Coach Bo Bowder
Yamlak Tsega / XULA Athletics
66
Xavier XAV 0-2
68
Winner Bethel (Tenn.) BU 2-0
Xavier XAV
0-2
66
Final
68
Bethel (Tenn.) BU
2-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Xavier XAV 31 35 66
Bethel (Tenn.) BU 26 42 68

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Bethel's last-minute basket edges Gold Nuggets, 68-66

McKENZIE, Tenn. — Mariah McKenty's basket with 55 seconds remaining broke a tie and lifted NAIA No. 9 Bethel (Tenn.) to a 68-66 women's basketball victory Saturday against No. 18 Xavier University of Louisiana in the Bethel Chamber of Commerce Shootout.
     The Gold Nuggets (0-2), who lost to a top-10 opponent for the second straight day, got 16 points from Vinnie Briggs, 15 from Eliqua Brooks and 13 from Whitney Gathright. Brooks made three 3-pointers for the second consecutive game.
     Jackliann Street had 23 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for Bethel (2-0), and Shamon Pearson scored 16.
     Street passed to McKenty for the winning shot and her only points of the second half. Xavier missed a pair of field-goal attempts in the final 40 seconds.
     Xavier trailed by five in the final four minutes before tying the score at 64 on Alesha Smith's basket at 1:50 and again at 66 on two Briggs free throws at 1:39.
     The Gold Nuggets trailed 12-6 in the seventh minute before producing a 25-8 run which gave them their biggest lead, 31-20. Gathright, Briggs and Brooks combined for 25 points during the surge, which Gathright capped with a 3-pointer at 4:22. Brooks and Trana Hopkins also made 3's during the run.
     But Xavier went scoreless on its next seven possessions, and Bethel cut the Nuggets' lead to 31-26 at halftime. The Lady Wildcats continued their rally in the second half, outscoring Xavier 8-0 in the first 2:45.
     Donyeah Mayfield passed to Briggs for a basket which gave Xavier its final lead, 53-51, with 8:16 remaining.
     Xavier for the second straight day had a higher field-goal percentage but was outscored at the line. The Gold Nuggets outshot the Lady Wildcats 40 to 31.5 percent from the floor, but Bethel was 28-of-30 from the line to Xavier's 17-of-20. Street made 15-of-16 free throws, 13-of-14 in the second half.
     "We had chances to win both days but couldn't finish," XU coach Bo Browder. "But we aren't hanging out heads. We're challenging ourselves with a tough non-conference schedule. We're going to make adjustments and get better."
     Campbellsville and Bethel both finished 2-0 in the event. Campbellsville, ranked fifth, beat Harris-Stowe 94-46 in Saturday's first game.
     Xavier is 0-2 for the first time since 1986-87 and the third time in the Title IX era.
     The Gold Nuggets' next game will be their home opener, against NAIA No. 22 Mobile at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Convocation Center. Xavier's first four opponents are ranked.
Print Friendly Version