NEW ORLEANS — Jarryn Cleaves scored 14 of her 19 points in the first half Saturday to lead NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 57-44 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over crosstown rival Dillard at Dent Hall.
     The victory was the sixth in a row for the Gold Nuggets (17-3 overall, 7-1 GCAC) and their 13th in 14 games.
     Tiffany Norris had 10 points and nine rebounds for Xavier, and Erica Turnbull had eight points and seven rebounds.
     Sandra Nweke led Dillard (7-11, 2-6) with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Kenya Matthew scored 11 points, and Alreion Bevins had 10.
     Dillard scored the first two points, then Cleaves made a pair of 3-pointers during a 10-0 run which gave the Nuggets the lead for good. Xavier extended its lead to 25-8 — its largest of the game — on a Cleaves 3-pointer at 7:59 of the half and led 33-24 at halftime.
     Matthew's 3-pointer with 8:36 remaining reduced Dillard's deficit to 44-38, but five Nuggets scored during an 11-3 run which sealed the victory.
     Xavier outshot Dillard 34 to 31 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Lady Blue Devils 48-33. Xavier beat Dillard for the seventh consecutive time and leads the series 48-18.
     Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at No. 17 Loyola, a GCAC and city rival.