Gold Nuggets hold on to earn 4th straight victory

NEW ORLEANS -- Donyeah Mayfield scored 18 points Tuesday, and NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana made six free throws in the final 33 seconds to preserve a 68-62 women's basketball victory against Mobile.

The Gold Nuggets (7-2) won their fourth in a row, all at home. They'll play five in a row on the road before their next home game Jan. 2.

Xavier trailed 31-27 at halftime, but Mayfield scored nine third-quarter points, and the Gold Nuggets never trailed after Mayfield's basket at 6:18 made it 38-37. But the Lady Rams (5-2) rallied from a nine-point deficit to tie the score at 51, and there were four additional one-point margins thereafter.

Mikayla Bates closed the scoring for Xavier with a pair of free throws after she rebounded teammate Amara Person-Hampton's missed free throw with 20 seconds remaining.

Mayfield, who reached double figures for the third consecutive game and the fifth time in six games, was the Gold Nuggets' only double-figure scorer. Joi Simmons scored nine points, and Kiera Robinson had eight points, six rebounds and three blocked shots. Emoni Harvey scored a season-high seven points, six in the first half on 3-of-3 from the floor. Trana Hopkins had a career-best six assists.

Starla Daggan and Laura Beth Wright scored 16 points apiece for Mobile (5-2), and Kali Koenig scored 10.

Xavier committed a season-worst 30 turnovers, five more than Mobile, but outshot the Lady Rams 41.2 to 31.3 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 43-38. The Gold Nuggets' 23 free throws and 34 attempts were season highs.

Xavier defeated Mobile for the 16th consecutive time on its home floor. They'll meet again Jan. 13 at Mobile.

The victory was the 399th for Bo Browder in his head-coaching career at four-year colleges. He is 397-144 in 17 seasons at Xavier, 2-8 as Evansville's interim coach in 1995-96.

Xavier will travel to Montgomery, Ala., to play Auburn Montgomery at 5:30 p.m. Friday and Faulkner at 4 p.m. Saturday.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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