TALLADEGA, Ala. —
Xavier University of Louisiana lost to Dillard Monday the way it defeated
the Lady Bleu Devils Thursday: because of a late rally.
This time Dillard outscored
XULA 8-1 in the final 2:30 to earn a 63-60 victory in Gulf Coast Athletic
Conference women's basketball group play.
Four days earlier at Dillard, XULA scored the final eight points in a 67-60 victory
that did not count in the GCAC standings.
XULA led 62-58 after an
Abryhia Irons
basket with 2:31 remaining and 63-61 after
O.C. Mbakop Ngassam made 1-of-2 free throws
at 1:23. Sharan Turner's basket in the paint for Dillard at 1:01 tied the score
at 63, then Turner made 1-of-2 free throws with 16 seconds remaining to put Dillard ahead to stay at 64-63.
XULA missed three shots, all from 2-point range, in the final 12 seconds,
and Dillard's Rayah Haynes closed the scoring with a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining.
Nia Bishop scored 18 points,
Da'Jha Virgil a season-high 12 and
Irons eight for XULA (6-4, 1-2).
Nina German and Mbakop Ngassam scored seven points apiece,
and Mbakop Ngassam blocked four shots for the third consecutive game.
Dillard (2-3, 1-0), which produced
one double-figure scorer Thursday, had four this time. Turner scored 18 points,
JaQuanna Hunter and Johnna Jones had 14 apiece, and Haynes scored 10. Hunter
grabbed 16 rebounds.
It was 28-all at halftime, and Dillard
led 46-44 through three quarters. There were nine ties and 11 lead changes.
XULA outshot Dillard 36.7 to 31.8 percent from
the floor but committed a season-worst 24 turnovers, four more than the Lady Bleu Devils.
XULA's remaining GCAC games at Talladega will start
at noon Tuesday against Talladega and 5 p.m. Wednesday against Edward Waters.