13th-ranked Cumberland defeats Gold Nuggets
For immediate release . . . November 17, 2006
Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Renae Williams scored 13 points and Juliana Fernandes 11 Friday to lead Cumberland to a 64-49 women's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana in the Pops Duncan Classic at Moore Gym.

Cumberland (3-0), rated 13th in NAIA Division I, limited Xavier (4-1) to a season-low 29-percent shooting from the floor and forced the Gold Nuggets into 27 turnovers.

Jarryn Cleaves, with 20 points, was Xavier's only double-figure scorer. Rynika Hebert scored nine points.

Renae Hall had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Cumberland, which led 24-18 at halftime.

"We got kicked around pretty good," said Xavier coach Robert "Bo" Browder, whose Nuggets lost 63-50 to Cumberland in the opening round of the 2005 NAIA National Tournament — the only other time these schools met. "We struggled offensively, and we made too many silly mistakes.

"We had a chance to get back in the game early in the second half. We stole the ball four straight times, but we turned it over after each steal."

Cumberland shot 33 percent from the floor and outrebounded Xavier 47-40.

Xavier will play 20th-ranked Trevecca Nazarene (3-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday.