Xavier basketball teams win NAIA first round games

Men’s Basketball: Makye Richard scored 25 points — his most in 37 games with the program — to lead XULA to a 67-59 victory against 25th-ranked Cumberlands (Ky.) in the opening round of NAIA nationals at Alexandria, La. XULA (14-4) will play eighth-ranked SAGU (10-2) — Southwestern Assemblies of God (Waxahachie, Texas) — in the round of 32 at 3 p.m. Saturday at Alexandria’s Rapides Parish Coliseum. The winner will advance to the round of 16 next week at Kansas City, Mo.

Women’s Basketball: Da’Jha Virgil scored 17 points and Nia Bishop 15 to lead XULA to a 58-45 victory against Benedictine (Kan.) in the opening round of NAIA nationals at Lakeland, Fla. XULA (13-6) improved its season-best win streak to seven and will play the host, 10th-ranked Southeastern, in the round of 32 at 7:30 p.m. EST Saturday. The winner will advance to the round of 16 next week at Sioux City, Iowa. Southeastern is 25-2 and has a 24-game win streak.