Gold Nuggets win matchup of ranked NAIA teams
November 14, 2008

Box score

     CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Freshman SiMon "Money" Franklin scored a season-high 15 points Friday to help Xavier University of Louisiana rally past Berry 57-52 in a matchup of ranked NAIA Division I women's basketball teams at the Jack Souther Classic.
     Another freshman, Jasmine Grant, scored 12 points for the Gold Nuggets (3-0), who are ranked 19th. Freshmen scored 45 of Xavier's points.
     The Nuggets trailed 21-11 through 15 minutes and 27-18 at halftime, but they opened the second half with a 13-0 run in the first six minutes to take the lead for good. Xavier followed that run with an 11-0 spurt which gave it a 50-38 lead, its biggest of the game, with 4:19 remaining.
     Xavier shot 31 percent from the floor but limited No. 23 Berry to 28.6 percent. The Lady Vikings committed 30 turnovers, 23 via Xavier steals. Freshmen Marchelle Jones, Grant and Jazmoné Kelly combined for 16 of the Nuggets' steals. Jones had six, and Grant and Kelly each had five.
     Kelly's two free throws with 16:23 remaining put Xavier ahead to stay at 28-27.
     Nikki Jackson had 14 points and seven rebounds for Berry, whose three losses are by a combined 14 points.
     Xavier will play NAIA No. 7 Lee at 3 p.m. EST Saturday in the fourth and final game of this event. Berry will play Langston at 1 p.m. Langston, down 52-40 at halftime, rallied to beat Lee 89-83 in Friday's second game.