CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Jarryn Cleaves scored 15 of her 17 points in the first half Tuesday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 68-56 women's basketball victory over Sterling in the Cruzin Classic.
     The victory was the fifth in a row for the Gold Nuggets (9-2), who are ranked 21st in NAIA Division I.
     Cleaves, Xavier's only double-figure scorer, added five rebounds and three steals. Tiffany Norris scored eight points, and Erica Turnbull and Brittany Whitmore had seven apiece. Whitmore's point total was a season high, and LaTashia Wise grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds.
     Jacci Tinkel scored 14 points, and Ashley Kraft had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Sterling (5-5). Britany Gasper scored 10.
     Cleaves' 3-pointer at 9:20 of the first half put the Nuggets ahead to stay at 16-13. Xavier led 37-30 at halftime and took its biggest lead, 62-44, on a Norris free throw with 5:54 remaining.
     Sterling outshot Xavier 41 to 39 percent from the floor, but the Nuggets had a 37-30 rebound advantage and gained 27 turnovers, six more than they committed. Xavier made 17 of 22 free throws for a season-high percentage of .773.
     Xavier will play Central Methodist at 6 p.m. EST Wednesday (5 p.m. New Orleans time) at Miami Shores, Fla., to conclude its participation in this event, which includes 16 women's teams. Sterling, a 57-52 loser to Cardinal Stritch on Monday, finished 0-2 in the Cruzin Classic.