Gold Nuggets climb to 16th in NAIA rankings
December 8, 2008

     NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana climbed two spots Monday to No. 16 in the NAIA Division I women's basketball coaches poll.
     It's the Gold Nuggets' highest position since March 8, 2005, when they were 15th in the final poll of the 2004-05 season.
     Xavier is 7-1 with a four-game winning streak following a 74-57 home victory Saturday against Paul Quinn. The record matches Bo Browder's best eight-game start in 10 years as Xavier's head coach.
     Union (Tenn.) was a unanimous choice as No. 1 for the second consecutive week. The Lady Bulldogs (13-0) have been first in all three polls this season.
     The next coaches poll will be released Jan. 5.
     The Nuggets are off this week for final exams and will resume their schedule Dec. 19 at 4 p.m. (6 p.m. AST) against Judson (Ill.) in the San Juan Classic at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Xavier will play Olivet Nazarene — whose 100.1 scoring average is the best this season in the NAIA, regardless of gender or division — the following day.
     Xavier's next home game will start at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 15 against Tougaloo at The Barn.