TOUGALOO, Miss. — Christina Warren scored 14 points Saturday to lead NAIA No. 12 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 55-32 women's basketball victory against Tougaloo.
     The Gold Nuggets (22-5, 4-0 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference) earned their 22nd consecutive GCAC regular-season victory and allowed their fewest points in a GCAC game since a 92-32 home victory against Tougaloo on Feb. 5, 2001.
     Warren scored eight first-half points, four during a 19-0 run which turned a 10-7 deficit at 13:31 into a 26-10 Xavier lead with 3:14 remaining. Freshmen Carmen Holcombe, Paige Gauthier and Angelica Alexander combined for the first 11 points of the run — those were their only points of the game — and Tougaloo didn't score again until Victoria Jones' basket at 2:47.
     Xavier, winning for the eighth time in nine games, led 30-18 at halftime and held its biggest lead, 53-25, after Danielle Kennebrew's two free throws with 6:16 remaining.
     Jones led Tougaloo (8-14, 1-3) with 13 points and 10 rebounds — her 17th double-double of the season and her 54th in three seasons.
     Xavier outshot the Lady Bulldogs 42.1 to 25.5 percent from the floor, gained 31 turnovers — 17 by steals — and committed 20. Xavier extended its school record by allowing less than 50 points for the 16th time this season.
     "We played outstanding defense," Xavier Coach Bo Browder said. "This was one of our best defensive games of the season. I was especially pleased because it came after a tough loss Monday at William Carey. Winning on the road is difficult at any level."
     Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Mobile.