Browder records 400th XU victory; Nuggets topple LSUS

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana defeated LSU-Shreveport 55-46 in women's basketball Saturday to end a three-game losing streak and give Bo Browder his 400th career victory as coach of the Gold Nuggets.
     

Whitney Gathright scored 20 points, Donyeah Mayfield had 11 points and 10 rebounds, Mikayla Bateshad a career-high seven steals, and Kelsee Singletonblocked a career-high-tying five shots for Xavier (10-5), which will play its Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opener at 5:30 p.m. Monday against Edward Waters at the Convocation Center.
     

Xavier is ranked ninth in NAIA Division I, and LSUS (6-5) is 22nd. It was the Gold Nuggets' fifth victory this season against a ranked opponent.
     

Browder is 400-147 in 17 seasons at Xavier. He is the fourth Louisiana women's basketball coach to reach 400 victories.  Browder is 402-155 overall as a head coach at four-year colleges. He was 2-8 at Evansville as an interim coach in 1995-96.
     

"I have been very blessed to work at Xavier, an outstanding university, and work with some talented young ladies," Browder said.
     

Gathright made three 3-pointers and was 9-of-10 from the line in her fourth 20-point performance of the season and 12th of her career. Mayfield recorded her second double-double of the season and her sixth in two XU seasons. Bates, a freshman, produced the most steals in a game by an XU player in two years.
     

Singleton's basket at 5:54 of the first quarter put Xavier ahead to stay, 3-2. The Gold Nuggets led 30-20 at halftime and led by 20 points three times in the third quarter. The Pilots (6-5) cut XU's lead to seven in the final 66 seconds but did not get closer.
     

Xavier blocked nine shots, its most in a game since February 2011, and had 15 steals.

    

"Our defense was very good for the first three quarters," Browder said.
     

Courtney Randle had 10 points, six rebounds and three steals for LSUS. Kourtney Pennywell, a first-team NAIA All-American last season who missed the past six games because of an ankle injury, did not start but had nine points and five rebounds in a team-high 27 minutes.
     

Xavier is 5-0 at home this season and 5-0 in Saturday games.

BOX  SCORE

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