Gold Nuggets drop third straight; Saturday game canceled

DALLAS — Senior forward De’vena Smith scored 20 points and grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds Friday to lead Philander Smith to a 54-46 women’s basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Dallas HBCU Invitational.

The Gold Nuggets’ Saturday game in this six-team event was canceled because Arkansas Baptist did not show up. Next for XULA will be a 5:30 p.m. Monday home game against Southeastern Baptist at the Convocation Center.

Smith, who averaged 6.5 points and four rebounds in two losses last season to XULA, scored 10 points each half and grabbed 10 second-half rebounds. The Lady Panthers (7-2) led wire-to-wire, including 26-16 at halftime and 40-26 through three quarters.

Nia Bishop and Destinee Pointer scored seven points apiece for XULA (4-3), Abryhia Irons grabbed seven rebounds, and Pointer had three steals.

Philander Smith outshot the Gold Nuggets 50 to 30.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 36-27. For the season it was XULA’s lowest field-goal percentage and the first time the Nuggets had been ourebounded.

Philander Smith won its third straight, and XULA lost its third in a row after four consecutive victories to open the season.

XULA scored its fewest points in 27 all-time meetings against Philander Smith.