SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Freshman guard Shania Swan made 3-of-3 3-pointers in the third quarter Saturday to help unbeaten Xavier University of Louisiana pull away for a 76-59 Red River Athletic Conference women's basketball victory against Our Lady of the Lake.
        The Gold Nuggets — 16-0 overall, first place in the Red River at 13-0 and ranked 25th in the NAIA — will play host to North American at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in XULA's Convocation Center.
        Swan made her third-quarter 3s in a two-minute span to fuel a 13-2 run that gave XULA a 49-35 lead. Swan finished with a game-high 16 points, her most as a collegian, and three assists in 19 minutes. Swan was 4-of-4 on 3-pointers overall.
        "We knew when we recruited Shania that she was capable of performances like that," XULA head coach Bo Browder said. "It was great to see her step up when we needed a boost."
        XULA led 28-25 at halftime. Kam Shelley's basket at 3:06 of the third quarter gave the Gold Nuggets a double-digit thereafter.
        XULA had five double-figure scorers. Shelley had 15 points, Janiya Reed scored 11, and Zaria Harleaux and Sierra Headquist had 10 apiece. Headquist grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds — her second double-double this season — and Reed and Harleaux had seven rebounds apiece.
        XULA's Joy Campbell had three steals, and it was the 11th consecutive game she had three or more.
        Julia Plata made four 3-pointers and scored 13 points for the Saints (6-11, 4-10), who dropped their seventh straight. Desiree Rogers had 11 points and seven rebounds.
        Both teams shot 41 percent from the floor. XULA outrebounded the Saints 50-32.
        The Gold Nuggets are the only XULA basketball team since 1941, female or male, to start a season with 16 consecutive victories. The 1940-41 Gold Rush finished that season 29-0.

Photo of Shania Swan by Yamlak Tsega