Fresh Start in 2016: Gophers Turn Back Mighty Macs

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher extended its series record to 3-0 over Immaculata with a 71-46 win this afternoon in the Gophers' first game of the New Year.

The last meeting between the two dated back to the 1994-95 season.

A steal by Jaida Scarborough (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor) — finished with a layup by Briana Bull (Baltimore, Md./Owings Mills) — in the opening minute and a half of play foreshadowed the tempo that head coach Patrick Daniel's squad would play over the course of the contest.

Leading 10-4 midway through the first quarter, the Gophers (5-6) went on a 9-3 run to extend their lead to 12. Two 3-point shots by Reilly Larkin — who finished with 27 points— cut into Goucher's lead, but the home team held a 21-16 advantage after the opening 10 minutes of play.

The Mighty Macs (2-8) kept it close in the second quarter as Dia Veneziano knocked down a pair of free-throws with 7:36 on the clock to, once again, trail by five. Moments later, the Gophers took a 31-21 lead as India Perkins (Brentwood, Md./Bladensburg) knocked down a jumper and the defense cashed in back-to-back steals for four points.

Goucher took a 38-28 lead into the locker room at the half.

The Gophers came out firing in the third quarter, and never looked back, as Scarborough started and finished a Goucher 15-0 run by sinking a mid-range jumper.

A stellar game from the junior guard, as she [Scarborough] finished with 14 points, nine assists, and eight of the team's 22 total steals — a new team season-high.

Goucher's largest lead of the game (28) came off a jumper from Hannah Kuehl (Plymouth, N.H./Plymouth Regional) with 5:18 remaining in regulation. From there, the Gophers held onto the ball offensively and cruised to victory.

Bull scored 25 points, her third-highest total on the season, for the blue and gold.

Kuehl added 12 rebounds in an eight-point showing as Perkins finished the day with 10 points and six boards.

In her first game since returning home from studying abroad in Paris, Olivia Nono (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) tallied six points and had four defensive rebounds.

"It's great to be home and to pick up a much needed win," Daniel's commented after the game. "We made some adjustments, offensively and defensively, and I'm really proud of how the team responded to them."

"Starting off 2016 with a win is something that we look forward to building on over the course of the season. It starts with Juniata, at home, on Tuesday night."

Goucher returns to Landmark Conference action this Tuesday as it welcomes Juniata to the Decker Sports & Recreation Center Arena for a 7 p.m. tip-off.