Gophers Live to Regret Struggles Early On

Gophers Live to Regret Struggles Early On

Bailey Fuels Comeback Attempt with 12 Points In Reserve Role

February 15, 2009

SCRANTON, Pa. – Goucher managed just two points on its first nine possessions in today's Landmark Conference game against Scranton –and it definitely came back to haunt the Gophers.

With Goucher struggling early on, the Royals were able to jump out to a 9-2 lead which they eventually padded until it became a 23-point cushion right before the end of the first half. A little over 5:00 into the second period, Scranton assumed a 56-31 advantage on a three-point play by Eli Londo.

As they have several times before in 2008-09, the Gophers mounted a comeback. They managed to narrow the gap to as few as seven points before the Royals secured a 78-66 victory to remain tied with Susquehanna for first place in the Landmark Conference.

Pat Bailey (Rockville, Md./Magruder), who didn't even enter the contest until the Gophers (6-16, 4-9 Landmark) trailed by 25, contributed 12 points to the comeback bid. His three-point basket with 5:24 remaining had Goucher trailing by just 12 points and when his floater in the lane dropped with 3:36 showing on the clock, Scranton's lead had been reduced to single digits.

The Gophers closed to within seven points on four separate occasions in the final 2:30, the final time on Bailey's jumper in the paint with only :46 left to play. Each time, however, the Royals (18-6, 10-3 Landmark) were able to respond with a basket or some free throws to keep Goucher at bay.

Steve Musenga (Germantown, Md./Good Counsel), who provided Goucher with its only points until Shane Yambor (Burtonsville, Md./Paint Branch) made a basket with 13:50 remaining in the first half to make the score 9-4, furnished the Gophers with 13 points. Yambor finished with 12 points and Darrin Boswell (Nottingham, Md./Joppatowne) chipped in with 10 points for his 16th double-figure scoring performance of the season.

Ryan FitzPatrick and Zach Ashworth shared scoring honors for Scranton with 14 points apiece.