NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana led wire-to-wire Thursday in a 77-38 Red River Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against the University of the Southwest.
        The Gold Nuggets (13-4 overall, 10-2 RRAC) moved into a second-place tie in the RRAC with LSU-Alexandria, a 74-73 loser at home to league-leading LSU-Shreveport.
        Shylia McGee scored 17 points and Taylor Dewitt 14 for XULA, and teammate Jala Williams — a 5-foot-3 freshman — had career highs of six rebounds and four assists.
        XULA led 13-1 through 5 1/2 minutes, 19-4 after one quarter, 36-10 at halftime and 58-24 through three quarters. The Gold Nuggets' largest lead 75-36 after Gabrielle Morrison's 3-pointer from the left side with 1:48 remaining.
        Abigail Olivas, with 11 points, was the only double-figure scorer for the Mustangs (9-10, 5-8).
        XULA outshot Southwest 44.3 to 25.9 percent from the floor and was plus-15 in rebounds (47-32) and plus-8 in turnovers (16-24). The victory was the Gold Nuggets' 23rd in their last 27 home games.
        The Gold Nuggets will play host to RRAC opponent Paul Quinn at 2 p.m. Saturday in XULA's Convocation Center. It will be a doubleheader; the men of XULA and Paul Quinn will meet at 4 p.m.

Red River Athletic Conference scores of Jan. 25, 2024 (home teams in bold)
XULA 77, Southwest (N.M.) 38
LSU-Shreveport 74, LSU-Alexandria 73
Paul Quinn 69, North American 68
Louisiana Christian 64, Texas A&M-Texarkana 62, OT
Our Lady of the Lake 62, Jarvis Christian 52
Huston-Tillotson 64, Texas College 53

Red River Athletic Conference standings through Jan. 25, 2024
11-0 LSU-Shreveport
10-2 XULA
10-2 LSU-Alexandria
6-5 Texas A&M-Texarkana
6-6 Huston-Tillotson
6-7 Jarvis Christian
5-7 North American
5-7 Our Lady of the Lake
5-8 Southwest (N.M.)
4-8 Louisiana Christian
3-10 Texas College
2-11 Paul Quinn