Gold Nuggets win by double figures for sixth straight game

NEW ORLEANS -- Whitney Gaston-Loyd and Paige Gauthier scored 12 points each Saturday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 64-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Talladega at XU's new Convocation Center.

The victory was the sixth in a row, all by double figures, for the Gold Nuggets (18-4 overall, 6-2 GCAC), who snapped the four-game win streak of the Lady Tornadoes (14-8, 6-2). Xavier avenged a 68-65 loss at Talladega from Jan. 7 and knocked the Lady Tornadoes out of a first-place tie in the conference.

SUNO, a 79-46 winner at home against Fisk, leads the GCAC by a game over Xavier and Talladega.

Gaston-Loyd was 5-of-7 from the floor and grabbed six rebounds. Gauthier, a reserve guard, grabbed a career-high-tying 11 rebounds in her second double-double of the season.

Also in double figures for Xavier was Andraquay Quinnine, who made three 3-pointers and had 11 points, three assists and three steals.

Arielle George scored 12 points for Talladega, and Thomesha Smith had 11 points and 14 rebounds for her second double-double in four games.

Gauthier's basket at 8:26 of the first half put Xavier ahead to stay, 14-13. The Gold Nuggets led 25-22 at halftime.

Talladega still was within range midway through the second half at 41-37, but Xavier pulled away with a 10-1 run during the next four minutes. Danielle Tucker's two free throws gave the Nuggets a 51-38 lead with 6:31 remaining.

Xavier outshot the Lady Tornadoes 37.3 to 34.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 39-38 after a 24-16 second half. Xavier committed 23 turnovers but gained 30, 21 on steals. Tucker led the Nuggets with four steals, and Carmen Holcombe and Whitney Gathright had three each.

Xavier will play Edward Waters in a GCAC game at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Convocation Center.

 By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA