NEW ORLEANS — Brandi Young had career highs of 17 points and eight assists Saturday to lead NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 78-50 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over Tougaloo.
     It was the GCAC opener for the Gold Nuggets (17-4) and the Lady Bulldogs (6-12). Xavier clinched its 10th consecutive winning season, which extends a school record.
     Young scored 14 points in the second half on 6-of-7 floor shooting and finished with a career-best three 3-pointers.
     Christina Warren scored 14 points for Xavier, and Jazmoné Kelly, Keldra Hall and Chelsea Broussard had 10 apiece. Marchelle Jones had a career-high 10 assists and a season-high-tying seven steals.
     It was the first time Broussard, a freshman, scored in double figures as a collegian.
     Victoria Jones scored 18 points and Portia Craft 13 for Tougaloo, but they combined for 18 of their team's 40 turnovers.
     Xavier, led by Kelly's eight points, had a 36-22 halftime lead. Angelica Alexander's basket with 3:50 remaining gave the Gold Nuggets their biggest lead, 74-45.
     The Gold Nuggets committed 20 fewer turnovers than the Lady Bulldogs and outshot them 49 to 43 percent from the floor.
     Xavier will play Mobile at 5:30 p.m. Monday at The Barn.