NEW ORLEANS — SiMon Franklin scored 15 points Saturday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 64-54 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Dillard at Dent Hall.
     The Gold Nuggets (15-4 overall, 5-2 GCAC) defeated their longtime city rival for the eighth consecutive time and the 17th time in the last 18 meetings. Xavier leads the series 58-19.
     Franklin reached double figures for the fourth consecutive game, a season best. The senior guard scored nine points to help Xavier extend a 29-28 halftime lead.
     No one else from Xavier reached double figures, but 11 Nuggets scored. Reserve guard Schyler Morton scored a career-high eight points, and her 3-pointer from the top of the key put Xavier ahead to stay, 28-27, with 56 seconds remaining in the first half.
     Two Franklin free throws with 3:36 remaining gave Xavier a 61-49 lead.
     "I never know from game to game who's going to step up and score for us," XU coach Bo Browder said. "But if we bring our defense wherever we go, we'll be alright."
     Jazzmin Smith scored 17 points and Brittany Smith 11 for Dillard (5-15, 3-4).
     Dillard outshot the Gold Nuggets 38.6 to 36.4 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 36-28, but Xavier gained 27 turnovers, including 19 steals, and committed 17 turnovers. Xavier had a 34-12 advantage in bench scoring, and the reserve Nuggets made 10-of-20 from the floor.
     Xavier had its second most productive game of the season at the line, making 20 free throws in 30 attempts. Franklin made 6-of-8, and Danielle Tucker made 5-of-6.
     The teams will meet again Feb. 23 at XU's Convocation Center. Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Mobile, and the Nuggets' next home game will start at 6 p.m. Thursday against William Carey.