Gold Nuggets drop from 21st to 23rd in NAIA poll
For immediate release . . . January 31, 2007

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana dropped two spots to No. 23 in the NAIA Division I women's basketball rankings announced Wednesday.

The Gold Nuggets, 16-6 and winner of nine of their last 10 games, are in the top 25 for the fourth consecutive week. They lost 56-54 Thursday to SUNO at Delgado Gym but rebounded Saturday with a 66-53 home victory against Dillard.

The Vanguard Lions (16-0) of Costa Mesa, Calif., were unanimously chosen No. 1. They're on top for the seventh consecutive ranking and a unanimous pick for the fourth straight week.

Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at The Barn against Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponent Spring Hill. Xavier is 8-1 in the GCAC and leads the conference by a half-game over Loyola (8-2) and one game over Mobile (7-2), which returned this week to the rankings at No. 25. Xavier will visit Mobile for a 5:30 p.m. game on Feb. 8.

      LAST                           1ST PLACE 
RANK  WEEK  SCHOOL                     VOTES   RECORD  POINTS
 1      1   Vanguard (Calif.)            11     16-0     330
 2      2   Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)           21-1     318
 3      4   St. Xavier (Ill.)                   19-2     302
 4      5   Lubbock Christian (Texas)           16-3     298
 5      3   Lee (Tenn.)                         18-3     280
 6      6   Montana Western                     21-2     269
 7      8   Union (Tenn.)                       16-4     263
 8      7   Cumberlands (Ky.)                   19-3     258
 9      9   Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.)           16-3     241
10     12   Cumberland (Tenn.)                  17-3     229
11     11   Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)        14-5     211
12     13   Carroll (Mont.)                     21-2     206
13     14   Auburn-Montgomery (Ala.)            20-2     189
14     15   Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.)              15-6     188
15     16   Azusa Pacific (Calif.)              16-4     183
16     18   Oklahoma Christian                  14-3     180
17     17   Georgetown (Ky.)                    16-6     136
18     25   Southern Nazarene                   15-3     134
19     19   Langston (Okla.)                    17-3     130
20     22   Columbia (Mo.)                      18-3     124
21     10   Oklahoma City                       16-4     114
22     23   Houston Baptist (Texas)             15-4     101
23     21   Xavier (La.)                        16-6      89
24     20   Master's (Calif.)                   11-6      80
25     NR   Mobile (Ala.)                       14-6      61
Others Receiving Votes: Oklahoma Baptist, 41; California Baptist, 35; 
Lambuth (Tenn.), 33; West Virginia Tech, 19; Montana Tech, 14; 
Montana State-Northern, 12; Brewton-Parker (Ga.), 11; Martin Methodist 
(Tenn.), 10; Westmont (Calif.), 9; Loyola (La.), 8; Science & Arts (Okla.), 
 4; Campbellsville (Ky.), 3; SUNO (La.), 2.