Extended Drought Costs Goucher in Loss to Drew

TOWSON, Md. — For the first 32 minutes of tonight's game against Drew, everything was going smoothly for Goucher. A 3-pointer from Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie) gave the Gophers a 52-38 advantage with 8:09 left to play.

Unfortunately, that would be the last field goal Goucher made for over 11 minutes. The drought allowed Drew to take the game to overtime with the score leveled at 53. While a thrilling last-second long ball from Huff kept the Gophers alive and brought the game to a second extra session, the Rangers would ultimately complete their comeback with a 68-66 victory in double-overtime.

A pair of free throws from Courtney Stephens with 1:43 remaining would turn out to be the winning points for Drew (12-11, 5-7 Landmark). Huff had a chance to win it for Goucher (6-16, 2-10) at the end, but her 3-pointer fell short at the buzzer.

Amaka Ezeani (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) had a night to remember in the defeat, finishing with 26 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive end. She also set a new career-best with six blocks. Ezeani hit 12 of her 22 attempts from the floor.

Huff added 21 points and six boards for the Gophers. Fifteen of those points came from long distance, and she has now made at least five 3-pointers in a game in five of Goucher's last eight contests, shooting 51 percent from beyond the arc during that span.

The Gophers led by as many as 12 points in the first half, though Drew would cut the deficit to 31-25 heading into the intermission. Goucher scored the first six points after the break, and its 14-point lead with 8:09 left was the largest of the game.

Eight turnovers in the final eight minutes haunted the Gophers, and they missed all seven shots during that stretch. A jumper from Hannah Miller with 51 seconds left on the clock tied the game at 53, and neither squad scored again in regulation.

In overtime, the Rangers led 61-57 with 24 seconds remaining. Ezeani responded with a layup, and Drew's Breana Wilson, who had made eight of her first nine free throws to start the game, hit only 1 of 2 to give Goucher an opportunity to tie. Huff delivered, swishing a 3-pointer from the corner with three seconds left.

The Gophers never led in either extra session, however. Monique Welch (Reisterstown, Md./Franklin) tied the score at 66 after converting a layup with just under two minutes to play. After Stephens made her free throws, Goucher missed three field goals and a pair of free throws in its last three possessions.

Wilson led the Rangers with 17 points and seven rebounds. Stephens added eight points, 14 boards and five assists.

The Gophers close out the home portion of their schedule with a 7 p.m. matchup against Catholic on Wednesday. Goucher will honor seniors Huff and Precious Kollock (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) prior to the start of the contest.