NEW ORLEANS — Taylor Dewitt and Zaria Harleaux combined for 17 fourth-quarter points Thursday to rally Xavier University of Louisiana in a 55-46 Red River Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Huston-Tillotson.
        The Gold Nuggets (22-5 overall, 17-3 RRAC) will close their regular season with a 2 p.m. Saturday RRAC home game against Our Lady of the Lake. Dewitt and five others — Jaleah LaFargue, Jordyn Manning, Shylia McGee, Rayna Ross and Mary Wilkins — will be honored in a senior-day ceremony.
        XULA trailed 36-31 and shot 19.4 percent from the floor through three quarters, then roared louder than the Lions by shooting 64.3 percent from the floor and outscoring them 24-10 in the final 10 minutes. Dewitt scored 10 points and Harleaux seven during the comeback.
        Harleaux finished with 16 points — the second time in three days she produced a scoring season high — Dewitt had 15, and Ross had 10. Harleaux missed back-to-back double-doubles by one rebound.
        LaFargue had four assists, and Ross had six steals.
        Dyana Offutt scored 14 points and Ziara James 10 for Huston-Tillotson (11-11, 9-11).
        It was the eighth time this season the Gold Nuggets allowed less than 50 points. XULA entered No. 7 in the NAIA in scoring defense with 54.4 points allowed per game.
        XULA's 22 victories are its most since the 2018-19 season. Eighteen of XULA head coach Bo Browder's 25 teams reached 20 victories.