Pilots Battle Hard but Fall to Xavier, 87-76

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The LSUS Pilots put up a strong fight on Tuesday night but couldn't overcome a tough Xavier squad, falling 87-76 in a hard-fought road matchup.

Trey Boston shined for the Pilots, pouring in 22 points and dishing out seven assists to lead the offensive charge. Davion Coleman followed with 14 points and five rebounds, while Taj Anderson chipped in 13 points and four boards. Hayden Brittingham made his presence felt on the glass, pulling down nine rebounds and swatting away two shots to anchor LSUS defensively.

LSUS was sharp from beyond the arc, knocking down an impressive 47.4 percent (9-of-19) of its three-point attempts. The Pilots finished the night shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line.

Despite a strong effort from LSUS, Xavier managed to find key buckets in crucial moments. The Gold Rush were led by Lance Williams, who posted a game-high 24 points along with six assists and four rebounds. J'Quan Ewing added 16 points and eight rebounds, while Omarion Bodrick and Seviuhn Turner combined for 26 points and eight boards to keep the Gold Rush in control.

Although Xavier struggled from deep, shooting just 26.7 percent from three-point range, their efficiency inside (47.3 percent from the field) and timely execution helped them hold off the Pilots' comeback attempts.

LSUS now turns its attention to a Homecoming matchup on Thursday, Jan. 30, when the University of the Southwest comes to The Dock. Tip-off set for 7:30 p.m.