Comeback Bid Comes Up Just Short, as Men's Basketball Falls to Susquehanna

Box Score

TOWSON, Md. - Two Goucher College men's basketball players combined to shoot 14 for 23, (7 of 10 from behind the arc) for a combined 37 points, but the Gophers still fell to visiting Susquehanna, 85-72, at the Decker Sports & Recreation Center Saturday afternoon in Landmark Conference action.

Steller games by senior Elliott Wiley (Baltimore, Md.) (8-for-12, 20 points, 7 rebounds) and sophomore Dwayne Morton (Waynesville, Mo.) (6-for-11, 17 points and 3 rebounds) weren't enough, as the Gophers fell behind early, and were forced to play catchup throughout the remainder of the game.

The loss dropped Goucher to 0-20 for the season, and 0-10 in Landmark Conference play. The visiting River Hawks improved to 7-13, 4-6 in the conference.

Susquehanna raced to an early 18-4 lead In the first few minutes of the contest before the Gophers combined tough defense with a few timely breaks to go on a 12-3 run, and cut the lead to 5, with 7 minutes left in the first half (21-16). Both teams traded baskets for the next several minutes, and a basket by first-year John Baker (Cumberland Valley, Pa.) (5 points on 2 for 2 shooting) made it a 6 point game with one minute left in the first half (34-28).

However, Susquehanna scored the final four points of the first period to take a 10 point lead into the locker room at the half, 38-28.

An early run in the second half cut into the Susquehanna lead, and a Morton 3-pointer made the score 43-38, at the 14-minute mark. A three-pointer by junior Gabe Ceribelli (Monkton, Md.) (9 points, 4 for 4 at the line) three-pointer, followed by a Morton layup cut the lead to 4, 47-43, with 13 minutes to play.

However, the Goucher comeback ran out of steam, as the River Hawks went on a 14-2 run to break the game open. Free throws by Ceribelli and a Wiley three-pointer with 4 minutes left got the deficit back into single digits (71-64), but Susquehanna's Tyler Hoagland (career-high 22 points) hit all 13 of his free throw attempts, including 8 in the last five minutes of the game, to put the game away.

On the day, Wiley once again hit double-figures in a contest, something he has done in all 10 games he has played in on the year. It also marked the fourth time on the year he had scored at least 20 points in a game.

Rounding out the top performances on the day for Goucher were first-year Jacob Smith (Callaway, Va.), who finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. 

The Goucher men's basketball team returns to action Wednesday, with a 7:00 pm tip-off at Moravian in Landmark Conference play.

--GOPHERS--