Gold Nuggets throttle Belhaven, reach 20 wins again
February 2, 2011

Box score

     NEW ORLEANS — Senior forward Christina Warren scored 15 of her career-high 25 points in the first half Wednesday to lead NAIA No. 14 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 77-60 women's basketball victory over Belhaven.
     Brandi Young added 17 points, 13 in the second half, for the Gold Nuggets (20-4), who reached 20 victories for the 10th consecutive season — that extends a school record — and the 18th time in 19 seasons.
     Kiara Johnson scored 17 points, Erica Leflore 13 and Regena Jackson 12 for Belhaven (17-6), which entered with a six-game win streak.
     Xavier led 46-23 at halftime and twice built the lead to 28 points, then survived a Belhaven rally that closed the margin to seven points with four minutes remaining. The Nuggets regrouped and closed with a 12-2 run to win their ninth straight at home and sixth straight overall. They haven't lost since a 70-67 overtime decision at Belhaven on Jan. 8.
     Warren, 10-of-18 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the line, surpassed her previous scoring high by seven points. She's the first Gold Nugget to reach 25 points in a game this season. Warren also had three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot in 31 minutes.
     Xavier outshot the Lady Blazers 42 to 35 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 44-38. The Gold Nuggets committed 15 turnovers and gained 23, 15 by steals.
     Coach Bo Browder's Xavier teams have reached 20 victories 11 of 12 times. The Gold Nuggets have won 41 of their last 46 games.
     The Gold Nuggets' next game will start at 5 p.m. Saturday at city, conference and HBCU rival Dillard.