Men’s basketball hopes for a repeat winning season
February 26, 2024
By Makayla Coleman, Sports Writer
Xavier’s men’s basketball team set a strong start to their 2023-2024 season. Currently in the middle of a five-game winning streak, the Gold Rush ranks #3 in the Red River Athletic Conference.
The team has performed well on the road up to this point in the season, managing an 8-1 away record. Some notable games included their 87-71 win over Texas A&M Texarkana, where the Gold Rush held a 63% field goal and 3-point success in the second half, and a gritty 77-75 RRAC opener at the University of the Southwest that was decided by a late three from forward Cory Wells, a senior computer science major from Murphy, Tx.
Playing in enemy territory is no threat to the team, who rally on pregame excitement and expectation.
“You look good, you play good,” said men’s basketball graduate assistant Xavier Reaves. “When our energy is out of the roof, we perform at a very high level where no one can compete with us.”
New to the team is J’Quan Ewing, a sophomore Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. transfer. Ewing is a psychology major from Clarksville, Tenn. He fills the forward/center spot and has been able to contribute early and often, as he is in the midst of a 5-game double-double streak. Ewing had zero turnovers during the first four games of this stretch.
“[The area of focus] was just coming in and using my skills and ability to help the team to win more games. [I] try to come as a piece that will make us a more dangerous team,” Ewing said.
His presence is felt largely in his rebounds, where he averages (10.3, 9.7) per game.
Xavier’s men’s basketball team has already earned a couple of awards. Cory Wells earned the RRAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honor for his performance in the week of October 30.
Graduate student, Terrence “TJ” Jones, a sociology major from Opelousas, La., also received this honor in early January. Additionally, he had a career-high 28-point game in the season opener against crosstown rivals, Dillard University. The two were especially dominant in the Gold Rush’s 88-81 win over Our Lady of the Lake, where the pair combined for 47 points.
On the road to a hopeful return to the RRAC Championship and the opportunity to be back-to-back champions, the Gold Rush had some notable recent matchups. They faced LSU-Shreveport again on Feb. 15. The Pilots handed Xavier a loss, but this time Xavier will have the home-field advantage. The men’s basketball team stands second to none in total home attendance and home attendance average, and the support from fans is well-received.
“The support of the students gives us the energy boost we need to get the job done and [it] makes the games more exciting to play in when you’re feeling the excitement from the supporters,” said guard Lance Williams, a business management major from Baton Rouge, La., who is in his third season at Xavier.
The Gold Rush will play in a postponed match against Dillard, where they have an opportunity to sweep rivals the Bleu Devils in the Convocation Center on Feb. 20 in the Crosstown Classic. Although these games are certain to be exciting, Williams is determined to give every opponent the same result.
“We have to play every game like it is the last game of the season. We have to defend the conference championship,” Williams said.
