Furious Gopher Comeback at Moravian Comes Up Just Short

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Goucher College cut what had been a 19-point second half deficit down to one with 43.2 seconds remaining, but host Moravian University was able to hold on for a 77-75 Landmark Conference men's basketball victory Saturday afternoon at Johnston Hall.

• Goucher (3-9, 0-2 Landmark) had a 7-5 lead as it scored on its first three possessions, with Nieko White (Churchton, Md./Southern) converting a layup 2:10 into the game.
• Moravian (5-6, 1-1) used a 9-3 run over the next four minutes to build a 14-10 advantage.
• Back-to-back baskets by Josh Lichti (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) and Justin Salisbury (Churchton, Md./Southern) for the Gophers tied the game 14-14 at the 10:43 mark.
• After a Will Towne (Alexandria, Va./Deerfield Academy) three with just under eight minutes left pulled Goucher within two, 22-20, the Greyhounds scored the next nine points to build a 31-20 cushion.
• The guests scored the next six points, with two John Dixon (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) free throws making it 31-26 with 2:22 left before halftime.
• Moravian scored the final five points of the half to take a 36-26 lead to the locker room.

• Moravian opened the second half on a 10-2 run to build a 46-28 lead with 16:31 left.
• Trailing 48-30, the Gophers used a 12-3 run to halve the lead and make it 51-42 with 12:52 left on a basket by White.
• The Greyhounds pushed back, outscoring Goucher 12-2 to take a 19-point lead, 63-44, with 9:21 on the clock.
• Goucher held Moravian without a field goal for nearly three minutes and cut the lead to 12, 66-54, with just under seven minutes left on a Tevin Venson (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) dunk.
• Lichti capped a 9-0 spurt with a bank shot in the lane to make it 68-63 with 3:22 on the clock.
• With Moravian leading 76-70, Cam Isaacs (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) sank two free throws with just under a minute left to cut the lead to four.
• After an empty Greyhound trip, Lichti knocked down a pullup three with 43.2 seconds to go to cut the lead to one, 76-75.
• Goucher forced a jump ball with 15 seconds left and had the possession arrow in its favor.
• A baseline jumper by Isaacs was short and Moravian grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 1.8 seconds left.
• Alex Dietz missed the first three throw but made the second.
• Lichti got a great look at a game-winner but his three attempt rimmed out.

• Isaacs paced the Gophers with 22 points as he was 6-11 behind the arc, reaching double figures for the fifth straight game.  He also added five assists and a pair of steals.
• Lichti knocked down three of his four three-point attempts and was 5-9 from the floor en route to a season-best 15 points.  He reached double figures for the sixth straight game.
• Ryan Conde (Ewing, N.J./Solebury School) totaled eight points, five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
• Venson and Dixon each chipped in with seven points.
• Octavius Johnson (Houston, Texas/Pasadena Memorial) grabbed nine rebounds in his first action since December 11.
• Goucher was 9-17 behind the arc in the second half and 12-29 for the game while shooting 40.3% overall.
• Moravian, which outrebounded the Gophers 41-29, shot 52.8% overall and was 7-14 from long range.
• The Greyhounds were 14-20 at the free throw line while Goucher went 9-16 at the stripe.
• Goucher had just five turnovers in the game, tying a program record set against Gordon for 2013 for fewest in a game.

MBB | Josh Lichti cut the @Goucher_MBB deficit to one on this pullup three with 43.2 seconds left.#d3hoops #GopherGreatness pic.twitter.com/llsn1beNfc

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) January 8, 2022

• Goucher returns home Wednesday night to face Juniata in a 7 pm Landmark Conference contest.  Spectators are currently not permitted at Goucher home games but the game can be seen on the Landmark Digital Network.