Rush in NAIA preseason top 25 for 8th time in 9 years
NEW ORLEANS — For the eighth time in nine seasons, Xavier University of Louisiana men’s basketball is among the top 25 in the NAIA Division I preseason coaches poll.
The Gold Rush — 24-9 a year ago, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season co-champion and an NAIA National Championship tournament qualifier — are tied for 23rd place with Westmont. XULA’s highest ranking last season was 22nd. The NAIA announced the rankings Tuesday.
“It’s great to see Xavier among the preseason top 25 again,” third-year head coach Alfred Williams said. “We look forward to start competing this week and building on what we accomplished last season. We have a great group of guys who are focused on success and winning the right way.”
The XULA men will open their 81st season with games at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, against Keiser Friday (7 p.m. AST/6 p.m. New Orleans time) and Virgin Islands Sunday (2 p.m. AST/1 p.m. New Orleans time). The home opener will tip off at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 against Carver in the Convocation Center.
The first regular-season rankings will be announced Dec. 4. By that time the Gold Rush will have played four times against top-10 opponents: Nov. 12 away, Nov. 26 home against No. 2 LSU-Alexandria and Nov. 5 home, Nov. 19 away against No. 10 William Carey. XULA’s opening opponent, Keiser, was among the “others receiving votes” in NAIA Division II.
The NAIA DI preseason No. 1 is The Master’s, which received 4-of-9 first-place votes and 212 points. Two points back and tied for second were LSUA with two first-place votes and William Penn with three.
XULA is one of two GCAC teams in the top 25. Dillard is No. 11. XULA will play host to the Bleu Devils Jan. 26 and visit Dillard’s Dent Hall Feb. 16.
NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25
Preseason Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records from 2017-18)
| RANK | PREVIOUS | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS |
| 1 | 1 | The Master’s (Calif.) (4) | 29-3 | 212 |
| 2-tie | 4 | William Penn (Iowa) (3) | 30-5 | 210 |
| 2-tie | 14 | LSU-Alexandria (La.) (2) | 29-8 | 210 |
| 4 | 9 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 27-7 | 203 |
| 5 | 8 | Oklahoma City | 24-9 | 191 |
| 6 | 6 | Columbia (Mo.) | 27-4 | 182 |
| 7 | 3 | LSU-Shreveport (La.) | 30-5 | 174 |
| 8 | 2 | Pikeville (Ky.) | 28-5 | 172 |
| 9 | 11-tie | Hope International (Calif.) | 25-6 | 150 |
| 10 | 10 | William Carey (Miss.) | 25-6 | 147 |
| 11-tie | 7 | Central Methodist (Mo.) | 27-6 | 144 |
| 11-tie | 18 | Dillard (La.) | 21-10 | 144 |
| 11-tie | 15 | Texas Wesleyan | 22-11 | 144 |
| 14 | NR | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 18-14 | 140 |
| 15 | 16 | Dalton State (Ga.) | 25-9 | 118 |
| 16 | 17 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 21-10 | 106 |
| 17 | 20 | Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) | 23-10 | 104 |
| 18 | 22 | SAGU (Texas) | 24-10 | 96 |
| 19 | NR | MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) | 16-15 | 79 |
| 20 | RV | Wayland Baptist (Texas) | 25-10 | 73 |
| 21 | NR | Menlo (Calif.) | 20-11 | 68 |
| 22 | 5 | Carroll (Mont.) | 28-6 | 63 |
| 23-tie | 25 | Xavier (La.) | 24-9 | 57 |
| 23-tie | 13 | Westmont (Calif.) | 24-8 | 57 |
| 25 | RV | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 24-9 | 49 |
Dropped from the Top 25: Montana Western, Graceland (Iowa), Our Lady of the Lake (Texas), Life (Ga.), Central Baptist (Ark.)
Others Receiving Votes: Peru State (Neb.) 48, Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) 42, Science & Arts (Okla.) 22, Campbellsville (Ky.) 20, Graceland (Iowa) 19, Stillman (Ala.) 17, Missouri Baptist 11, Faulkner (Ala.) 9, William Jessup (Calif.) 6, Providence (Mont.) 5, Wiley (Texas) 5, Life (Ga.) 4, Langston (Okla.) 3.
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Ed Cassiere
