XULA Women Basketball Falls to No. 24 in National Coaches Poll

Xavier University of Louisiana fell from 20th to 24th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.

The Gold Nuggets, 14-8 after a 62-55 home loss Monday to Talladega, have dropped 11 places in the past two weeks. Their next game starts at 5:30 p.m. Monday at SUNO.

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Talladega, the leader in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, dropped from 19th to 20th. This is the Lady Tornadoes’ fourth consecutive top-25 appearance. Xavier has been in all six top 25s this season.

Campbellsville received 7-of-9 first-place votes and is No. 1 for the second straight week. No. 2 Westmont and No. 6 Columbia (Mo.) received the other first-place votes.

The only ranked opponent remaining on the Gold Nuggets’ regular-season schedule is city rival Loyola, which climbed from 24th to 23rd. Xavier will visit Loyola at 7 p.m. Feb. 17.

The Gold Nuggets’ next home game will start at 3 p.m. Feb. 6 — one week from Saturday — against Dillard in the Crosstown Classic at the Convocation Center.

Tickets are on sale at the XU athletic offices in room 322 of the Convocation Center Annex at the corner of Washington Avenue and Fern Street.

NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
1. Campbellsville
2. Westmont
3. Our Lady of the Lake
4. Bethel (Tenn.)
5. Shawnee State
6. Columbia (Mo.)
7. Lyon
8. Vanguard
9. MidAmerica Nazarene
10. Carroll (Mont.)
11. Freed-Hardeman
12. The Master’s
13. Lewis-Clark State
14. Oklahoma City
15. Montana State-Northern
16. Central Methodist
17. Pikeville
18. (tie) Langston
18. (tie) Benedictine
20. Talladega
21. Wayland Baptist
22. Lindsey Wilson
23. Loyola
24. Xavier
25. Great Falls