NEW ORLEANS — Abryhia Irons' final-possession steal Saturday preserved Xavier University of Louisiana's 51-50 women's basketball homecoming victory against LeMoyne-Owen at the Convocation Center.
        Irons grabbed the ball — her career-high-tying sixth steal of the game — after the Lady Magicians' Sierra Lynch fumbled it away as she slipped in front of her bench on a play that began with 7.6 seconds remaining.
        Irons last season was Red River Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
        Shylia McGee scored 16 points and made four 3-pointers for the Gold Nuggets (1-0). Rayna Ross scored nine points for XULA, and Irons had five points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
        Lynch scored nine points for LeMoyne-Owen — an NCAA Division II opponent which played the game as an exhibition — but also committed eight of her team's 30 turnovers. XULA committed 29 turnovers.
        XULA trailed for only 18 seconds — that was late in the first quarter — and led by 12 points three times in the third quarter.
        XULA outshot LeMoyne-Owen 34.7 to 25.8 percent from the floor. The Lady Magicians outrebounded the Gold Nuggets 48-32.
        XULA will travel to California for its next two games; the first one will start at 5:30 p.m. PST Thursday in Santa Barbara against NAIA No. 2 Westmont. LeMoyne-Owen will visit Mississippi College at 5:30 p.m. Friday to open its regular season.