Gophers Hold Off Bison Charge

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Goucher College men's basketball team saw a 15-point halftime lead whittled down to one, but held off host Gallaudet University for a 54-47 non-conference victory Wednesday evening.

• Goucher (3-5) opened the game on an 11-0 run, with a Josh Lichti (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) three 26 seconds into the game kicking off the run.
• Gallaudet (1-7) got on the board five minutes into the contest.
• Back-to-back threes by Thomas Lewis (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) and Cam Isaacs (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) extended the Gopher lead to 21-5 with 9:45 left before halftime.
• After the Bison pulled within 12, 22-10, back-to-back baskets by Drew Pitts (Stafford, Va./Mountain View) made it 26-10 with just under six minutes to go.
• The hosts got the lead down to 11, 26-15, with 2:06 on the clock.
• Baskets down the stretch by Lichti and Isaacs put the Gophers up 15, 30-15, at intermission.

• A 7-2 Bison run over the first three minutes of the second half cut Goucher's lead to 10, 32-22.
• The Gopher lead hovered between nine and 12, with a three-point play by Pitts with 12:09 to go giving the guests a 41-29 lead.
• Gallaudet used a 9-2 run to pull within five, 43-38, with just over seven minutes remaining.
• The Bison cut the lead to one, 45-44, with 3:44 on the clock, extending their run to 15-4.
• An Octavius Johnson (Houston, Texas/Pasadena Memorial) jumper from the free throw line with 2:54 to play halted the Bison run and made it 47-44.
• Gallaudet's Rory Lewis responded with a basket at the other end to again make it a one-point play with 2:32 left.
• Up 48-47, a Lichti basket with 1:31 to go put Goucher up three.
• After a Bison turnover, Isaac scored with 46 seconds left extended the Gopher lead to five.
• Gallaudet again turned the ball over and two free throws by Pitts with 17 seconds to play sealed the victory.

• Pitts finished with a career-best 13 points off the bench, going 4-7 from the floor and 5-7 at the free throw line.
• Lichti recorded 11 points and eight rebounds, while Isaacs added 10 points while dishing out four assists.
• Johnson and Ryan Conde (Ewing, N.J./Solebury School) each registered six points and six rebounds.
• Goucher limited Gallaudet to 25.5% shooting for the game, including a 1-16 effort behind the arc.
• The Bison took 13 more trips to the free throw line, going 20-31 while Goucher went 9-18 at the stripe.
• The Gophers shot 42% overall and were 3-17 from long range.
• Gallaudet held a 40-36 rebound advantage.
• Goucher's win snapped a four-game slide.

• Goucher is back in action Saturday when it travels to Washington (Md.) College for a 2 pm non-conference contest.
• The Gophers return to the Decker Sports and Recreation Center on Saturday, January 15, entertaining Scranton in a 2 pm Landmark Conference contest.