Late run carries Tougaloo to double-OT win vs. Nuggets

TOUGALOO, Mississippi — Montoria Atkinson scored a career-high 26 points Saturday, and Chesha Lewis led a rally in the second overtime that carried Tougaloo to an 81-76 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Gold Nuggets (7-7, 0-2) got career highs from Maya Trench with 23 points, Essence Wells with 20 points and nine rebounds and Mikayla Bates with 11 rebounds and eight steals.

Trench's 3-pointer gave XULA its largest lead of the game, 74-69, at 3:25 of the second overtime. But the Lady Bulldogs (7-7, 2-0) answered with 12 straight points, six by Lewis, to snap their 14-game losing streak against XULA.

The Gold Nuggets outscored Tougaloo 12-1 in the final 3:49 of regulation to tie the score at 63 and send the game into overtime. But XULA missed 17 free throws for the second straight game — four in a row to open the first overtime.

Tougaloo did not attempt a 3-pointer but went to the line 45 times and made 31. The Lady Bulldogs outshot XULA 42.4 to 30.3 percent from the floor. XULA was plus-11 in turnovers, committing 24 and gaining a season-high 35.

Atkinson, 8-of-12 from the floor and 10-of-13 from the line, also grabbed a season-best 17 rebounds. Debraia Bell had 21 points, a season high, and 10 rebounds, and Rashonae Rice had 10 points and eight rebounds.

It was the fifth time the Nuggets played multiple overtimes and the first time in five years.

Tougaloo is the lone unbeaten team in the GCAC after eight league games. XULA will stay on the road and play Talladega, last season's GCAC regular-season and tournament champion, at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Talladega, Ala.

BOX SCORE

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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