NEW ORLEANS — Jarryn Cleaves scored 15 of her season-high 23 points in the second half Monday to help Xavier University of Louisiana hold off LSU-Shreveport 69-60 in a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball game at The Barn.
     The victory was the fourth in a row for the Gold Nuggets (11-5 overall, 3-0 GCAC), matching their longest streak of the season. Xavier has won 50 of its last 55 GCAC games.
     Erica Turnbull had 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for Xavier, and Dominee Matthews scored 12. Brittany Whitmore had a career-high seven assists.
     Janai Sells led LSUS (5-8, 1-2) with 13 points. Moche Roque, Jessica Kelly and Kacie Cryer scored nine apiece. Roque and Edie Leonards each had seven assists.
     Xavier outscored LSU 12-0 in the first 5 1/2 minutes, but the Lady Pilots rallied to tie the score at 45 on Terriyon Fairley's basket with 10:50 remaining. The Nuggets then pulled away with a 12-2 run which included two of Cleaves' five 3-pointers.
     Xavier outshot the Lady Pilots 47 to 39 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 42-22.
     Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against Spring Hill at Mobile, Ala. The Nuggets' next home game will start at 1 p.m. Saturday against Loyola.