NEW ORLEANS — Jarryn Cleaves scored 13 of her 22 points in the final seven minutes Monday to rally NAIA No. 22 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 70-65 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against William Carey at The Barn.
     The Gold Nuggets (15-5 overall, 7-0 GCAC) have won 54 of their last 60 conference games and 44 of the last 45 games on their campus.
     William Carey (6-8, 4-5 GCAC) led 58-51 before Cleaves made three consecutive 3-pointers, the last with 4:26 remaining to put Xavier ahead to stay at 63-62. It was still a one-point game with 90 seconds remaining before Cleaves capped the scoring with two free throws and a basket.
     Cleaves finished with a career-high-tying six 3-pointers.
     Dominee Matthews had 18 points and nine rebounds for Xavier, and Erica Turnbull had 17 points — that tied her career high — and nine rebounds.
     Jancsi Newsome scored 15 points for William Carey, and Leironica Evans and Kristin Blackledge added 10 apiece.
     Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against GCAC opponent SUNO at the Delgado Community College gym in New Orleans. The Nuggets will play Dillard at 5 p.m. Saturday in the teams' first matchup at The Barn since 1999.