Tournament MVP SiMon Franklin scored 13 points Saturday to lead top-seeded Xavier University of Louisiana to a 58-50 women’s basketball victory against Talladega in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference championship game.

Franklin, a junior guard, scored a 3-point play with 11:01 remaining to put the Gold Nuggets ahead to stay, 38-35.

Xavier (25-8), ranked 20th in NAIA Division I, won the tournament for the third consecutive season, the fourth time in five years and the 13th time overall. The Nuggets earned the GCAC’s automatic berth in the national tournament, which will begin March 14 at Frankfort, Ky. The 32-team bracket and game times will be announced Wednesday.

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XULA: Nuggets top Talladega for 3rd straight GCAC tourney title (March 3, 2012)