NEW ORLEANS — Kiera Robinson and Whitney Gathright led a lengthy first-quarter run, and Donyeah Mayfield produced her fourth double-double of the season in Xavier University of Louisiana's 75-62 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against SUNO at The Castle.
     The Gold Nuggets (15-8, 4-3), ranked 24th in NAIA Division I, snapped a two-game losing streak and won on the road for the first time in three GCAC games.
     Gathright had seven points and Robinson six during an 18-0 run that gave Xavier a 20-2 lead at 4:41 of the first quarter. The Gold Nuggets led 28-6 at the end of that period — their largest lead — and 39-25 at halftime. Xavier finished with a 12-5 run after SUNO cut the lead to 63-57 with 3:44 remaining.
     Robinson, a freshman, scored a career-high 18 points — she was 9-of-11 from the floor — grabbed eight rebounds and had two steals. Gathright made 3-of-4 3-pointers and had 16 points and six assists, and Mayfield had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
     Also in double figures for Xavier were Trana Hopkins with 11 points and Jasmine Bush with a career-high 10. Hopkins had a career-best five steals. Reserve center Kelsee Singleton had five points, seven rebounds, four blocks and a steal.
     Rayvin Miller and Deja Young scored 14 points apiece for the Lady Knights (8-10, 3-4), and Micah Brooks had 12 points and five assists. Miller had 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals in her second double-double of the season, and Young's points were a career best.
     Xavier outshot SUNO 43.8 to 37.7 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Lady Knights 46-33. The Gold Nuggets made 5-of-9 treys for a season-best 55.6 percent, and their 12 fouls were a season low.
     Xavier ended a four-game losing streak against the Lady Knights and leads the series 63-13.
     Xavier will play GCAC rival Dillard at 3 p.m. Saturday in the first game of the Crosstown Classic doubleheader at XU's Convocation Center. Advance tickets are available all week in room 322 of the Convocation Center Annex.