Gophers Fall to Susquehanna in Landmark Tourney Debut

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Gophers Fall to Susquehanna in Landmark Tourney Debut
February 20, 2024

SELINSGROVE, Pa. - Third-seeded Susquehanna University never trailed as it scored the game's first seven points and opened a 40-18 halftime lead en route to an 85-59 win over No. 6 seed Goucher College in the first round of the 2024 Landmark Conference Men's Basketball Championship.  The Gophers were making their Landmark playoff debut.

First Half

  • Susquehanna (16-10) scored the game's first seven points before Jacob Morgan got Goucher (10-16) on the board just over three minutes into the game.
  • The River Hawks extended their early lead to 23-6 with 11 minutes to go following a three-pointer.
  • The Gophers held SU scoreless for three minutes and a Morgan basket and a Liech Kong layup cut the lead to 23-10 with 7:57 on the clock.
  • Susquehanna took its largest lead of the first half, 35-12, on a three with 1:43 to go and took a 40-18 lead into intermission.

Second Half

  • After falling behind by 27 early in the second half, Goucher chipped away and a Darrell Green three three minutes into the second half made it a 47-28 game.
  • An 11-4 River Hawk run upped the hosts' lead to 58-32 with 12:39 on the clock.
  • Two Morgan free throws with 8:34 remaining cut the lead to 19, 63-44, capping a 12-5 Goucher spurt, but the Gophers got no closer.

Numbers and Notes

  • Morgan led Goucher with 22 points on 9-16 shooting, reaching double figures in scoring for the 10th straight game and scoring at least 20 for the fourth time this season and second straight game.
  • Morgan also registered five rebounds and three steals.
  • Green knocked down a pair of three pointers and finished with 13 points as he reached double figures for the third game in a row and eighth time in nine games.
  • Jaden Workman also finished with seven points.
  • Brandon Joseph grabbed 10 rebounds and had a pair of steals.
  • Goucher shot 36.9% for the game and finished 4-28 behind the arc, including 0-11 in the first half. The Gophers converted seven of their 11 free throw attempts.
  • Susquehanna, which outrebounded Goucher 43-37, shot 50% overall, was 9-19 behind the arc and 8-18 at the free throw line.
  • Goucher was making its first-ever appearance in the Landmark Conference tournament.  Goucher is a founding member of the conference that began play in 2007-08.
  • The Gophers finished with 10 wins for the first time since 2015-16 and its eight Landmark Conference victories are a program record.
  • Goucher improved its win total by seven from a season ago under first year head coach Justin Klingman, as it went 3-21 in 2022-23.
  • Susquehanna advances to Thursday's semifinals as it heads to second-seeded Drew University.