Richard scores 26 to lead Gold Rush past Tougaloo

NEW ORLEANS — Makye Richard scored 26 points Wednesday to lead Xavier University in a 68-53 men’s basketball victory against Tougaloo at the Convocation Center.

XULA (3-1) won for the 24th time in its last 27 home games and for the 40th time in its last 49 attempts overall.

Richard, a 6-foot-2 fifth-year guard, made 4-of-8 3-pointers and had three assists and three steals. Other XULA standouts were TJ Jones with 16 points, five rebounds and six assists, Cory Wells with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks and Cameron Wells — Cory’s older brother — with six points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Antwan Bean had 13 points and four steals for Tougaloo (3-1), and Cameron Copeland had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. The Bulldogs played for the third consecutive day.

XULA led 31-24 at halftime and led by 19 in the final two minutes. The Gold Rush outshot the Bulldogs 36.2 to 29.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 46-35.

The double-double was the first for Cory Wells at XULA, and the 10 rebounds were a career best.

XULA will play city rival Dillard at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Convocation Center in the second game of a homecoming doubleheader. The women of XULA and Dillard will tip off at 11 a.m.