Gold Nuggets rally in 4th quarter to defeat Rams

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 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 (22-5 overall, 17-3 RRAC) 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.