Royals Hang On to First Place with 73-64 Victory

Gophers Break Single-Game School Record with 12 Blocked Shots

SCRANTON, Pa. — Despite a 23-point performance by freshman guard Colby Giacubeno (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall), Goucher fell to 0-8 all-time against Scranton when the Royals turned back the Gophers, 73-64, in Landmark Conference action tonight.

Giacubeno tallied 16 points by going 5-for-8 from the field, including a perfect 3-for-3 on 3-point shots, and making all three of his free-throw attempts in the first half, which ended with Goucher up 35-32. The Royals (15-4, 8-2 Landmark) scored the first seven points of the contest and enjoyed a 16-8 lead after nine minutes, but the Gophers went ahead for the first time (17-16)  on a layup by Giacubeno with 9:17 left to play before halftime.

Although Goucher got on the scoreboard first in the second half thanks to a medium-range jumper by Giacubeno, the Royals countered with a 12-2 run during which they took the lead for good on a free throw by Matt Swaback that snapped a 39-39 tie. The Gophers fell behind by 10 points for the first time on a layup by Zach Ashworth that made the score 58-48 with 6:07 remaining.

Thanks to a pair of free throws with :25 showing on the clock, Ashworth was able to match Giacubeno's 23-point output.

Shane Yambor (Burtonsville, Md./Paint Branch) furnished the Gophers (4-13, 2-8 Landmark) with 16 points. Trae Lindsay (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) added 10 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double overall and second against Scranton this season.

By blocking four of Scranton's shots, Lindsay also became the first player in the history of Goucher's men's basketball program with 40 blocks in a season. As a team, the Gophers rejected 12 shots tonight, breaking the single-game school record of 11 blocked shots established against Marymount on Feb. 12, 1996, and equaled against St. Mary's (Md.) on Jan. 9, 2002.

The Gophers shot 44.9 percent from the field (22-for-49), made a season-high nine 3-point shots and out-rebounded Scranton, 40-34, but their 26 turnovers was only one shy of their season-high. The Royals, who occupy first place in the Landmark Conference, a game ahead of Drew, turned the ball over only nine times.