Xavier opens men’s basketball schedule vs. Dillard

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana Athletics announced Monday its 2023-24 men’s basketball schedule, which includes a pair of Saturday matchups with HBCU and city rival Dillard, two November games in Florida and its largest-ever conference schedule.

XULA and Dillard will open the season at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Dillard’s Dent Hall. Three weeks later, the Gold Rush and Bleu Devils will play at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Crosstown Classic at XULA’s Convocation Center.

The majority of XULA-Dillard matchups have been played on Saturdays, but neither meeting in 2022-23 was on that day.

The Gold Rush will travel to Panama City, Fla., Thanksgiving week for the Battle at the Beach and play Freed-Hardeman Nov. 20 and Warner Nov. 21.

XULA will play a record 22 Red River Athletic Conference games in its third season in the league. The RRAC schedule increased by two because of the summer addition of North American University, an associate member based in Houston. XULA’s visit to North American Jan. 15 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day — will be played at Stafford High School in Stafford, Texas, a suburb southwest of Houston.

NAU is not eligible for the RRAC regular-season championship or the RRAC Tournament, but all games against the Stallions will count in the standings.

XULA will play two November exhibition games in Mississippi against NCAA Division I opponents: Nov. 8 at Alcorn State — the head coach is XULA graduate, former player and coach Landon Bussie — and Nov. 15 at Southern Miss.

XULA’s first home game will be Nov. 4, a homecoming matchup with Houston-based College of Biblical Studies. All 14 regular-season home games will be doubleheaders with XULA’s women.

XULA last season was 23-9, won the RRAC Tournament, and — for the first time in the program’s history — won a first-round game at NAIA nationals for a third consecutive year.

Xavier University of Louisiana 2023-24 Men’s Basketball Schedule
Oct. 28 (Sat.): at Dillard (DH), 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 (Sat.): COLLEGE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES (DH), 2:30 p.m. (Homecoming)
Nov. 8 (Wed.): at Alcorn State, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Nov. 13 (Mon.): LOYOLA (N.O.) (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 15 (Wed.): at Southern Miss, 7 p.m. (exhibition)
Nov. 18 (Sat.): DILLARD (DH), 7:30 p.m. (Crosstown Classic)
Nov. 20 (Mon.): Freed-Hardeman, 4 p.m. (Battle at the Beach, Panama City, Fla.)
Nov. 21 (Tue.): Warner, 5 p.m. (Battle at the Beach, Panama City, Fla.)
Nov. 30 (Thu.): • at Southwest (N.M.) (DH), 7:30 p.m. MST
Dec. 2 (Sat.): • at Paul Quinn (DH), 4 p.m.
Dec. 14 (Thu.): • TEXAS COLLEGE (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 16 (Sat.): • JARVIS CHRISTIAN (DH), 4 p.m.
Jan. 4 (Thu.): • at Huston-Tillotson (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 6 (Sat.): • at Our Lady of the Lake (DH), 4 p.m.
Jan. 11 (Thu.): • LSU-ALEXANDRIA (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 13 (Sat.): • LOUISIANA CHRISTIAN (DH), 4 p.m.
Jan. 15 (Mon.): • at North American (DH), 4 p.m. (Stafford, Texas)
Jan. 18 (Thu.): • at LSU-Shreveport (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20 (Sat.): • at Texas A&M-Texarkana (DH), 4 p.m.
Jan. 25 (Thu.): • SOUTHWEST (N.M.) (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 27 (Sat.): • PAUL QUINN (DH), 4 p.m.
Feb. 1 (Thu.): • at Texas College (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 3 (Sat.): • at Jarvis Christian (DH), 4 p.m.
Feb. 6 (Tue.): • NORTH AMERICAN (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 8 (Thu.): • at LSU-Alexandria (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 10 (Sat.): • at Louisiana Christian (DH), 4 p.m.
Feb. 15 (Thu.): • LSU-SHREVEPORT (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 (Sat.): • TEXAS A&M-TEXARKANA (DH), 4 p.m.
Feb. 22 (Thu.): • HUSTON-TILLOTSON (DH), 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24 (Sat.): • OUR LADY OF THE LAKE (DH), 4 p.m. (Senior Day)
March 1-3 (Fri.-Sun.): Red River Athletic Conference Tournament at Alexandria, La., TBA
March 15-16 (Fri.-Sat.): NAIA National Championship tournament opening two rounds, TBA
March 21-26 (Thu.-Tue.): NAIA National Championship tournament final four rounds at Kansas City, Mo., TBA

Home games in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS
• Red River Athletic Conference game
(DH) Doubleheader with XULA’s women
All times are Central except where noted
Schedule is subject to change