NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Louisiana Christian University women's basketball team fought back from a 14-point third quarter deficit to tie the score late in the fourth quarter but went cold right after as Xavier scored the game's final eight points as the Wildcats fell to the Gold Nuggets 69-61 Monday Night at Xavier's Convocation Center.
 
The game started well enough for the Wildcats as Kieyoomia Benally and Paola Abad Prieto each hit three-point shots to put LCU up 6-0 in the opening two minutes of the contest. LCU held the lead throughout the rest of the period, holding around two and four points, until Claire Borot scored with 2:30 left to reestablish the six-point lead at 13-7. After Xavier scored, Borot hit another jumper to up the lead back to six again at 15-9. The Wildcats lead 15-12 at the end of the first quarter.
 
LCU didn't get the start it wanted in the second quarter as Xavier began the period on a 9-2 run to take a 21-17 lead less than two minutes into the quarter. The Wildcats kept the game close, eventually tying the score again at 31-31 when DaKayla Howard hit a three with just more than two minutes left in the half. A pair of free throws by Abad Prieto tied the score again at 33-33 with less than two minutes left before the Golf Nuggets scored the period's final four points to take a 37-33 advantage to the halftime locker room.
 
Hopes for the big road win diminished at the start of the third quarter as the Wildcats went cold and the Gold Nuggets started the period on a 16-6 run to take the largest lead of the contest for either team at 53-39 with four minutes left. But LCU was not deterred, finishing the quarter by scoring the final six points to cut the deficit down to 53-45 heading into the final ten minutes of play.
 
Xavier extended the lead back out to 11 by hitting a three-pointer to start the fourth, but the Wildcats continued the run to get back in the game, scoring the next seven points to get the deficit down to just four points on a three by Paola Abad Prieto that made the score 56-52 with 7:30 left in the game. A Claire Borot bucket got the deficit down to three points at 57-54 after Xavier had gone one-of-two at the line. The deficit would shift between three and five points over the next few minutes until a pair of Miya McKinney free throws combined with a three pointer by Borot to tie the game at 61-61 with three minutes left in the game. However, that would be LCU's last point as Xavier ended the game on an 8-0 run. A three-pointer combined with a bucket-and-foul opportunity where the free throw was missed but an offensive rebound allowed another bucket for a four-point possession helped the Gold Nuggets pull away in the closing moments.
 
Miya McKinney continued her torrid pace, picking up her fifth double-double in the last seven games, leading all scorers and rebounders with 19 and 15, respectively. She hit eight of her nine field goal attempts and three of her four free throws while also being credited with a blocked shot. Claire Borot equaled her season high with 17 points. Paola Abad Prieto rounded out LCU's leading scorers with 12 points.
 
LCU shot 42.9% from the field, but just 21.7% from above the arc which helped Xavier hit four more shots from deep which played into the result.
 
The Wildcats (15-8, 9-5 RRAC) picked up a victory earlier in the day Monday after a previously postponed conference game was ruled a forfeit win. They are back in action on Thursday night, continuing the road trip in Dallas against Paul Quinn. Tip-off of Thursday evening's game against the Tigers (14-8, 6-5 RRAC) is set for 5:30 P.M. at PQC's Tiger's Den.