NEW ORLEANS — Brittany Powell scored 13 of her 16 points in the first half Thursday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 70-45 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Spring Hill.
     The Gold Nuggets (10-5 overall, 3-0 GCAC) won their third in a row, snapped a three-game home losing streak and recorded their most decisive victory since Thanksgiving Day. The Lady Badgers (2-11, 0-3) have dropped three straight.
     Powell scored in double figures for the seventh consecutive game — she's averaging 15.3 points during that stretch — and recorded a career-high-tying four blocked shots.
     LaTashia Wise added 11 points and Jasmine Grant 10 for Xavier, which led 39-20 at hafltime.
     Robynetta Hargrave led Spring Hill with 13 points and 10 rebounds — her team-leading fourth double-double of the season and her second in a row — and Alexis McPhail scored 10.
     Xavier scored the first six points and pulled away for good during an 18-2 run which included six points from Powell and 3-pointers by Wise and Christina Warren. The burst gave the Nuggets a 27-9 lead at 7:01 of the first half.
     Xavier outshot Spring Hill the 45 to 33 percent from the floor, committed a season-low eight turnovers and gained 25. The Lady Badgers had a 43-33 rebound advantage.
     Xavier remained tied for first in the GCAC with William Carey, an 80-66 winner at home against Dillard. But Mobile, No. 24 in NAIA Division I and tied for the lead before Thursday, lost 75-68 at Tougaloo.
     It was the Nuggets' 49th GCAC victory in their past 51 games at The Barn.
     Xavier will play GCAC and HBCU rival SUNO at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at The Castle. Spring Hill will stay in New Orleans and play Dillard at noon Saturday.