NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University
of Louisiana ended decades of national-tournament frustration Saturday with a 72-47 victory
against William Carey in the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship Second Round
presented by Ballogy.
It's the first time the Gold Nuggets
advanced past the second round. Previously they were 0-9 in those matchups, the first in 1995.
"Been waiting for this moment a long time," said 26th-year head coach
Bo Browder, whose XULA teams exited in the second round in 2003, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2021.
"It's a relief for me, but it's also a great milestone that these players and our staff can remember
and enjoy forever."
XULA advanced to Sioux City, Iowa,
and will play 33-0 second seed Southern Oregon, a 78-51 winner against Wayland Baptist, in the round of 16 at 3 p.m. CDT Thursday.
XULA, 29-3 and seeded sixth in the Cramer Quadrant,
took the lead for good in the third minute and led by double digits the final 29:07.
It was 37-15 at halftime, and two
Sierra Headquist free throws with 4:10 remaining gave the
Gold Nuggets their largest lead, 69-39.
Joy Campbell, benched for a bit in Friday's first round
because of two early fouls, made her first six shots from the floor against Carey and scored
a game-high 17 points. Campbell also had six rebounds, three assists and four steals.
Kam Shelley scored 16 points for XULA — it was the second straight
day she did not commit a turnover — and
Janiya Reed and
Patricia Sosa Lora scored 11 points
apiece. Sosa Lora grabbed seven rebounds.
Shaneal Corpuz had 15 points and nine rebounds for
William Carey, 26-2 and seeded third, and Kolten Blakeney scored 11.
XULA outshot Carey 41.1 to 27.6 from floor — the
Lady Crusaders were 0-of-11 in the second quarter — and was plus-11 in turnovers, committing 10 and gaining 21.
XULA made 25-of-34 free throws to Carey's 14-of-21. William Carey, 25-0 in the regular season, was 15th and XULA 22nd in the final
NAIA coaches poll Feb. 26.
"Great energy from our players for 40 minutes on both ends
of the floor," Browder said. "They understood the game plan and executed it."
The Gold Nuggets tied their record for victories in a season.
Browder's 2004-05 team was 29-5, and Janice Joseph's 1996-97 team was 29-7.
