Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Talladega defeats ninth-ranked Gold Nuggets 68-65

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Arielle George scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half Monday to lead Talladega to a 68-65 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against NAIA No. 9 Xavier University of Louisiana.

George made a season-high-tying five 3-pointers, three in the second half, to help the Lady Tornadoes (6-6 overall, 2-0 conference) give the Gold Nuggets (11-3, 1-1) a rare GCAC defeat.

Megan Iloff scored 13 points for Talladega, and Ryann Drear had 11. SiMon Franklin scored 18 points, all in the second half, for Xavier, and Whitney Gaston-Loyd scored a career-high-tying 13 points.

Talladega led 25-22 at By, then scored the most second-half points, 43, by a Xavier opponent this season. Xavier's defense allowed its most points and most 3-pointers (8) in a game this season.

Xavier made six 3-pointers, two apiece by Franklin and Paige Gauthier. It was the third consecutive game that Gauthier made multiple 3-pointers.

The loss was the third in 40 GCAC regular-season games for Xavier in four years. Talladega is responsible for two of the defeats, including a 68-62 decision this past season.

Xavier's next game will start at 3 p.m. Saturday against Tougaloo at XU's new Convocation Center. It will be the Nuggets' first GCAC game in the 3,937-seat facility, which opened Nov. 3.



By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

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