Block by Cotton, Basket by Brooks Lead to First Landmark Win

Parker Contributes Career-High 19 Points to 66-64 Victory

TOWSON, Md. — A running one-handed floater by Damon Brooks (Takoma Park, Md./Springbrook) provided Goucher with a two-point lead over Drew tonight, but before the Gophers could celebrate their first Landmark Conference victory of the season, there was the matter of the 5.6 seconds still showing on the clock.

Without taking a timeout, the Rangers inbounded the ball and quickly advanced it into the frontcourt where Asmar Capers got a good look from 3-point range and his potential game-winning shot caught iron, but wouldn't go down, preserving a 66-64 victory for head coach Leonard Trevino's squad.

Nearly as crucial to the victory as the basket by Brooks which snapped a 64-64 tie was a defensive play by Marcus Cotton (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) on Drew's preceding possession. Capers made a move to the basket and for a moment appeared to have a clear path for a layup, but Cotton got there in plenty of time to block Capers' shot and Brooks grabbed the defensive rebound.

The Gophers (4-17, 1-10 Landmark) were only 8-for-33 from the field in the first half (.242) and trailed 39-28 after 20 minutes.

Troy Parker Jr. (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill) opened the scoring in the second half by knocking down a 3-point basket that reduced Drew's lead to 39-31. The Gophers caught the Rangers (5-17, 3-8 Landmark) on a free throw by Cotton that tied the score at 46-46 with 11:56 remaining and went ahead for the first time since the opening four minutes of the contest on a free throw by Trae Lindsay (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) that made it 49-48 with 10:47 left to play.

Parker's conventional three-point play with 4:19 remaining turned a one-point deficit into a 61-59 lead for Goucher. Then, after a layup by Capers created a 61-61 tie, Parker connected from 3-point range to put the Gophers up 64-61 with 2:05 showing on the clock.

Dara McKeon's 3-pointer erased Goucher's three-point lead with 1:26 remaining.

Parker, who had never scored as many as 10 points in a game before a 13-point performance last night against the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, contributed 19 points to the victory, which evened the all-time series between the two schools at five wins apiece. He shared scoring honors for the Gophers with Lindsay, who, in addition to scoring 19 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, the most by a Goucher player since Garrett Smith collected 17 rebounds in a game against St. Mary's (Md.) on Feb. 16, 2005.

Brooks finished with 11 points.

Terrell Brown was the leading scorer for Drew with 23 points.

Goucher's bench outscored the five reserves who saw action for the Rangers, 24-9.