NEW ORLEANS — Forty-eighy hours after a double-digit victory against its historical rival, the Xavier University of Louisiana women's basketball team showed no signs of a letdown.
XULA answered two Philander Smith runs Monday in a 79-64 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victory. It was the Gold Nuggets' fifth consecutive conference victory and the third against a team that beat them in the first half of the GCAC schedule.
Essence Wells scored 15 points, and Mikayla Bates had 13 points, a career-best 13 rebounds and a career-high-tying seven assists for the Gold Nuggets (12-11, 5-5), who climbed above .500 for the first time in nearly six weeks. Also contributing were Maya Trench with 11 points and six assists, DeDe Martinez with 10 points and seven rebounds, Gina Smith with nine points and rebounds and Jayla Nichols with eight points and three steals.
"If we continue to shoot like we did tonight and play defense, we're going to be a tough out," XULA coach Bo Browder said.
XULA outshot the Lady Panthers (14-13, 5-5) 41.9 to 28.8 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 51-36. The Gold Nuggets set a school record for third-quarter points with 31 — their second-most in any quarter since the women's college game changed its timing rules in 2015-16.
Philander Smith outscored XULA 7-0 in the first eight minutes of the second quarter to take a 21-17 lead, but the Gold Nuggets closed with a 12-1 run to take a 29-22 halftime lead. XULA never lost the lead thereafter but had one more counterpunch, answering Philander Smith's 13-2 run to start the fourth quarter with 14 consecutive points, seven by Nichols, to turn a 62-58 lead into game, set and match at 76-58 with 1:18 remaining.
XULA won without forward/center Dasia Pitre, who sat out the game because of an injury after scoring a career-best 19 points Saturday in a 75-63 victory against NAIA No. 17 Dillard in the Crosstown Classic presented by Raising Cane's.
XULA's 79 points were a season best in regulation, and the Gold Nuggets are 9-0 this season when they reach 70 points in regulation.
Terralyn Dominick scored 19 points and Briauna Mitchell 10 for Philander Smith.
The Gold Nuggets will close the regular season with two more GCAC home games, including 3 p.m. Saturday against Tougaloo. XULA will play in the opening round of the GCAC Tournament March 2 at SUNO's The Castle.
BOX SCORE
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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