Drew Holds Off Late Gopher Push

MADISON, N.J. - Visiting Goucher College whittled a 15-point deficit down to five late in the second half, but Drew University was able to hold on for a 69-61 Landmark Conference women's basketball win Saturday afternoon at Baldwin Gymnasium.

• Drew (16-7, 6-6 Landmark) staked itself to a 12-3 lead six minutes into the game.
• Goucher (3-20, 0-12) used a 6-2 spurt to cut the lead to five on a putback by Alexis Kuhlman (Mount Airy, Md./Herndon) with 27 seconds to go in the quarter.
• A late jumper by Julia Cavoli (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) made it 16-11 at the end of the first.

• The Gophers cut the lead to three on a basket by Kyla Smith (Easton, Pa./Easton) 1:27 into the second.
• Leading 20-15 with 3:45 left following a Goucher basket by Kendra Lawrence (Hackensack, N.J./Immaculate Conception), the Rangers closed the half on a 9-0 run and took a 29-15 lead into halftime.

• Drew took its largest lead, 35-20, midway through the third.
• A quick 5-0 spurt by Goucher cut the lead to 10, 35-25, on a Smith basket with 3:41 on the clock.
• The Gophers scored the last five points of the third and a three by Alayna McFadden (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) with six seconds to go moved the Ranger lead back to single digits, 42-34.

• Goucher cut the lead to seven three times, with two free throws by Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) with 6:05 remaining making it 50-43.
• The hosts scored the next five points to push the lead to 12 just shy of the five-minute mark.
• Down 60-49 with 2:18 on the clock a five-point Gopher spurt capped by a conventional three-point play by Quarles made it 60-54 with 1:06 to go.
• After Drew sank two free throws, Smith knocked down a three with 49 seconds left to make the score 62-57.
• The Rangers sealed the win by going 7-8 at the free throw line the rest of the way.

• McFadden led the Gophers with a season-high 16 points, going 7-16 from the floor.  She also grabbed five rebounds and has three assists.
• McFadden, a fifth year senior who reached double figures for the second straight game, now needs 16 points for 1,000 for her career.
• Kuhlman finished 3-6 from three and 6-11 overall and totaled 15 points while adding six rebounds and three assists.
• Smith reached double figures for the 12th straight game and 21st time in 22 games, recording 14 points and four assists.
• Quarles registered seven points and 13 rebounds, while Lawrence also scored seven points.
• Goucher outrebounded Drew 45-34.  The Gophers shot 35.7% overall, 6-23 from three and 5-9 at the free throw line.
• The Rangers shot 43.8% from the floor, 4-15 behind the arc and 23-31 at the free throw line.

• Goucher hits the road for the final time this season Wednesday, traveling to Susquehanna for a 7 pm Landmark Conference contest.
• The Gophers close out the season next Saturday, February 18, hosting Elizabethtown for Senior Day at 2 pm at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.