Nuggets lose 2nd straight but stay in 2nd place
February 2, 2008

Box Score

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Taphne Jackson scored a career-high 22 points Saturday to lift William Carey to a 73-65 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball victory over NAIA No. 18 Xavier University of Louisiana.

Jackson was 4-of-4 from 3-point range, all in the first half, then made 8-of-10 free throws in the second half to help the Lady Saders (9-7 overall, 5-5 GCAC) beat the Gold Nuggets for the first time in 16 tries. Xavier leads the series 42-18.

Kristin Blackledge scored 19 points for William Carey, and Shonte Kennedy had 17 points, seven rebounds and a season-high nine assists.

Johnna Williams and Jarryn Cleaves scored 13 points apiece for Xavier (17-5, 7-3), which lost for the second time in three days, and Erica Turnbull scored 11. Williams' point total was a season high and her second consecutive game in double figures.

William Carey led 35-32 at halftime. Xavier scored the first four points of the second half to take its final lead, 36-35 with 18:25 remaining. Jackson's two free throws at 15:08 put the Lady Saders ahead to stay at 42-40.

Xavier never led by more than three points in the first half.

William Carey outshot Xavier 47 to 45 percent from the floor. The Lady Saders made 25-of-30 free throws, and the Nuggets were 8-of-11.

The Nuggets remained tied for second place in the GCAC with Mobile, which lost 83-74 at LSU-Shreveport.

Xavier's next game will start at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against GCAC and city rival SUNO at Delgado Community College Gym in New Orleans.