Langston opens Xavier Classic with 83-70 victory
November 23, 2006

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Matalya McBath Belvin scored 17 of her 25 points in the second half Thursday to lead Langston to an 83-70 women's basketball victory over Tougaloo in the opening game of the Xavier Classic.
     McBath-Belvin, a senior guard, had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals and was one of five double-figure scorers for the Lady Lions (5-3).
     Jennifer Gatewood scored 16 points, Teneisha McKinney and JaCarie Owens had 12 points apiece, and Jenissa Harris scored 10 for Langston, which led 41-33 at halftime.
     Travalyn Smith scored 25 points and Keisha Carter 22 for Tougaloo (1-2).
     A Harris basket with 15:10 remaining gave Langston its biggest lead, 53-35. Tougaloo answered with a 14-3 run to cut the margin to 56-49, but the Lady Lions pulled away and kept a double-digit lead the final 9:10.
     Langston committed 10 more turnovers than Tougaloo but outshot the Lady Bulldogs 52 to 36 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 48-27. Langston's LaTesha Calton grabbed 11 rebounds.