Gold Nuggets glitter against NCAA Division II opponent
November 9, 2009

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Jazmoné Kelly and LaTashia Wise scored 12 points apiece Monday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to a 78-53 women's basketball victory against LeMoyne-Owen at The Barn.
     LeMoyne-Owen, an NCAA Division II member, counted the game as an exhibition, but NAIA-member Xavier (3-0) counted it as a regular-season game.
     Kelly tied her career scoring high, and Wise reached double figures for the first time this season. Kelly's six rebounds and four steals were season highs.
     SiMon Franklin added 10 points for the Gold Nuggets, and Marchelle Jones had season highs of nine points and seven assists.
     Jasmine Massey made six 3-pointers and scored 18 points for LeMoyne-Owen, and Shonice Sprouse had 10 points, three steals and two blocked shots. Ashley Mason scored nine.
     Kelly's basket at 7:09 of the first half capped a 20-3 run which gave Xavier a 30-13 lead. Seven Nuggets scored during the run, which lasted nearly eight minutes. Xavier held a double-digit lead the final 29:08 and a lead of 20-plus points the final 23:32.
     Xavier led 44-17 at halftime.
     Massey, Sprouse and Mason combined for 27 of LeMoyne-Owen's 36 second-half points.
     Brandi Young, one of three Memphis residents on Xavier's roster, scored with 16:16 remaining to give the Nuggets their biggest lead, 56-19.
     Xavier outshot the Lady Magicians 49 to 29 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 46-34. Danielle Jones, Marchelle's older sister, led the Nuggets with seven rebounds and scored eight points, both season highs.
     Xavier won its 18th consecutive regular-season home opener. The Nuggets have won 80 of their past 83 games at The Barn.
     Xavier's next game will start at noon on November 21 against Wiley at The Barn in the opener of the homecoming doubleheader. LeMoyne-Owen has one more exhibition — 7 p.m. Saturday at Rust — before opening the regular season at home at 5:30 p.m. next Monday against Delta State.