Nuggets return to poll radar; No. 13 Talladega is next

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana had its most impressive showing of the season in NAIA Division I women's basketball coaches poll.
     
The Gold Nuggets (17-5, 7-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference), who received no points in the previous rankings Jan. 15, collected 23 points Tuesday to make the "others receiving votes" list at 28th place overall. It's XULA's highest ranking in this sport since March 9, 2016, when it was 25th.
     
Although the Gold Nuggets were three places and 35 points short of the top 25 — and the only conference leader not in the top 25 — 20th-year head coach Bo Browderexpressed no concern.
     
"We've just got to keep on working," said Browder, whose team has a seven-game win streak and 12 victories in its last 14 games. "Winning takes care of all your problems. We've got a big road trip coming up. If we could win those two games, I know we'll keep moving up."
     
XULA will visit GCAC opponents Talladega (Talladega, Ala.) at 3 p.m. Saturday and Edward Waters (Jacksonville, Fla.) at 5:30 p.m. EST Monday. Talladega (21-3, 7-1) is a half-game behind XULA and ranked 13th nationally, up two places from the previous poll.
     
Freed-Hardeman is No. 1 for the third consecutive poll. The Lions received 7-of-9 first-place votes, and No. 3 Montana Western got the other two.
     
It was the fifth of eight polls this season, The next rankings will be announced Feb. 12.

NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses — records through Jan. 27) 

RANK	PREVIOUS	SCHOOL	RECORD	POINTS
1	1	Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) (7)	20-1	218
2	2	Columbia (Mo.)	20-2	211
3	3	Montana Western (2)	18-1	207
4	6	Campbellsville (Ky.)	21-2	198
5	10	The Master's (Calif.)	18-4	188
6	4	MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)	18-3	187
7	5	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	17-4	174
8	9	Vanguard (Calif.)	16-5	162
8	8	Carroll (Mont.)	15-6	162
10	11	Our Lady of the Lake (Texas)	18-4	156
10	7	Shawnee State (Ohio)	17-5	156
12	12	Oklahoma City	18-2	142
13	15	Talladega (Ala.)	20-3	131
14	16	Bethel (Tenn.)	19-3	122
14	14	Westmont (Calif.)	15-6	122
16	13	Menlo (Calif.)	16-5	120
17	18	Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)	16-5	101
18	19	William Penn (Iowa)	20-2	100
19	22	Lyon (Ark.)	17-3	98
20	21	Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)	14-6	87
21	17	Rocky Mountain (Mont.)	15-7	85
22	20	Providence (Mont.)	14-8	63
23	25	LSU-Alexandria (La.)	16-4	61
24	23	Central Methodist (Mo.)	15-8	60
25	24	Arizona Christian	15-8	58

Others Receiving Votes: Loyola (La.) 48, Benedictine (Kan.) 33, Xavier (La.) 23, Pikeville (Ky.) 17, Mid-America Christian (Okla.) 13, William Jessup (Calif.) 3, Science & Arts (Okla.) 3, William Woods (Mo.) 3

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