Moravian Outlasts Men’s Basketball, 71-61, in Landmark Conference Action

Box Score

TOWSON, Md - Three Goucher College men's basketball players scored in double-figures, but it wasn't enough, as visiting Moravian used a rally in the second half to pull away from the host Gophers, 71-61, inside the Decker Sports & Recreation Center in Landmark Conference play on Wednesday night.

With the loss, Goucher dropped to 0-17 on the year and 0-7 in the Landmark Conference. Moravian improved to 12-6 overall and 4-3 in the Landmark with the 10-point win

In the opening frame of the contest, both teams came out strong defensively, as Moravian was able to hold a lead for the majority of the half. The Greyhounds took their biggest lead of the night with 6:26 left in the period, going up 24-14 on the Gophers.

Here, Goucher rallied, as over the next four minutes of play, a 13-4 Gopher run sliced the Moravian lead down to one point (28-27) with two minutes left in the period. But, Moravian was able to hold off Goucher over the final moments of the first period, as they held a 34-29 lead at intermission.

Things remained close between the teams to start the second half, as Goucher quickly cut the Moravian lead back down to one point after scoring the first four points of the second period (34-33).

But, once again, Moravian kept Goucher from taking the lead, as a 10-0 spurt extended their lead out to 43-33 with 13 minutes left. This proved to be a critical run in the contest, as the closest Goucher came to the Moravian lead the rest of the night was four points (47-43 with 8:59 left).

Up by five (49-44 with 7:44 left), Moravian went on another run that essentially put Goucher away, as a 7-1 rally put the Greyhounds in the lead for good at 56-46 with 5:44 left.

From there, the closest the Gophers came to the lead was seven points (56-49), as the visiting Greyhounds held a double-digit lead for almost the rest of regulation before taking the game by 10 points.

Overall on the night for the Gophers, senior guard Elliott Wiley (Baltimore, Md.) once again led the way in the scoring column, tallying 17 points, while grabbing 13 rebounds to record a double-double. Wiley has now scored in double-figures in all nine games he has played in on the year, as his 13-rebound effort was a career-best. The double-double was also Wiley's third of the year, as well.

Elsewhere, first-year Jacob Smith (Callaway, Va.) also had a double-double on the night, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double was the first of Smith's career at Goucher, while it also marked the third-straight game he has pulled down double-digit rebounds, and the seventh time he has scored in double-figures for the year.

Rounding out the double-digit scorers on the night for Goucher was sophomore guard Dwayne Morton (Waynesville, Mo.), who finished with 12 points.

Moravian was led in the win by Oneil Holder, who finished with 33 points.

The Goucher College men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Drew for a Landmark Conference road tilt. Action gets underway at 2 p.m.

--GOPHERS--