Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Gold Nuggets glitter in seventh consecutive victory


NEW ORLEANS -- Reserve forward Danielle Tucker scored 13 points Monday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University to a 65-46 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Edward Waters at XU's new Convocation Center.

The victory gave the Gold Nuggets (19-4 overall, 7-2 GCAC) their second seven-game win streak this season.

Tucker scored 12 points in the first 11 minutes, eight during a 10-0 run which gave Xavier a 14-6 lead. Tucker's 3-pointer at 13:02 put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay, 9-6. Xavier led 31-21 at halftime and twice led by 24 points, the second time at 63-39 after Jolie Bellow's layup with 2:35 remaining.

Xavier scored the first 14 points of the second half, including three 3-pointers in the first two minutes.

Tucker scored in double figures for the first time in eight games. She also led Xavier with eight rebounds.

Whitney Gaston Loyd had 11 points and two blocked shots for Xavier. Andraquay Quinnine scored nine points, all on 3-pointers, and SiMon Franklin had eight points and a season-high-tying five steals.

Tiffany Tolbert and Chelsey Ruise scored eight points apiece for Edward Waters (7-15, 2-7), which dropped its fifth straight conference game. Tolbert, Ruise and Katelyn Grant each made a pair of 3-pointers.

Xavier outshot the Lady Tigers 42 to 29.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 38-29. The Gold Nuggets gained 28 turnovers, 17 on steals.

Xavier remained in a second-place tie in the GCAC with Talladega and a game behind SUNO. Talladega won 78-56 at Dillard, and SUNO won 67-43 at home against Philander Smith.

Xavier's next game will start at 2 p.m. Saturday against Philander Smith in Little Rock, Ark. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 3 p.m. on Feb. 23 against Dillard.


By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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