Neumann Powers Past Gophers in Second Half

ASTON, Pa. - The Goucher College women's basketball team held a 27-25 halftime lead, but Neumann University powered past the Gophers in the second half en route to a 68-52 non-conference victory Friday night.

• The Gophers (1-7) and Knights (5-5) were tied four times in the first seven-plus minutes of the game.
• A 6-0 Goucher run that featured back-to-back baskets by Sydney Nwuli (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) and a Ta'Niya Kees (Baltimore, Md./Mount Carmel) basket put the guest on top 14-8 with 29 seconds to go in the opening frame.
• Goucher held a 14-9 lead through 10 minutes.

• A 6-2 Goucher run capped by a Kees basket 6:15 before halftime increased the Gopher lead to nine, 20-11.
• A three-pointer by Claire Flynn (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) with 4:49 left in the half gave the guests their largest lead, 23-13.
• Trailing 25-15, Neumann closed the half on a 10-2 run and pulled within two at the break, 27-25.

• Neumann scored the first five points of the second half to take a 30-27 lead.
• An Anise Williams (West Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School) three with 8:35 on the clock tied the game 30-30.
• A Kees basket with just under eight minutes left put the Gophers back in front 32-30.
• The Knights reeled off 10 straight points to take a 40-32 lead before a Williams free throw with 2:21 remaining in the third halted the run.
• A jumper from the wing by Alayna McFadden (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) with 44 seconds on the clock pulled Goucher within four, 41-37.
• The home team carried a 43-37 lead into the final frame.

• Neumann scored the first six points of the fourth to double its lead to a dozen, 49-37.
• After Kees knocked down a three with 6:47 left to make it a 51-42 game, a 9-0 Knights run pushed their lead to 18, 60-42, with just over four minutes to go.
• Goucher pulled within 13, 61-48, on a Williams basket with 2:03 remaining but that was as close at the guests got down the stretch.

• McFadden finished 8-8 at the free throw line and paced Goucher with 16 points. She also grabbed five rebounds.
• Williams finished in double figures in scoring for the sixth straight game with 10 points.  She also had five rebounds, four assists and four steals.
• With her four steals, Williams now has 207 for her career, one shy of fifth place in program history.
• Kees finished 4-7 from the floor and added nine points.
• Nwuli grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go along with four points.
• Nine different players scored for Goucher.
• Neumann shot 48% overall, including 55% in the second half, and took 10 more trips to the free throw line, going 13-24 while Goucher was 9-14.
• The Gophers shot 32.8% overall and were outrebounded 48-27.
• The two teams met for the first time since the 2005-06 season and just the third time overall.

• Goucher is back in action Sunday when it hosts Drew in its Landmark Conference opener at 2 pm at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.