Sunday, January 26, 2014

Gold Nuggets' second-half rally topples Dillard 71-60

NEW ORLEANS -- Sophomore guard Whitney Gathright scored nine of her 20 points during a decisive second-half run Saturday to lead NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 71-60 women's basketball victory against Dillard in the Crosstown Classic at XU's Convocation Center.

The Gold Nuggets (16-6, 6-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) defeated the Lady Bleu Devils (1-10, 1-4) for the 10th consecutive time and the 19th time in the last 20 meetings. Xavier leads the series 60-19.

Xavier trailed 43-38 after Dillard's Alena Evans made 1-of-2 free throws with 12:44 remaining, but the Gold Nuggets answered with a 28-6 run, which lasted nearly 11 minutes, and made 5-of-6 3-pointers. Gathright made a pair of 3-pointers during the surge, and a Vinnie Briggs 3-pointer put Xavier ahead to stay, 46-45, with 11:14 remaining.

Freshman Kelsey Joseph's trey, her second of the season, capped the run and gave Xavier a 66-49 lead with 1:54 remaining.

Gathright finished with a career-high-tying four 3-pointers in six attempts. Briggs scored 15 points. Xavier was 9-of-16 on 3-pointers and made its most in a game since November 2010.

Evans had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Dillard. Keylantra Taylor scored 14 points and Shea Collins had 12, all on 3-pointers.

Xavier led 29-28 at halftime.

Dillard outshot the Gold Nuggets 39.7 to 38.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 38-34. Xavier made 22-of-34 free throws -- 14-of-18 in the second half -- and Dillard made 8-of-15. Xavier blocked a season-high-tying six shots, two apiece by Whitney Gaston-Loyd and freshman Jasmine Bush.

Xavier's Carmen Holcombe grabbed eight rebounds for the second consecutive game and matched her season high.

Xavier has a 15-game home winning streak -- all the games were decided by double digits -- and has won 54 of its last 58 GCAC games. Overall, Xavier has won four straight and 12 of its last 13 games.

It was the last of four consecutive home games for the Gold Nuggets, who will visit Tougaloo at 3 p.m. next Saturday.

Photos
Box score

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