Williams' 28 Points And Clutch Free Throw Shooting Down The Stretch Propels Goucher Women's Basketball Past Juniata, 71-67

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Jorryn Avery (Glen Burnie, Md./Severn School), Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) and Anise Williams (West Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School) combined to go 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the final three minutes and 14 seconds to seal a 71-67 victory against Juniata College in Landmark Conference women's basketball action on Wednesday.

Quarles made two free throws with 4:56 left in the third quarter to give the visitors the lead for good and used a 17-8 run to take a 57-46 advantage with 8:41 remaining in the contest thanks to six points by Williams. The Eagles then cut the margin to 61-59 with 3:33 on the clock after answering with a 13-4 run. The tilt then became a free throw contest with 14 of the final 18 points coming at stripe.

The trio of Avery, Quarles and Williams made both of their free throws when they had their chance at the line. Avery started the streak at 3:14 before Quarles sank a pair at 2:38 and Avery hit two more with 33 ticks on the clock. Williams then made the final four at the line with 26 seconds left and sealed the win with two charity tosses with 17 seconds remaining for a four-point victory.

Williams paced the Gophers with 28 points, nine rebounds, six steals and two blocks. The sophomore connected on 7-for-13 from the floor, 1 of 2 from behind the arc and 13 of 15 from the free throw line on her way to establish a new conference career high after registering 27 points at Susquehanna University on January 11. She finished just one point shy of her overall career high of 29 points at Notre Dame of Maryland University on November 26. The sophomore matched a career high with 13 free throws and has made 10 of more freebies three times in her last eight games.

Williams has registered 20 points in a game six times this season and the squad is 3-3 in those games while she has 10 games with at least 20 points in her career. She is now 27 points away from becoming the 16th player in program history with 700 points. Williams has recorded nine rebounds in back-to-back games and nine boards or more five times this season and nine times in her career. Ranking in the Top-15 in the country in steals, she has posted six or more steals four times in 2019-20 and on 10 occasions in her career.

Quarles finished the game with her fifth double-double of the season after notching 16 points and 10 rebounds. The freshman went 6-for-9 from the floor and 4 of 4 from the free throw line on her way to her ninth double-figure performance in her freshman campaign and the fifth in her last seven games. It marks the seventh time this season she has grabbed at 10 boards and she is averaging 12.7 rebounds per game in her last three tilts.

Avery matched her career best of 15 points she established against Catholic on February 13, 2019. It is the seventh time in her career she has recorded double digits in points and has recorded 10+ points in consecutive games for the second time in her career. Avery is averaging 14.5 points per game in her last two games.

Goucher took the lead three times in the first quarter before going into the second quarter tied at 18. The Gophers then took the advantage three times in the second quarter with Shelby Apostol (Oxnard, Calif./Saint Bonaventure) drilling a jump shot with 47 seconds left to give the visitors a 29-28 lead going into the locker room.

Goucher then took the lead three more times in the third quarter, but two free throws by Quarles with 4:56 left handed the Gophers the lead they would not relinquish and the Gophers finished off the win at the free throw line.

Alayna McFadden (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) posted seven points, eight rebounds and four steals for Goucher to conclude an 11-game losing streak with the team's first victory since a 64-52 win against St. Mary's on December 1.

With the win, the Gophers ended a 50-game Landmark Conference losing streak and notched their first win since a 75-54 decision against the United States Merchant Marines Academy on February 20, 2016. It also ended a 55-game conference road losing streak since taking down the United States Merchant Marines on the road on January 30, 2016.

Goucher returns to action on Saturday at Drew University. Game time is 4 p.m.