SHREVEPORT, La. — In a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I women's basketball teams, Our Lady of the Lake defeated Xavier University of Louisiana 92-86 Friday in the opening game of the LSUS Classic.
     Whitney Gaston-Loyd, playing in her hometown, and Vinnie Briggs had career-highs of 19 points apiece for the Gold Nuggets (2-2), who are ranked 15th. Paige Gauthier had 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Whitney Gathright scored 10 points.
     Also contributing for Xavier were Carmen Holcombe with eight points, six rebounds and four steals and Danielle Tucker with seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals.
     Nashae Owens led the Saints (2-0), who are ranked 17th, with 26 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Courtney Bayliss and Ornela Bacchini scored 16 points apiece, and Chelsea Solis scored 10.
     OLLU led wire-to-wire, building a 16-point lead en route to a 49-40 halftime advantage. The Saints took their biggest lead, 61-44, on Sam Offord's basket with 15:55 remaining. Xavier rallied and cut OLLU's margin to 88-86 on Holcombe's two free throws with 44 seconds remaining, but the Gold Nuggets did not score on their final two possessions.
     Offord made 4-of-4 free throws in the final 22 seconds to make the Saints the first XU non-exhibition opponent in nearly five years to reach 90 points.
     Both teams shot nearly 50 percent from the floor. Xavier had a 24-19 advantage in made free throws. OLLU made seven 3-pointers, six in the first 11 minutes, and Xavier made four.
     It was the first meeting between the two programs, both qualifiers for the national tournament last season.
     Xavier will play NAIA No. 25 LSU-Shreveport at 5 p.m. Saturday in the final game of this two-day event.