NEW ORLEANS — Junior guard Brandi Young scored a career-high 19 points Saturday to lead NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 64-47 women's basketball victory over SUNO at The Castle.
     The Gold Nuggets (19-4, 2-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) won their fifth in a row and gave the Lady Knights (16-1, 2-1) their first loss of the season.
     Young scored efficiently, making 6-of-8 from the floor — 3-of-3 on 3-pointers — and 4-of-5 free throws. Christina Warren added 15 points for Xavier, and freshman Chelsea Broussard scored 10 to match her career best.
     Kelly Stewart scored 18 points, including three 3-pointers and 7-of-7 free throws, for SUNO. Christine Conners scored 14, and LaTiondra Smith had 10.
     Xavier led 36-23 at halftime. The Gold Nuggets shot a season-best 57.4 from the floor — 68.2 in the first half — and limited SUNO to 28 percent. Xavier committed a season-worst 29 turnovers but gained 22, 15 by steals.
     The Gold Nuggets set a school record by allowing fewer than 50 points for the 15th time this season. Xavier leads NAIA Division I in scoring defense with 48 points per game.
     SUNO, despite the best start in the program's history, is not in the top 25 but has received votes.
     Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday against Belhaven — the last team to defeat the Nuggets — at The Barn. SUNO will play host to William Carey at 5:30 p.m. Monday.