57-49 in the 36th minute.

Cory Wells, with 17 points, was XULA’s only double-figure scorer. Wells didn’t start but was 7-of-14 from the floor in 28 minutes.

Goodwin, third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference last season, was 6-of-14 from the floor and 8-of-8 from the line in 29 minutes. Goodwin scored 12 second-half points.

Trey Wertz’s 3-pointer with 3:50 remaining made it 60-49 and gave Notre Dame a double-digit lead thereafter.
Notre Dame led 36-27 at halftime.

Also contributing for XULA were:

•  Jeremy Lindsey with eight points, all in the first half.
•  Xavier Reaves with six points and game-highs of 10 rebounds and four steals.
•  TJ Jones with six points and six rebounds.

It was the first Gold Rush exhibition against a P5 opponent since LSU in 2013. Both XULA and Notre Dame were 20-game winners this past season and reached the second round of their respective national tournaments. This was the first-ever basketball meeting between these Catholic universities.

XULA will return to its regular-season schedule in a homecoming doubleheader Saturday against LeMoyne-Owen at XULA’s Convocation Center. The men’s game will start at 2 p.m.; the women’s game — the Gold Nuggets’ first of the regular season — will tip off at 11 a.m. The Gold Rush opened the regular season Monday with a 77-65 home victory against Crowley’s Ridge.