NEW ORLEANS – The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball team just couldn't find the range as well as Xavier of Louisiana did, resulting in a tough 77-63 loss to the Gold Rush Monday night in the make-up of a previously postponed game at Xavier's Convocation Center.
 
Louisiana Christian (6-18, 4-14 RRAC) was able to hang tight with Xavier (16-8, 12-6 RRAC) throughout most of the contest, even leading in the early going as Drew Tebbe got to the rim for a lay-up to make it 11-7 Wildcats, and then Bryce Weinmunson answered a Gold Rush lay-up with one of his own to give LCU a 13-9 lead with 12:15 left before halftime.
 
While the Gold Rush would go on a 16-6 run to go up 25-19, the Wildcats wouldn't let Xavier pull away. XULA's seven-point halftime lead, 35-28, was the largest of the half for either side.
 
Xavier's lead peaked at 12 points, hitting that mark four times in the opening minutes of the second half, the final time at 61-49 with just less than eight minutes left in the contest. LCU used the rest of the second half trying to pull that deficit back, getting it down to as little as four points as Bryce Weinmunson got to the rim for a lay-up to cap a 13-5 Wildcat run, making the score 66-62 with two minutes left.
 
However, not enough makes down the stretch combined with not enough misses by Xavier at the free throw line kept the Wildcats at bay in the closing moments.
 
Tebbe led the Wildcats on the night, scoring 22 points on 6-of-11 shooting. He was 3-of-4 from three and hit seven of his eight free throw attempts. Tebbe also dished out nine assists, grabbed six rebounds, and came up with three steals.
 
Weinmunson ended the night with 18 points, going 8-of-17 from the field and 2-of-4 from three. He came up with four steals, two rebounds, and had an assist.
 
Justice Kelly added another double-double to his ledger, his fifth of the season. He scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while also coming up with a steal and doling out an assist.
 
LCU ended the night 21 made field goals, hitting on 38.9 percent from the field as a team. Xavier made 26 shots in the contest, hitting at a 49.1 percent clip. Both teams hit five three-pointers on the evening while the Wildcats made more free throws on the evening, 19 to 16.
 
The Wildcats return to Central Louisiana for their final two home games of the season this weekend, starting on Thursday when Our Lady of the Lake comes to Pineville. Tip-off of Thursday's contest against the Saints (14-9, 13-5 RRAC) is set for 7:30 p.m. on the Gene Rushing Court at H.O. West Fieldhouse.