Gold Nuggets’ hoops schedule includes two November games in California

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana women’s basketball, no stranger to games far from home during Bo Browder’s tenure as head coach, will get another such opportunity in November.

The Gold Nuggets will travel to southern California for games at Westmont (Santa Barbara) Nov. 10 and La Sierra (Riverside) Nov. 13. Westmont was No. 2 in the final NAIA coaches poll last season and is a three-time defending regular-season champion in the NAIA’s Golden State Athletic Conference.

XULA announced Friday the schedule, which includes one exhibition and 28 regular-season games.

XULA’s first competition will be a 4 p.m. Oct. 29 exhibition against LeMoyne-Owen in Memphis, Tenn. One week later, the Gold Nuggets will open their regular season by playing LeMoyne-Owen in XULA’s Convocation Center for homecoming. Tip-off will be 11 a.m.

The annual games against Dillard, now a non-conference opponent, are still on the schedule — but neither will be played on a Saturday. The Gold Nuggets will visit Dillard Nov. 21 and play host to the Lady Bleu Devils Jan. 19 in the Crosstown Classic.

Westmont is one of two top-25 teams from last season’s final NAIA rankings on the Gold Nuggets’ schedule. The other is city rival Loyola, which will play host to XULA Jan. 9. The Wolf Pack finished at No. 25.

This will be XULA’s second season in the NAIA’s Red River Athletic Conference. The divisional format of 2021-22 no longer exists; the Gold Nuggets will play 20 times in the RRAC, beginning with a Nov. 28 home game against Louisiana Christian.
XULA last season was 21-7 and won 15 straight en route to winning the RRAC East Division championship. The Gold Nuggets qualified for NAIA nationals for the second consecutive year and the 22nd time in their last 28 attempts.

NOTES: Other lengthy trips for the Gold Nuggets during Browder’s 23 seasons as head coach include the Bahamas in 2001, California in 2003 and 2009, Hawaii in 2004, Las Vegas in 2006, 2011 and 2016, Mexico in 2003 and Puerto Rico in 2008 and 2013 . . . Browder’s XULA teams are 519-216 (.706) . . . The Gold Nuggets were picked No. 1 in the RRAC coaches preseason poll, which was announced Wednesday.

Xavier University of Louisiana 2022-23 Women’s Basketball Schedule
Oct. 29 (Sat.): at LeMoyne-Owen (DH), 4 p.m. (exhibition)
Nov. 5 (Sat.): LeMOYNE-OWEN (DH), 11 a.m. (Homecoming)
Nov. 10 (Thu.): at Westmont, 5:30 p.m. PST
Nov. 13 (Sun.): at La Sierra, 9 a.m. PST
Nov. 17 (Thu.): SUNO, 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 21 (Mon.): at Dillard (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 22 (Tue.): MOBILE, 5:30 p.m.
Nov. 28 (Mon.): • LOUISIANA CHRISTIAN (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 (Sat.): • at Southwest (N.M.) (DH), 2 p.m. MST
Dec. 15 (Thu.): • at Our Lady of the Lake (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 (Sat.): • at Huston-Tillotson (DH), 2 p.m.
Jan. 3 (Tue.): • at LSU-Alexandria (DH), 5 p.m.
Jan. 5 (Thu.): • TEXAS COLLEGE (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 7 (Sat.): • JARVIS CHRISTIAN (DH), 2 p.m.
Jan. 9 (Mon.): at Loyola (N.O.), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 12 (Thu.): • at Texas A&M-Texarkana (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 (Sat.): • at Paul Quinn (DH), 2 p.m.
Jan. 16 (Mon.): • LSU-SHREVEPORT (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 19 (Thu.): DILLARD (DH), 5:30 p.m. (Crosstown Classic)
Jan. 21 (Sat.): • SOUTHWEST (N.M.) (DH), 2 p.m.
Jan. 24 (Tue.): • at Louisiana Christian (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 (Thu.): • LSU-ALEXANDRIA (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 (Sat.): • at LSU-Shreveport (DH), 2 p.m.
Feb. 2 (Thu.): • OUR LADY OF THE LAKE (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 (Sat.): • HUSTON-TILLOTSON (DH), 2 p.m.
Feb. 9 (Thu.): • at Texas College (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 11 (Sat.): • at Jarvis Christian (DH), 2 p.m.
Feb. 16 (Thu.): • TEXAS A&M-TEXARKANA (DH), 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 18 (Sat.): • PAUL QUINN (DH), 2 p.m. (Senior Day)
Feb. 24-26 (Fri.-Sun.): Red River Athletic Conference Tournament at Alexandria, La., TBA
March 10-11 (Fri.-Sat.): NAIA National Championship tournament opening two rounds, TBA
March 16-21 (Thu.-Tue.): NAIA National Championship tournament final four rounds at Sioux City, Iowa, TBA

Home games in CAPITAL LETTERS
• Red River Athletic Conference game
(DH) Doubleheader with XULA’s men
All times are Central except where noted
Schedule is subject to change