Gophers Push Past Hiram For First Win of Season

TOWSON, Md. - The Goucher College women's basketball team trailed by as many as 11 points in the second half before rallying for a 63-56 win over Hiram College in the opening round of the Renie Amoss Memorial Tip-Off Classic Friday evening at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

• Goucher (1-2) scored the game's first four points and led 10-4 midway through the opening quarter following a basket by Anise Williams (West Palm Beach, Fla. / The Benjamin School).
• Hiram (1-2) got within three before a Claire Flynn (Annapolis, Md. / Broadneck) three with 45 seconds left put Goucher up 15-11.
• The Gophers took that 15-11 lead into the second quarter.

• The Gophers extended their lead to eight, 21-13, on a Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas / Cristo Rey Jesuit) layup 2:31 into the second quarter.
• The Terriers held Goucher scoreless for over six minutes and reeled off 14 straight points to take a 27-21 lead with 1:42 left before halftime.
• Alayna McFadden (Silver Spring, Md. / Montgomery Blair) stopped the Hiram run with a basket with 16 seconds left and the Gophers trailed 27-24 at the break.

• The guests opened the second half with eight straight points to take a 35-24 lead 2:29 into the period.
• Goucher held the Terriers without a basket for nearly six minutes and a 12-0 run capped by a defensive rebound and basket by McFadden with 1:54 to play put the Gophers back in front, 36-35.
• The lead was short-lived as Hiram's Maddie Rakestraw sank a pair of free throws on its next possession.
• The Terriers carried a 41-39 lead into the final quarter after Julia Cavoli (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin) knocked down a field goal as time expired for Goucher.

• Williams sank two free throws with 8:43 left to push Goucher back in front, 43-42.
• Hiram reclaimed the lead on its next possession, but a Cavoli three with 8:08 left pushed the hosts to a two-point cushion, 46-44.
• Cavoli's three sparked an 11-0 run capped by a McFadden free throw with 4:35 left that gave Goucher a 54-44 lead.
• The Terriers chipped away and got within two, 58-56, with 53 seconds left.
• Goucher sealed the win by going 5-6 at the free throw line the rest of the way.

• McFadden finished 10-23 from the floor and 7-9 at the free throw line and finished with 28 points and seven rebounds.  Her 28 points are one shy of her career high.
• Williams was 10-15 at the free throw line and recorded 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
• Quarles posted six points and 10 rebounds, while Flynn recorded seven points.
• The Gophers outrebounded Hiram 38-36 and took five more trips to the free throw line, going 18-28 while the Terriers were 17-23.
• Goucher shot 36.8% and was 3-11 behind the arc, while Hiram was 1-16 from long range and shot 36.5% overall.

WBB | Alayna McFadden grabs the rebound then goes coast-to-coast to give @GoucherWBB a lead in the third quarter!#d3hoops #GopherGreatness pic.twitter.com/IVup54jmr4

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) November 13, 2021

• Goucher wraps up the Renie Amoss Memorial Tip-Off Classic on Saturday, hosting No. 20 Christopher Newport at 4 pm at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center