Gophers Make Late Push, Drop Double Tree Consolation to Wildcats

READING, Pa. - The Goucher College men's basketball team whittled what had been a deficit as large as 22 in the second half down to eight late, but dropped a 80-70 decision to Johnson and Wales (R.I.) University in the consolation round of Albright's Double Tree Holiday Tournament Thursday afternoon at the Bollman Center.

• The game got off to a slow start offensively, with a Cam Isaacs (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) three 4:49 in for Goucher (3-8) making it 4-3 in favor of Johnson and Wales (4-5).
• Leading 9-5, the Wildcats used a 10-0 run to build a 19-5 advantage with 11:23 to go in the first half.
• A basket by Nieko White (Churchton, Md./Southern) at the 10:58 mark halted the JWU run.
• Johnson and Wales took their largest lead of the opening frame, 36-18, with 5:27 to go.
• A 7-0 Gopher run capped by a Ryan Conde (Ewing, N.J./Solebury School) layup cut the Wildcat lead to 11, 36-25, at the 3:35 mark.
• After going back up 15, a Conde three 2:02 before halftime made it 40-28.
• The Wildcats carried a 42-28 lead into the locker room.

• Josh Lichti (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) hit a jumper on Goucher's first possession of the second half to cut the Wildcat lead to 12, 42-30.
• Johnson and Wales used a 9-2 run to reclaim a 19-point cushion, 51-32, with 15:45 to play.
• The two teams traded baskets most of the half, with Goucher getting the lead down to 16, 66-50, on an Isaacs basket with 6:40 left.
• A 5-0 Gopher spurt capped by a John Dixon (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) three with 2:09 on the clock cut JWU's lead to 12, 69-57.
• Goucher got within 11, 72-61, on a Conde basket with 1:11 on the clock.
• After Johnson and Wales missed two free throws, a driving layup and foul by Isaacs resulted in a three-point play and the lead down to eight, 72-64, with 1:02 remaining.
• The Gophers cut the lead to eight two more times but the Wildcats held on for the victory.

• Isaacs paced four Gophers in double figures with 20 points while also recording five rebounds and three assists.
• Conde finished one shy of his career high with 13 points while adding seven assists, seven rebounds and five steals.  He finished 6-9 from the floor.
• Dixon ended with 13 points, the fourth double-digit scoring effort for the freshman this season.
• Lichti notched 10 points and five rebounds, his fifth straight double-digit scoring effort.
• The Wildcats shot 52.9% overall and were 7-19 from three and 19-29 at the free throw line.
• Goucher shot 40.9% from the floor, went 9-15 at the stripe and were 7-24 behind the arc.
• Johnson and Wales outrebounded Goucher 39-36.
• Goucher had 11 steals, its second-highest total of the season.

• The Gophers are back in action Saturday, January 8 as it travels to Moravian for a 2 pm Landmark Conference game.
• Goucher returns home on Wednesday, January 12 as it hosts Juniata in a 7 pm Landmark Conference contest at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.  Spectators are not permitted at Goucher home sporting events through at least January 29.