Smith's Late Basket Pushes Gophers Past Neumann in Renie Amoss Tip-Off Opener
November 11, 2022
TOWSON, Md. - Graduate student Kyla Smith (Easton, Pa./Easton) poured in 28 points, including the go-ahead basket with 6.8 seconds remaining, as the Goucher College women's basketball team recorded a 63-60 victory over Neumann University in the first round of the Renie Amoss Tip-Off Classic Friday evening at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.a
- Trailing 7-6 early, Goucher (1-1) used a 6-0 spurt capped by a basket by Julia Cavoli (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) to put the Gophers up 12-7 just past the midway point of the first half.
- Neumann (0-2) countered with an 8-2 spurt to go up 15-14 with 3:16 to go.
- A basket by Darby Sherman (Neptune, N.J./St. Rose) with 2:12 left put Goucher up 18-15 and the hosts held an 18-17 lead through 10 minutes.
- The two teams traded the lead three times over the opening minutes of the second and a Smith free throw with 5:43 on the clock tied the game 25-25.
- The Knights extended their lead to 30-25 3:30 before intermission.
- Goucher trailed 36-29 with 1:16 left but Claire Flynn (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) and Smith hit threes in the final minute to cut the lead to one, 36-35, at the break.
- Goucher retook the lead on two free throws by Smith 3:16 into the third quarter that made it 39-38.
- The lead changed hands three times before a 6-0 spurt by Neumann put the guests in front 46-41 with 2:33 on the clock.
- A Cavoli triple with 2:09 on the clock cut the lead to 46-44, but the Knights carried a 48-44 lead into the final frame.
- A layup by Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) just over a minute in made it 48-47.
- Goucher tied the game 53-53 with 3:55 to go on a Quarles free throw.
- After Neumann retook the lead on its next possession, the Gophers countered with a Flynn basket to force another tie with 3:28 left.
- Five straight points by the guests gave them a 60-55 lead with 2:29 left.
- Smith went 1-2 at the line on two straight trips to cut the lead to 60-57 with just over two minutes on the clock.
- Coming off a Neumann turnover, Briyah Haggins (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) knocked down a basket with 17 seconds left to cut the lead to one, 60-59.
- Goucher gave a foul, and after two missed free throws, Smith grabbed the rebound.
- After the hosts advanced the ball on a timeout, Smith converted a layup and drew contact with 6.8 seconds to go to put the Gophers in the lead for the first time in the fourth.
- Smith missed the free throw, but after grabbing the rebound the Knights turned it over.
- Smith was fouled with 0.5 seconds left and sank both free throws to account for the final.
- Smith totaled 28 points on 8-18 shooting in her Goucher debut after she missed Tuesday's season opener. She also added five rebounds and three assists.
- Quarles registered a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, going 6-9 from the floor and 3-5 at the line.
- Flynn finished with seven points.
- Goucher shot 40.4% overall and was 13-22 at the free throw line and 4-19 from long range.
- The Gophers took 11 more trips to the free throw line, as Neumann was 4-11 at the stripe while shooting 43.1% overall and 6-23 from three.
- Both teams grabbed 38 rebounds.
- The game saw eight ties and 14 lead changes with neither team leading by more than seven.
- The win marked the first win at Goucher and first NCAA victory for first-year head coach Joya Whittington.
WBB: Kyla Smith draws the foul and gets two with 6.8 seconds left to put @GoucherWBB in front as the Gophers win 63-60!#d3hoops #GopherGreatness #GoucherProud pic.twitter.com/75ccSXGLdT
— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) November 12, 2022
- Goucher wraps up the Renie Amoss Tip-Off Classic on Saturday when it takes on Arcadia at 4:30 pm at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.