Gophers Fall to #15 ranked Cardinals

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A strong first half propelled the No. 15 ranked Catholic University Cardinals (21-3 Overall; 14-3 Conference) to the 107-63 Landmark Conference Victory against the Goucher College Gophers (13-11 Overall; 6-11 Conference).

• The first two minutes of the contest were scoreless, which was broken by a pair of Cardinals baskets.
• Maiya Villanueva scored the first basket for the Gophers, from beyond the arc off the assist from Nia George (6:18). 
• Catholic went on a six point run, which was ended by Nia Edens and a pair of free throws by Amira Whitaker to bring Goucher within five.
• Another small run by the Cardinals was answered by a three-pointer from Whitaker (2:11). 
• Catholic led 21-11 going into the second quarter.

• Meona Boykin scored the first five points of the quarter for Goucher. 
• A 14-point Cardinals run was ended by Chi Igwe with 4:30 remaining in the half.
• Made free throws from Edens and Villanueva added points to the board for the Gophers, but it was not until a basket from George that the Gophers scored during play (1:12). 
• Ava Cox scored the final basket of the half, off an assit from Igwe.
• The Cardinals led 55-28.

• The Cardinals added the first eight points of the half before Whitaker finished a three-pointer with an assist from Briyah Haggins (7:35).
• Cox finished another basket with an assist from Haggins to end the Gophers two-minute scoreless drought.
• Just a minute later, Villanueva finishes another three to bring the score to 74-36. 
• Zion McCoy added her first points of the game with an assist from Villanueva with 2:40 remaining in the quarter, which was the final basket for the Gophers in the quarter.
• Catholic led 82-38 at the end of the quarter.

• Villanueva added the first basket of the quarter with an assist from George.
• Haggins responded to three points from Catholic with a fast break layup of the steal from Leila Townsend (7:55). 
• The teams traded points with baskets from Villanueva and Savannah Holmes. 
• Villanueva sinks another three with another assist from George with just over six minutes remaining in the game. 
• A steal from Whitaker led to another three from Villanueva, who ended the game with a made free throw.

• Villanueva led the Gophers wtih 20 points, she also recorded a rebound and a steal.
• Whitaker was the only other Gopher in double digits, recording 10 points and adding four rebounds.
• The Cardinals out-rebounded the Gophers 75-46, and tallied 15 points off the 11 turnovers. While the Gophers added 12 points from the 13 turnovers. 
• Catholic shot 45.7% on the night, going 8-25 beyond the arc, going 59.1% from the free throw line.
• Goucher shot 25.3% in the contest, going 7-20 from the three point line, and going 70% on free throws.

• The women play their final regular season game on Saturday, February 22nd against Wilkes for their senior game at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center. They are set to top off at 2pm in the first game of the double header.