The Pilots (2-1), ranked 25th in NAIA Division I, trailed 29-23 at halftime against the Gold Nuggets (3-2), ranked 21st. LSUS took the lead for good with a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter.
Xavier had a chance to tie in the final minutes, but Trana Hopkins missed a 3-pointer at 1:40 with LSUS leading 52-49.
Hopkins led Xavier with a career-high-tying 17 points. Donyeah Mayfield and Kiera Robinson scored 11 points apiece, but both fouled out.
Pennywell, a first-team All-American as a sophomore in 2014-15, outscored Xavier from the free-throw line 14-of-22 to 11-of-17. The Pilots made 28-of-42 free throws, 17-of-22 in the second half.
Xavier limited LSUS to 29.8 percent from the floor, but the Gold Nuggets shot a season-worst 27.5 percent -- 20.5 percent in the second half. Xavier was 3-of-21 from the floor in the fourth quarter.
Xavier all-star guard Whitney Gathright, who scored a career-best 33 points Saturday in an overtime victory against NAIA No. 7 Our Lady of the Lake, scored five points. Gathright was 1-of-13 from the floor, 1-of-7 on 3-pointers and 2-of-2 from the line. Gathright led Xavier with a season-high eight rebounds.
Oklahoma City, the 2015 NAIA champion, rallied from 11 down to defeat Our Lady of the Lake 87-85 in Sunday's first game. LSUS beat Oklahoma City 72-60 Saturday.
The Gold Nuggets' next game will be a homecoming matchup at 11 a.m. Saturday against Eastern Oregon, ranked 14th in NAIA Division II.
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information DirectorXULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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