Gold Nuggets blast Stillman 77-60 in season opener

NEW ORLEANS — NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana shared the wealth Wednesday and rolled to a 77-60 women's basketball victory against Stillman in the first game of the 2018-19 season.
     

Eleven Gold Nuggets scored, led by newcomerCaprice Taylor with 13 points and returning starter Gina Smith with 11. XULA newcomers accounted for 45 points and outshot the returnees 43 to 31 percent from the floor.
     

"We're going to be fine," 20th-year head coach Bo Browder said. "We did some good things. We did some things we need to correct. But I like this team. This team has a lot of potential. We've just got to keep working, stay focused and keep the injuries to a minimum."
     

XULA led 16-9 after one quarter, 41-22 at halftime and 61-38 through three quarters. The Gold Nuggets' largest lead was 66-38 when Taylor made a 3-pointer with 8:58 remaining.

BOX SCORE
     

Michala Fluellen had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Tigers, who also opened their season Wednesday.
     

Stillman outshot XULA 44.9 to 38.1 percent from the floor — 51.9 to 32.4 percent in the second half — but the Gold Nuggets were plus-14 in turnovers (9-23) and made 21-of-25 free throws to the Lady Tigers' 13-of-25. Smith made 7-of-8 free throws, and freshman Da'Jha Virgil was 4-of-4.
     

Virgil finished with nine points, and Mikayla Bates had seven points, five rebounds, four assists, four steals and no turnovers. Maya Trench had six assists.
     

It was the first time in seven years that XULA reached 75 points while committing fewer than 10 turnovers. A year ago XULA scored 45 points in its opener and 39 points in its home opener.
     

The Gold Nuggets will play host to Florida Memorial, Langston and LSU-Alexandria in the Xavier Classic Friday and Saturday. Friday's pairings will be Langston vs. LSUA at 4 p.m. and XULA vs. Florida Memorial at 6 p.m.

Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletics Director for Communications
Department of Athletics & Recreation
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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