Gophers Nipped in OT by Blue Jays

TOWSON, Md. - Visiting Elizabethtown College scored the final eight points in overtime as it recorded a 79-78 Landmark Conference men's basketball victory over Goucher College Wednesday evening at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

• The game was tied three times early before a 5-0 Goucher (3-16, 0-9 Landmark) spurt capped by a Tevin Venson (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) basket at the 14:27 mark.
• Elizabethtown (7-11, 2-6) scored the next five points before the Gophers reclaimed the lead on a Thomas Lewis (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) triple with 13:11 on the clock.
• The Blue Jays scored the game's next 11 points to build a 23-14 lead just past the midway point of the half.
• Goucher countered with a 7-2 spurt and trailed 25-21 with 6:28 to go on a Cam Isaacs (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) basket.
• Etown pushed the lead back to eight, 33-25, on a Dylan Rowe basket 1:37 before the break.
• An Isaacs three and a Venson layup right before the halftime horn cut the guests' lead to four, 34-30, at the break.

• Goucher opened the second half on an 8-0 run and back-to-back threes by Isaacs and Venson put the Gophers on top 38-34 just over a minute in.
• Etown responded with the next seven points to take a 41-38 lead.
• The lead changed hands seven times before a 7-2 spurt capped by a basket by John Dixon (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) made it 54-50 in favor of the Gophers with 10:44 left.
• A Dixon three with 7:43 on the clock gave Goucher a seven-point cushion, 59-52.
• Eight straight points by the Blue Jays put them back in front with 4:54 left, before a basket by Isaacs 20 seconds later put the hosts on top.
• Trailing 64-62, Venson converted a layup with 1:10 left to forge a 64-64 tie.
• On the other end, a layup was blocked by Will Towne (Alexandria, Va./Deerfield Academy) and another Venson basket just beating the shot clock with 16.8 seconds left put Goucher up 66-64.
• A Dylan Rowe basket with 0.9 seconds remaining tied the game 66-66 and a half-court heave by the Gophers was long.

• With the game tied 69-69, seven straight points by Goucher capped by a White layup put the hosts up 76-69 with 1:46 left.
• After an Etown three, a basket by Venson made it 78-72 with 1:12 to go.
• The Blue Jays reeled off seven straight points and a three by Jalin Robinson from the left corner with 28 seconds left put the guests up 79-78.
• Venson got a driving look as the clock ran down but it was off the mark.

• Venson set a career-high in scoring for the second straight game, registering 27 points on 10-19 shooting and 6-8 from the free throw line.  He also grabbed seven rebounds.
• Isaacs was 8-15 from the floor and tallied 19 points.
• White was 4-5 and added nine points off the bench, while Josh Lichti (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) totaled seven points and five rebounds.
• Goucher, which outrebounded the Blue Jays 37-34, shot 44.8% overall, was 9-29 behind the arc and 9-14 at the free throw line.
• Etown finished at 47.5% overall and 17-22 at the stripe while going 6-19 behind the arc.
• The game featured 13 ties and 19 lead changes.
• Wednesday was Goucher's first overtime game since January 23, 2019 against Catholic.

MBB | Tevin Venson beats the first-half buzzer with the lay-in for @Goucher_MBB. Gophers trail Elizabethtown 34-30 at halftime. #d3hoops #GopherGreatness pic.twitter.com/VliJ0HgvkQ

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) February 3, 2022

• Goucher is back in action Saturday when it travels to Scranton for a 2 pm Landmark Conference contest.
• The Gophers return home on Wednesday, February 9, as they host Catholic in a 7 pm contest at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.  Spectators are currently not permitted at Goucher home athletic events.