GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Indiana Wesleyan, ranked third in NAIA Division II women's basketball, rolled to a 23-point halftime lead Friday and defeated Xavier University of Louisiana 59-45 in the opening game of the Chick-fil-A Classic.
     The Gold Nuggets (2-1) are ranked 16th in NAIA Division I.
     The Wildcats (3-0), who won 61-52 at NCAA Division I Northern Illinois in an exhibition Tuesday, got 22 points from Paige Smith, 15 points from Claire Freeman and 14 from Krystal Stoneking.
     SiMon Franklin scored 13 points and Jasmine Grant 10 for Xavier (2-1). Jazmoné Kelly grabbed nine rebounds, and Brandi Young had five steals.
     Indiana Wesleyan led 36-13 at halftime after Stoneking scored 10 points and Smith nine during a 26-3 run in the final 11:09. Xavier closed to within eight points twice in the final eight minutes — the last time on Keldra Hall's basket at 6:04 — but drew no closer.
     The Wildcats outshot the Gold Nuggets 53.1 to 34.5 percent from the floor — the first-half advantage was 57.7 to 16.1 percent — and outrebounded them 38-34.
     Xavier will play Georgetown (Ky.), an 84-51 winner against Southern Polytechnic, at 4 p.m. EST Saturday.