Nuggets win in OT; Browder earns 400th victory

MONTGOMERY, Alabama  —  Freshman Kiera Robinson scored five of her career-high 17 points in overtime Friday, leading NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 74-71 women's basketball victory against Auburn Montgomery.
     
It was the fifth consecutive victory for the Gold Nuggets (8-2), and Bo Browder earned his 400th victory as a head coach at 4-year colleges. Browder is 398-144 in 17 seasons at Xavier. He was 2-8 as interim coach at Evansville in 1995-96. His overall total is 400-152.
     
Robinson scored a pair of baskets in a 5-0 run to begin overtime and give Xavier the lead for good. The 6-foot forward was 8-of-11 from the floor and grabbed six rebounds.
     
AUM (6-3), which led 37-35 at halftime and 59-52 with 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, missed 3-pointers at the end of regulation and overtime.
     
Whitney Gathright, announced Thursday as Louisiana Co-Player of the Month for November, had 11 points, four rebounds and five assists for the Gold Nuggets. Trana Hopkins and Joi Simmons scored nine points apiece, and Donyeah Mayfield and Jasmine Bush scored eight apiece. Bush matched her career scoring high and made 4-of-4 free throws after the Warhawks cut Xavier's lead to two with 21 seconds remaining in overtime.
     
Mayfield and Simmons grabbed seven rebounds apiece. Simmons reached a career best.
    
 Reggotta Craig had 22 points and 12 rebounds for AUM. Jatoria Carter scored 20 points, and Jada Williams had 17 points and 10 rebounds. The Warhawks, who received votes in the preseason coaches poll, used six players due to injuries.
     
Xavier outshot AUM 38.2 to 31.9 percent from the floor.
     
It was the teams' first meeting since the 1998-99 season. Xavier is 2-0 this season in overtime, and it was the Gold Nuggets' first non-conference overtime victory on an opponent's floor since 1984.
     
Xavier will remain in Montgomery to play at Faulkner at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Gold Nuggets' next home game will be Jan. 2.

BOX SCORE

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