Nuggets fall out of top 25 after 45 consecutive appearances

NEW ORLEANS -- After 45 consecutive appearances, Xavier University of Louisiana dropped out of the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 on Tuesday.

The Gold Nuggets (6-5) received 22 points -- they needed 59 to remain in the top 25 -- and are 29th overall. It's the first time since Jan. 18, 2010, that they aren't in the top 25. Xavier ranked 15th in the preseason.

Preseason No. 1 Vanguard maintained its position after receiving 9-of-10 first-place votes. No. 2 Oklahoma City -- a 72-70 overtime winner at home against Xavier on Nov. 29 -- received the other first-place vote.

The next top 25 will be announced Jan. 7.

Xavier will complete its final exams of the fall semester on Friday, then play in San Juan, Puerto, Rico, against UPR-Bayamon on Monday and American-Puerto Rico the following day. The Gold Nuggets' next home games will be at 7 p.m. on Dec. 30 against Mobile and 5 p.m. on Dec. 31 against Faulkner in the Xavier Classic.

The top 25:

1. Vanguard
2. Oklahoma City
3. Freed-Hardeman
4. Westminster (Utah)
5. Georgetown (Ky.)
6. MidAmerica Nazarene
7. Cambellsville (Ky.)
8. Westmont
9. Oklahoma Baptist
10. Bethel (Tenn.)
11. Our Lady of the Lake
12. The Master's
13. Talladega
14. Coastal Georgia
15. Benedictine (Kan.)
16. Carroll (Mont.)
17. John Brown
18. Wiley
19. Central Methodist
20. Cumberlands
21. Columbia (Mo.)
22. Cumberland
23. Emmanuel (Ga.)
24. Montana State Northern
25. William Woods


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