Box score

        LAKELAND, Fla. — Southeastern, the No. 1 team in NAIA women's basketball, outscored Xavier University of Louisiana 22-2 in the first eight minutes Friday en route to a 77-45 victory in the opening round of the national tournament.
        The Fire (30-1) eliminated the Gold Nuggets (21-7) from the tournament for the second consecutive season. Last year that score was 70-47 in the second round, also on Southeastern's floor.
        XULA didn't score until Victory Udechi's layup at 4:17 of the first quarter cut the Fire's lead to 12-2. The Gold Nuggets trailed by double digits for the final 35 minutes, including 23-6 after one quarter and 45-17 at halftime. The final margin was Southeastern's largest of the game.
        Destinee Pointer, with 12 points, was XULA's lone double-figure scorer. Abryhia Irons and Jaleah LaFargue scored seven points apiece.
        Gabby Suarez scored 15 points and Raegan Linster 12 for Southeastern, and Rebecca Cook and Leilah Vigil scored 10 apiece.
        Southeastern outshot XULA 47.5 to 25 percent from the floor and was plus-7 in rebounds and plus-5 in turnovers. In the first half Southeastern outshot XULA 51.4 to 20 percent from the floor.
        Southeastern extended its winning streak to 26 games and its home winning streak to 30. Southeastern won 52 of its last 53 home games.
        XULA was the East Division champion in its first year in the Red River Athletic Conference. The Gold Nuggets won 15 straight before a semifinal loss in the RRAC Tournament 11 days ago. This was XULA's 22nd appearance at nationals in its last 28 seasons and its second in a row. Bo Browder reached 500 career victories as XULA's head coach when his team won 65-53 at home Nov. 3 against Tougaloo.