NEW ORLEANS — Trana Hopkins scored 16 points Friday, and Xavier University of Louisiana outscored Dillard in every quarter of a 71-57 women's basketball victory in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament at SUNO's The Castle.
     The Gold Nuggets (20-11), seeded third, will play second-seeded Edward Waters (21-8) in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Saturday at Xavier's Convocation Center. All women's and men's games this weekend will be played at Xavier.
     Hopkins, who averaged 9.1 points during the regular season, reached double figures for the third consecutive game. Her two free throws at the end of the first quarter put Xavier ahead to stay, 15-13.
     Whitney Gathright had 15 points, five rebounds and six assists for the Gold Nuggets, Donyeah Mayfield had 10 points and six rebounds, and Kelsee Singleton had eight points and a career-high-tying three steals.
     Shaelynn Moore and Alena Evans scored 14 points apiece for Dillard (9-17), and Keona Favis had 11. The Lady Bleu Devils, who lost 63-57 at home to Xavier in the regular-season finale last weekend, dropped their final six games after a 57-52 victory Feb. 6 at Xavier.
     The Gold Nuggets made 24-of-28 free throws, 15-of-18 in the final period. Both teams shot 41 percent from the floor. Xavier was plus-6 in rebounds and turnovers.
     Bo Browder-coached Xavier teams are 7-0 all-time against Dillard in the GCAC Tournament.
     Edward Waters, which split two games with Xavier during the regular season, defeated seventh-seeded Tougaloo 64-52 Friday.