Gold Nuggets beat Talladega, regain 1st place in GCAC

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women’s basketball leads the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference again, thanks to clutch fourth-quarter shooting from Da’Jha Virgil, Nahrie Pierce and Jas Hill in a 62-55 victory Monday against NAIA No. 13 Talladega.

The Gold Nuggets (19-6, 9-1) and Lady Tornadoes (23-4, 9-2) traded places in the GCAC standings. Defending champion Dillard (16-9, 7-3) — XULA’s next opponent — is in third place.

Talladega had won its last seven games, including 73-63 at home against XULA nine days earlier. But the Gold Nuggets flipped the script with a defense that limited Talladega to its fewest points this season and 26 points below its season average.

Virgil’s 3-pointer with 9:23 remaining put XULA ahead to stay at 44-42, and Pierce baskets in the paint at 3:09 and 2:23 — both assisted by Nina German — capped a 5-for-5 night for the sophomore.

Hill, the Gold Nuggets’ leading scorer for the season, produced nine fourth-quarter points, including 7-of-7 free throws, after scoring only two points in the first three quarters.

“I just knew we were going to play better this time,” XULA coach Bo Browder said. “Our defense and rebounding came up big, and we made enough shots to give us a chance to win.”

Talladega opened with a 9-2 run but never led by that many thereafter. XULA led 28-21 at halftime.

Virgil and Hill scored 11 points apiece — it was the first time that Virgil, a freshman guard, led XULA in scoring — and Pierce scored 10. Gina Smith grabbed eight rebounds — her most in a game since November — and Essence Wells had a career-high-tying four steals.

Kendra Williams, with 14 points, was Talladega’s lone double-figure scorer. Diamond Jolly — the second-ranked rebounder in NAIA Division I — grabbed 10, and Brijanee Moore had nine.

Talladega outshot XULA 35.3 to 33.3 percent from the floor, but the Gold Nuggets outrebounded the Lady Tornadoes 49-35. XULA blocked a season-high six shots, two apiece by Hill and Kyla Duncan.

XULA will play Dillard at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Lady Bleu Devils’ Dent Hall.