NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was named Thursday morning as a host site for the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship First & Second Rounds, presented by Ballogy.
        Three single-elimination games will be played at XULA's Convocation Center (capacity 3,937), 7900 Stroelitz St., New Orleans LA 70125. The schedule (times Central Daylight):
        •  Friday, March 14:  First-round games at 5 and 7 p.m.
        •  Saturday, March 15:  Second-round game at 1 p.m.
        XULA's Gold Nuggets — 26-2, ranked 22nd nationally and in a 4:45 p.m. Friday quarterfinal game against Southwest (N.M.) in the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament at Alexandria, La. — will play in one of the March 14 games.
        The winner of the March 15 game will advance to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa, which will start March 20 and conclude March 25. Sixteen teams will advance to Sioux City.
        The NAIA will announce the 64-team tournament field and pairings at 6 p.m. CST March 6 on the NAIA Network. The announcement of men's basketball's 64 tournament teams and pairings will follow at 7 p.m. that day.

Photo of Joy Campbell by Yamlak Tsega