Gophers Tripped Up by Rangers in Landmark Opener

TOWSON, Md. - Visiting Drew University placed five players in double figures as it bested Goucher College 81-56 in the Landmark Conference men's basketball opener for both schools Saturday afternoon at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

• Goucher (2-5, 0-1 Landmark) took a 4-2 lead 2:13 into the game following a basket by Ryan Conde (Ewing, N.J./Solebury School)
• Drew (3-4, 1-0 Landmark) scored 10 straight points to take a 12-4 lead just over five minutes in following a three by Michael Kane.
• The Rangers took their largest lead of the first half, 27-10, just past the halfway point of the period.
• The Gophers used an 8-0 run capped by a Sean Powell (Middle River, Md./Loch Raven) basket at the 8:20 mark to pull within nine, 27-18.
• A rebound and coast-to-coast layup by John Dixon (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) with just over six minutes left cut Drew's lead to eight, 30-22.
• Drew led 34-24 at halftime.

• Drew outscored Goucher 14-4 over the first three minutes of the second half to double its lead, 48-28.
• The Gophers chipped away over the next five minutes and a Powell basket with 12:07 left whittled the lead to 13, 56-43.
• The Rangers salted the game away with a 18-5 run to build a 74-45 advantage with just over six minutes to go.
• Josh Lichti (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) scored nine of his 11 points in the second half for Goucher.

• Dixon led Goucher with 14 points on 6-13 shooting, a career best for the freshman and his second-straight double digit scoring effort.
• Lichti was 5-10 from the floor and registered a double-double with 11 rebounds.  His 11 rebounds were a career-high.
• Cam Isaacs (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) finished with eight points, while Powell contributed six points off the bench.
• Drew shot 52.5% for the game and knocked down 10 of its 25 three point attempts.
• The Gophers shot 44% in the second half and 36.2% for the game and were 4-16 behind the arc.
• The Rangers outrebounded the Gophers 44-32.
• Goucher won the turnover battle, forcing 18 Drew giveaways while its 11 turnovers were its second-lowest total of the season.

MBB | John Dixon grabs the rebound and goes-coast-to-coast for the layup in the first half for @Goucher_MBB #d3hoops #GopherGreatness pic.twitter.com/pr9oLHzKAn

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) December 4, 2021

• Goucher is away from home for its next eight games, starting on Wednesday, December 8 when it travels to Gallaudet for a 7 pm non-conference contest.
• The Gophers return home Saturday, January 15 when they host Scranton in a 2 pm Landmark Conference contest at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.