JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Xavier University of Louisiana
led by three in the fourth quarter after trailing by 13, but Edward Waters rallied late
to take a 65-61 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory Monday.
The Lady Tigers (19-9, 6-7) replaced the Gold Nuggets (14-13, 5-7)
in fourth place in the GCAC. The league's top four teams will earn home games March 4
in the opening round of the conference tournament.
XULA can earn the No. 4 seed by winning its final two
games — Dillard Saturday and home Monday against Tougaloo — and if
Edward Waters loses at home Saturday against regular-season champion Talladega.
Da'Jha Virgil's basket with 6:45 remaining gave XULA
its largest second-half lead, 49-46, but Edward Waters took control with a 12-4 run.
La'Quanza Glover's basket with 4:12 remaining put the Lady Tigers ahead to stay at 54-53.
XULA missed two shots in the final 30 seconds — the first while trailing 62-61,
the other a 3 while trailing 64-61.
Shaelynn Moore scored 14 points and
Essence Wells 13 for XULA,
and
Alexis Burke scored a career-high eight.
Abryhia Irons grabbed seven rebounds,
and Moore, Irons and Virgil had three steals apiece.
Edward Waters had four double-figure scorers, led by
Glover with 19, Mia Leite with 14, Le'Terra Ransom with 12 and Sha'Kawanza Brown with 11.
Ransom grabbed 11 rebounds, and Brown had 10 assists.
Edward Waters outshot XULA 35.7 to 31 percent from the floor
— the Gold Nuggets were 1-of-13 in the first quarter — and was plus-7 in turnovers,
committing 15 and gaining 22.
XULA excelled at the line, making 22-of-24 free throws, including
all 14 in the second half. Wells made 10-of-10 free throws, and Moore and Irons were 4-of-4 apiece.
XULA trailed 21-8 at 6:30 of the second quarter, then rallied
to cut the Lady Tigers' lead to 32-24 by halftime and 44-43 through three quarters.
Wells scored 11 points and Moore 10 over the second and third quarters.
XULA and Dillard will tip off at 3 p.m. at
Lakefront Arena at the University of New Orleans. It will be Dillard's home game.
