Bench Makes Difference as Crusaders Slip Past Gophers

Lindsay, Yambor Finish One Rebound Shy of Double-Doubles

TOWSON, Md. — Very little went right for Goucher in tonight's Landmark Conference game against Susquehanna after Trae Lindsay (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) made a pair of free throws with 2:21 left to play, allowing the Gophers to close to within 59-58.

And from that point forward, hardly anything went wrong for the visiting Crusaders.

Goucher failed to score a single point on its next three possessions, one of which ended with the Gophers committing a shot clock violation. Susquehanna, meanwhile, went up 61-58 on a tip-in by Trevor Williamson with 1:07 showing on the clock and added four freee throws down the stretch.

The Gophers did manage to score the final two points of the contest thanks to a buzzer-beating basket by Dylan Chaney (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake), but the Crusaders still came out on top, 65-60.

The Gophers (4-12, 2-7 Landmark) were down 6-0 just 2:40 into the game, but then went on a 17-1 run that put them up 17-7 midway through the first half. A free throw by Shane Yambor (Burtonsville, Md./Paint Branch) and a pair of foul shots by Lindsay accounted for Goucher's first three points, and then Yambor knocked down a 3-point basket that reduced Susquehanna's lead to 7-6. Two more free throws by Lindsay, who was 9-of-12 at the charity stripe, put the home team ahead (8-7) for the first time with 12:48 remaining before halftime.

The Crusaders (9-11, 5-4 Landmark) had managed to score only one point on its last six possessions when Colby Giacubeno (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) landed a shot from 3-point range to extend Goucher's lead to 11-7. On the Gophers' next two possessions, Giacubeno and Yambor picked up assists by feeding Lindsay for a pair of layups.

Susquehanna ended a scoreless drought that last nearly six minutes and pulled to within 17-9 when Spenser Spencer made two free throws with 9:55 left to play in the opening period. The Crusaders regained the lead at 31-30 on two free throws by Jason Dawson with 1:54 remaining before halftime and were in front 36-32 at the break.

The Gophers took their only lead of the second half on a made 3-pointer by Giacubeno 8:08 into the period, but the Crusaders went back on top just 23 seconds later on a conventional three-point play by Rob Estep.

Three of Goucher's five starters reached double figures in points: Lindsay led the way with 17 points, Yambor added 15 and Giacubeno chipped in with 14. Lindsay and Yambor both grabbed nine rebounds, leaving both players one rebound shy of double-doubles.

Spencer, who wasn't in the starting lineup but still played 30 minutes, captured scoring honors for Susquehanna as he contributed 23 points to the victory. Including his performance, the Crusaders' bench outscored Goucher's reserves, 33-7.

After prevailing in three of the four games the two teams played prior to the formation of the Landmark Conference, the Gophers are 1-7 against the Crusaders since then.