Missed FT Keeps Gophers from Catching Greyhounds

Perry Turns In Second 24-Point Performance of 2009-10 Season

TOWSON, Md. — Goucher's fate in tonight's Landmark Conference game against Moravian came down to two free-throw attempts by Micah Perry (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) with :00.2 showing on the clock. If he makes them both, the Gophers and Greyhounds are almost certainly headed for overtime tied at 51.

Perry, who was fouled near midcourt 1.8 seconds after Eric Weaver put the Greyhounds ahead 51-49 by knocking down two foul shots, made the first, giving him a game-high 24 points. The second one, however, wouldn't go down, leaving the Gophers one point short on the scoreboard, 51-50.

To be in a position to win at the end and avenge a 20-point loss to the Gophers earlier this season, the Greyhounds (7-16, 3-9 Landmark) had to overcome a nine-point deficit with 6:42 remaining. They did by scoring 10 straight points, taking a 47-46 lead on a layup by Blake English with 1:53 left to play.

After a free throw by Perry created a 47-47 deadlock, Moravian regained the lead on a dunk by English that was set up by Nnamdi Njoku with :41 remaining. But the Gophers (7-16, 5-8 Landmark) came back again, tying the score at 49 on an offensive rebound and basket by Reggie Suggs (Baltimore, Md./Walbrook) with :29 left to play.

Six points was the biggest lead either team enjoyed throughout the first half, and only because Kyle Gladden (Baltimore, Md./Lansdowne) latched onto an offensive rebound and just beat the buzzer to score did the Gophers exit the court at halftime up by two, 28-26.

Steve Musenga (Germantown, Md./Good Counsel) bunched all six of his points into a 10-0 run by the Gophers in the second half that started with Moravian leading 31-30. By the time Musenga canned a pair of free throws with 10:20 left to play, Goucher had gone in front 40-31.

Perry, who matched his season-high for points in a game tonight, was 5-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-6 on three-point tries, for a total of 14 points in the first half. To go along with his 24 points, the junior guard grabbed four rebounds, handed out three assists, made three steals, blocked a shot and committed only one turnover while playing a total of 36 minutes.