NEW ORLEANS — Brittany Powell scored 18 points Thursday, and Jasmine Grant's 3-pointer with 1:09 remaining put Xavier University of Louisiana ahead to stay in a 59-53 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Tougaloo.
     The Gold Nuggets (11-4 overall, 2-1 GCAC) extended their winning streak at The Barn to 24 games.
     Grant's 3-pointer gave Xavier a 52-49 lead. She and teammate Brandi Young scored nine points apiece.
     Sha'Lenia Wilcher had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Tougaloo (5-12, 1-2), and Kim Kern scored 12. The Lady Bulldogs led twice in the second half after trailing 26-18 at halftime.
     Wilcher's basket with 3:11 remaining tied the score at 49, but the Lady Bulldogs missed two more shots which would have given them the lead before Grant hit her decisive 3-pointer.
     Xavier shot 33.3 percent from the floor — the fourth consecutive game the Nuggets were at less than 40 percent — but limited Tougaloo to 34.4 percent and committed a season-low 13 personal fouls. The Lady Bulldogs were 9-of-9 from the line, all in the second half.
     The Nuggets will stay in town to visit conference rival SUNO at 5 p.m. Saturday in the first game at The Castle since February 2005. Tougaloo will return home to play defending GCAC champion Loyola at 5 p.m. Saturday.