NEW ORLEANS — Brittany Powell scored 14 of her 16 points in the second half to lead NAIA No. 23 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 54-47 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over LSU-Shreveport.
     The Gold Nuggets (18-5 overall, 11-0 GCAC) won their 11th in a row and increased their lead in the conference to three games over LSUS (15-4, 8-3), Loyola and Williiam Carey.
     Xavier trailed 13-8 in the seventh minute but took the lead for good, 20-17, on Jasmine Grant's 3-pointer at 6:32 of the first half. The Nuggets led 25-22 at halftime and secured the victory by making 7-of-7 free throws in the final 1:47.
     Powell was Xavier's only double-figure scorer.
     TiKandis Edwards had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Lady Pilots, and Sharday Cotton had 14 points and eight rebounds.
     Xavier outshot LSUS 38-36 percent from the floor, outscored the Lady Pilots 12-5 from the line and committed eight fewer turnovers. LSUS committed 18 of its 28 turnovers in the second half, and Xavier's Jasmine Grant had five steals after the break.