Gophers Post Strong Defensive Effort Against No. 18/25 Cardinals

TOWSON, Md. - The Goucher College women's basketball team limited No. 18/25 Catholic to 32.4% shooting in the first half and trailed by seven at halftime before the Cardinals pulled away for a 66-44 Landmark Conference victory Wednesday night at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

• Catholic (14-1, 5-1 Landmark) jumped out to a 10-2 lead just under three minutes into the game.
• Goucher (1-14, 0-7) used a 6-2 spurt to pull within 12-8 on a Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) basket at the 5:03 mark.
• The Cardinals had the final two baskets of the quarter to take a 16-8 lead through 10 minutes.

• Julia Cavoli (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) knocked down a three 1:47 into the second quarter to cut the lead to 16-11.
• At 7:02 an Alayna McFadden (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) layup cut the Cardinal margin to three, 16-13.
• The Gophers again cut the lead to three, 18-15, on a Quarles layup with 6:02 left before halftime.
• Catholic went back up by five before another McFadden basket 4:16 before intermission made it 20-17.
• Two McFadden free throws with 3:09 on the clock cut Catholic's lead to one, 20-19.
• The guests scored the final six points of the period to take a 26-19 lead at halftime.

• Catholic scored the first five points of the second half to extend its lead to 12, 31-19.
• The Cardinals held Goucher without a field goal for the first six-plus minutes of the third to build a 38-20 lead.
• A Quarles basket at the 3:29 mark halted the scoreless streak.
• Catholic held a 46-24 lead through three quarters.

• Catholic took its larges lead, 52-29, with 6:59 remaining.
• Five straight points by McFadden slashed the Catholic advantage to 52-34 with 5:18 to play.
• A layup by Quarles at the 2:25 mark made it a 57-40 game.
• Two free throws by Quarles with 1:11 left closed out the scoring for Goucher.

• Quarles was 6-7 from the floor and 5-6 at the free throw line en route to a season-best 17 points.  She also grabbed seven rebounds.
• McFadden was 2-5 behind the arc and totaled 16 points while recording seven rebounds and five steals.
• Cavoli chipped in with five points.
• Briyah Haggins (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) grabbed eight rebounds and handed out five assists.
• Goucher shot 28.1% overall, was 3-11 behind the arc and 9-10 at the free throw line.
• The Cardinals were held to 37.3% shooting.  They were 6-23 behind the arc and 10-12 at the stripe.
• Catholic outrebounded the Gophers 50-35.
• Catholic, which is ranked No. 18 in the WBCA poll and No. 25 in the D3hoops.com Top 25, won its seventh straight game.

WBB | Briyah Haggins tracks down the long offensive rebound and gets it to Kyani Quarles for two, pulling @GoucherWBB within three in the second quarter.#d3hoops #GopherGreatness pic.twitter.com/73Q5IOPfDu

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) January 27, 2022

• Goucher plays its second straight home game on Saturday when it hosts Moravian in a 4 pm Landmark Conference game at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.
• Spectators are currently not permitted at Goucher home sporting events.