No. 17 Gold Nuggets defeat No. 9 Lady Flames 59-48
December 6, 2010

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Freshman forward Carmen Holcombe scored a career-high 12 points Monday to lead NAIA No. 17 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 59-48 women's basketball victory over No. 9 Lee.
     The Gold Nuggets (10-2) won for the 31st time in 34 games and gave the Lady Flames (8-3) their third loss in four games. Xavier did not make a 3-pointer but committed a season-low 14 turnovers and limited Lee to a season-worst 26.3 percent from the floor.
     Jazmoné Kelly and Keldra Hall added 10 points apiece for Xavier. Holcombe entered the game averaging 2.5 points but scored six in each half. She finished 3-of-4 from the floor and made 6-of-8 free throws.
     "We wanted Carmen to be more active on the offensive end, and you see what happened," Xavier Coach Bo Browder said. "Hopefully Carmen will use this game to gain confidence and become even more effective."
     Lee led 8-3 through three minutes, but Kelly, who scored all her points in the first half, made two free throws nearly 10 minutes later to put Xavier ahead to stay, 21-20. The Nuggets led 34-25 at halftime and took their biggest lead, 48-33, on Hall's two free throws with 9:24 remaining.
     Kally Eldridge scored a career-high-tying 17 points, including five 3-pointers, for Lee, and third-team NAIA All-America Brooke McKinnon matched her season low of 10 points. McKinnon also grabbed nine rebounds.
     The game tipped during off the same hour the NAIA released its national top 25 and its second of the season. Lee fell two spots, and Xavier climbed five.
     It was Xavier's second double-digit home victory of the season against a ranked opponent — the first was against Langston on Thanksgiving night — and the eighth time in 12 games that the Nuggets allowed less than 50 points. Xavier leads NAIA Division I in scoring defense.
     "This was a nice win for us and a great defensive effort," Browder said. "We've had a few setbacks recently, but our ladies focused and worked hard tonight to put those behind them."
     The Nuggets will focus next on fall semester final exams, then resume their schedule Dec. 16-18 with consecutive games in central Florida against Webber International, Southeastern (Fla.) and NAIA No. 13 William Woods. The next home game will be Jan. 5 against Dallas Christian.