Pilot Women's Basketball Takes Regular Season Championship with Win Over Xavier

New Orleans, Louisiana— In a thrilling matchup on Thursday night, the Pilots women's basketball team extended their remarkable winning streak to 21 games with a hard-fought victory over the Gold Nuggets of Xavier, prevailing 67-61 in a closely contested battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final buzzer. Despite facing stiff competition from the Gold Nuggets, the Pilots demonstrated their resilience and composure to emerge victorious and continue their impressive run of success. With the wins the Pilots move to an overall record of 23-2 and a conference record of 19-0. The win also gave the Pilots the Regular Season crown as they have secured the Conference Championship.

The game got off to a slow start, with both teams locked in a defensive battle in the first quarter, ending with a deadlock as they each notched nine points on the scoreboard. The Pilots struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting 3-16 from the field and converting 3-of-4 free throws, while the Gold Nuggets were equally challenged, shooting 4-22 from the field and going 1-4 at the free-throw line.

In the second quarter, the Gold Nuggets managed to gain a slight edge, outscoring the Pilots by just one point to take a narrow 27-26 lead into halftime. However, the Pilots regrouped during the halftime break, making crucial adjustments to their game plan.

Returning to the court with renewed determination, the Pilots seized control of the game in the second half, unleashing a potent offensive attack to outscore the Gold Nuggets in both the third and fourth quarters. With a balanced scoring effort and strong defensive play, the Pilots maintained their composure down the stretch to secure the hard-fought victory.

Leading the way for the Pilots were Tanaisha Hairston and Destanee Roblow, each contributing 13 points to propel their team to victory. Hairston showcased her shooting prowess, going 5-7 from the field, including all three of the Pilots' three-pointers, while Roblow made her presence felt on the boards, collecting a double-double with 13 rebounds in addition to her scoring output. Roblow also made key contributions on the offensive end, shooting 5-12 from the field and sinking three free throws. Tiarra Tillison was the final Pilot in the double digits with 12 points going 4-4 from the field and 4-7 at the free throw.

With another impressive win under their belt, the Pilots women's basketball team continues to assert their dominance on the court, demonstrating their resilience and unity as they march forward in pursuit of further success in the season ahead. The win not only secured the Regular Season Conference Champion title, but gives the women's team an automatic qualifer bid to the 2023-2024 NAIA National Tournament. This is the third regualr season championship for the program and 12th overall trip to the national tournament.

The Pilots will be back in action Saturday February 17^th as they take on North American University. Tip-off is set for 2:00pm CT from Stafford, Texas.

MORE INFORMATION
For more information and updates on LSUS Athletics please visit lsusathletics.com, 'like' us on Facebook at LSU Shreveport Athletics or follow us on Twitter and Instagram @lsus_athletics and @lsusathletics.