SHREVEPORT, La. — Red River Athletic Conference leader LSU-Shreveport rallied in the final 3:45 Thursday to take a 61-59 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.
        A Gold Nuggets victory would have moved them into first place in the RRAC. Instead they fell to 11-4 overall — 4-4 since a 7-0 start — and third place in the league at 8-2.
        The Pilots' 12-3 closing surge erased XULA's 56-49 lead. Alexis Brown's layup with 25 seconds remaining — it followed two XULA missed free throws — put LSUS ahead to stay at 60-59, then Tiarra Tillson made 1-of-2 free throws during the Pilots' final possession.
        XULA missed two layups and committed a turnover in the final 12 seconds.
        LSUS (13-2, 9-0) has won 11 straight. LSU-Alexandria, a 68-59 home winner against Our Lady of the Lake, moved into second place in the RRAC at 8-1, a half-game ahead of XULA.
        Taylor Dewitt and Shylia McGee scored 18 points apiece for XULA. Dewitt grabbed 11 rebounds in her fourth double-double this season, and McGee's points were a season high.
        Derrica Gilbert scored 16 points, Destanee Roblow 15 and Tillson 10 for the Pilots. LSUS defeated the Gold Nuggets for the fourth consecutive time and the sixth time in their last eight meetings. They'll meet again Feb. 15 at XULA's Convocation Center.
        The Gold Nuggets will stay on the road and play Texas A&M-Texarkana at 2 p.m. Saturday. TAMUT is fourth in the RRAC at 6-3 after its 73-58 home victory against North American.

Red River Athletic Conference scores of Jan. 18, 2024 (home teams in bold)
LSU-Shreveport 61, XULA 59
Texas A&M-Texarkana 73, North American 58
LSU-Alexandria 68, Our Lady of the Lake 59
Huston-Tillotson 63, Louisiana Christian 62
Jarvis Christian 74, Paul Quinn 51
Texas College 75, Southwest (N.M.) 48

Red River Athletic Conference standings through Jan. 18, 2024
9-0 LSU-Shreveport
8-1 LSU-Alexandria
8-2 XULA
6-3 Texas A&M-Texarkana
5-5 North American
5-5 Huston-Tillotson
5-6 Jarvis Christian
5-6 Southwest (N.M.)
3-6 Louisiana Christian
3-7 Our Lady of the Lake
2-9 Texas College
1-10 Paul Quinn