Box Score UNO-XULA Box Score
NEW ORLEANS –
Max Banchy and
Brandon Knight produced two of the four career-high scoring totals for the University of New Orleans in a 79-70 loss to Xavier (La.) on Wednesday night at Lakefront Arena.
Banchy reached his career-high with 16 points to lead UNO (9-8) in the contest. Banchy hit three-pointers for the Privateers, who connected on a season-high 11 of their 21 long-range attempts.
Knight added another 14 points for UNO, who also received double-figure scoring from
Lovell Cook and
Antonio Holmes. Cook scored 13 points with Holmes contributing an additional 11 for a career-high off the bench.
Colby Barnes was the fourth Privateer with a career-high, scoring eight.
“It was good to have guys like Max and Antonio (Holmes) and
Brandon Knight have breakout nights,” said UNO head coach
Mark Slessinger. “They have been working so hard in practice. It was good for them to have a payoff and see the fruits of their hard work shooting the ball.”
Anthony Simmons turned it on for XULA (9-4) in the second half by scoring 13 of his game-high 17 points after the break. Four other players hit double-digits for the Gold Rush, which included a 12-point, eight-rebound effort by Chris Iles.
UNO had to play from behind for most of the contest, starting the game making just 3 of their 12 attempts from the field as XULA jumped ahead 18-8.
The Privateers responded with eight straight points including back-to-back three pointers by Banchy and Knight to get within two. UNO continued its pursuit of the lead with a Barnes second-chance basket with 6:03 remaining before the half to take a 23-22 advantage.
The squads exchanged leads twice more before the intermission with XULA's edge growing to as large as four. A Knight three-pointer at the buzzer from just in front of the midcourt line provided the Privateers their final points of the half, getting the host within one of the Gold Rush at 31-30.
UNO made eight of their final 15 shots of the first 20 minutes to make a run of the game. The Privateers' field goal tally in the first half included six three-pointers in just 11 attempts.
In the second half, there was only one lead change between the two teams.
The Privateers moved ahead briefly 49-47 with 11:15 remaining in the contest on a Banchy three-pointer. Simmons responded with a basket on the ensuing possession, two of his seven points during a 9-2 run that put XULA ahead 56-51.
Behind their 61.5 percent shooting in the second half, the Gold Rush would maintain their lead, extending it to double-digits in the final 10 seconds of the game on late free throws.
“It was a classic New Orleans basketball game, another slugfest like we had against Dillard and Tulane,” said Slessinger. “New Orleans is a great basketball city with great coaches and tonight was a great example of that competitive style of game.”
“We were happy with the effort from the team, but we know we have to get stops at key moments and we are going to have to rely on our defense to put us over the top on many nights and continue to force turnovers and create possessions to be a force on the offensive end.”
UNO will continue its four-game homestand with a Saturday contest against Concordia-Selma tipping at 2 p.m. The Privateers will seek an in-season home-and-home sweep of the Hornets in the backend of a doubleheader with the UNO women's basketball team, who tip off at 12 p.m. against Lindenwood.
