Thankful: Gold Nuggets 5-1 after rallying for 63-61 victory

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana erased a double-digit deficit in the final 15 minutes Tuesday to escape with a 63-61 women’s basketball victory against Mobile at the Convocation Center.

It was the second victory in as many days for the Gold Nuggets (5-1), whose win streak is four. The Rams (2-7) dropped their fourth straight.

Abryhia Irons had 17 points, a season high, plus 10 rebounds and eight steals for XULA. Nia Bishop scored 13 points, Shylia McGee had nine points and eight rebounds, and Ashanti LaVergne had seven points and nine rebounds.

Carlee Wyatt made four 3-pointers and scored 16 points for Mobile, and Alesha Temple and Fatoumata Sonko scored 11 apiece. The Rams had three double-figure rebounders: Temple with 12, Cosette Balmy with 11 and Rachel Leclerc with 10.

Irons’ basket with 1:38 remaining put XULA ahead to stay at 60-58. The Gold Nuggets trailed 43-30 when Wyatt made a 3 at 5:16 of the third quarter. Mobile outscored XULA in each of the first three quarters and led 33-28 at halftime.

Both XULA teams will open their Red River Athletic Conference schedules in a Monday home doubleheader against Louisiana Christian. The women’s game will start at 5:30 p.m., and the men’s game will start at 7:30.