Gophers Mount Second Half Comeback, Fall at Juniata

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - The Goucher College men's basketball team erased a 14-point second half deficit to take a lead late in the second half, but host Juniata held on for a 66-59 Landmark Conference victory Wednesday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.

• The lead changed hands five times in the opening five-plus minutes before a three by Cam Isaacs (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) put Goucher (3-20, 0-13 Landmark) up 9-7 at the 14:36 mark.
• The Gophers led 16-13 with 11:30 remaining following a John Dixon (Towson, Md./Loyola Blakefield) basket before Juniata (14-10, 7-5) scored the next six points to take a 19-16 lead.
• The Eagles extended the lead to 26-20 before five straight points by Isaacs made it 26-25 with 2:09 on the clock.
• Goucher tied the game twice, the second on a Dixon basket with 27 seconds left before the break, before a late Eagle basket gave the hosts a 31-29 lead at intermission.

• Juniata scored the first nine points of the second half to go up 40-29 3:38 in.
• Baskets by Nieko White (Churchton, Md./Southern) and Dixon cut the lead to seven at the 15:41 mark.
• Goucher trailed 45-38 after a Tevin Venson (Waldorf, Md./Thomas Stone) three before the Eagles scored seven straight to build a 52-38 lead with 11:37 to go.
• The Gophers held Juniata scoreless for over seven minutes and scored 15 straight points, with a putback by Octavius Johnson (Houston, Texas/Pasadena Memorial) tying the game 52-52 with just under five minutes left.
• A Venson free throw with 4:24 left put Goucher on top 53-52.
• Juniata reclaimed the lead on a layup with 4:09 to go and went up 57-53 at the 2:41 mark.
• Josh Lichti (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) made 1-of-2 at the line with 2:13 to go to make it 57-54.
• A conventional three-point play by the Eagles made it 60-54 with 1:48 left, and Juniata went 6-8 at the free throw line in the final minute to seal the win.

• Dixon and Isaacs paced Goucher with 16 points apiece.
• Dixon went 6-9 from the floor off the bench, while Isaacs was 6-11 overall, including 2-4 from long range.
• Venson added 11 points and six rebounds, reaching double figures for the fifth time in six games.
• Lichti notched seven points, while Johnson grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with six points.
• The Gophers shot 42.3% overall and were 4-16 behind the arc and 11-22 at the free throw line.  Goucher outrebounded Juniata 33-28.
• Juniata shot 52.3% overall and went 17-26 from the charity stripe and 3-8 from long range.

MBB | This putback by Octavius Johnson capped a 14-0 @Goucher_MBB run that tied the game 52-52 in the second half.#d3hoops #GopherGreatness pic.twitter.com/laWSR02W6i

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) February 17, 2022

• Goucher closes out the season on Saturday when it heads to Drew for a 2 pm Landmark Conference tip.