Sunday, November 23, 2014

Gold Nuggets beat Warner for 21st straight home victory

NEW ORLEANS -- Donyeah Mayfield sat out the first half but led NAIA No. 18 Xavier University of Louisiana with 12 points Saturday in a 71-59 women's basketball homecoming victory against Warner.

It was the 21st consecutive home victory for the Gold Nuggets (3-4) and their second this season in the Convocation Center.

Mayfield, a junior transfer from South Alabama, entered the game in the 23rd minute, made 6-of-8 from the floor and matched her season scoring high in just 11 minutes.

Freshman Ireyon Keith scored 10 points for Xavier for the second consecutive game, and Alesha Smith scored 10.

Marie Fleurival had 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots for Warner (3-3), an NAIA Division II member. Baylie Bridges scored 15 points, and Hannah Kotzen scored 10.

Xavier led for 37 1/2 minutes. Keith's free throw at 10:42 put the Nuggets ahead to stay, 12-11. Xavier led 37-25 at halftime and 58-38 after Mayfield's basket with 8:16 remaining.

The Lady Royals cut Xavier's lead to 65-58 on Kotzen's free throw with 2:30 remaining, but the Gold Nuggets closed with a 6-1 run which included two Mayfield baskets.

Warner shot 43.1 percent from the floor, the best by an XU opponent this season, and Xavier shot 40.6 percent. Both teams made six 3-pointers, three by Xavier's Eliqua Brooks in four attempts. Xavier outrebounded Warner 41-32 and got a career-best six rebounds from sophomore Kelsee Singleton.

Warner had a 7-0 advantage in blocked shots. In their other home game, the Gold Nuggets blocked eight shots against NAIA No. 22 Mobile.

Next for the Gold Nuggets will be a pair of games against ranked NAIA opponents in the Xavier Classic: No. 6 Wiley at 7 p.m. Thursday and No. 24 Langston at 4 p.m. Friday. Langston is 6-0 with a home victory against defending NAIA champion Oklahoma City.


Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

No comments: