Concordia rallies to beat Nuggets in Surf City Classic
December 28, 2009

Box score

     IRVINE, Calif. — Kayanna Nichols scored 15 of her 17 points in the second half Monday to rally Concordia (Calif.) to a 75-69 women's basketball victory over Xavier University of Louisiana in the opening game of the Surf City Classic.
     Nichols made five 3-pointers in the second half for the Eagles (7-2), who trailed by 17 points twice in the first half and 34-23 at halftime.
     Jasmine Grant scored 13 points and Brittany Powell nine for Xavier (6-2), which has a two-game losing streak. It was the Gold Nuggets' first game since Nov. 27.
     Nicole Fu's two free throws with 6:19 remaining put Concordia ahead to stay, 59-57.
     Karen Carney added 15 points — she made 11-of-13 free throws — and 10 rebounds for Concordia, and Tyler Howard scored 14.
     Xavier outscored Concordia 10-3 in the first 5½ minutes and took its biggest lead, 30-13, on Grant's 3-pointer at 3:39. Nearly a minute later, the Nuggets led by 17 again when LaTashia Wise's basket made it 32-15 at 2:47.
     Concordia trailed until Nichols' 3-pointer tied the score at 53 with 8:51 remaining. The Nuggets never led thereafter and had their last tie at 57 when Christina Warren made a pair of free throws at 6:31.
     Concordia scored 52 second-half points, the most allowed by Xavier since Mobile scored 49 in an 80-72 victory on Feb. 8, 2007, at Mobile, Ala. The Eagles were 7-of-9 from 3-point range in the second half after making 1-of-11 in the first half. The Nuggets did not make a 3-pointer in the second half — Grant made a pair in the opening half — and was outscored 23-11 in free throws made.
     Xavier will play Daemen at 6 p.m. Tuesday in its second of three games in this event.