Smith Scores 38, Gophers Win Big at Lycoming to Close Out 2022

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Graduate student Kyla Smith (Easton, Pa./Easton) of the Goucher College women's basketball team poured in a Hoops for Hounds Tournament-record 38 points to propel the Gophers to a 77-57 win over host Lycoming College at Lamade Gymnasium Friday afternoon.  It marked the final non-conference game of the season for the Gophers.

• The lead changed hands six times in the first five minutes before Lycoming (4-8) eked out an 11-7 lead with 4:20 left in the opening frame.
• Smith knocked down a three for Goucher (3-9) with 3:28 to go to cut the lead to 11-10.
• The Warriors held a 16-13 lead through 10 minutes of action.

• Lycoming extended its lead to five, 18-13, 28 seconds into the second.
• The Gophers cut the lead to one, 18-17, on a basket by Sydney Nwuli (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) 1:10 into the frame.
• Down 22-18, Goucher used a 6-0 run capped by a Smith basket to go up 24-22 5:14 before intermission.
• The hosts countered with the next five points to take a 27-24 lead with 4:42 on the clock.
• Goucher held the Warriors scoreless the rest of the half and nine straight points by Smith put the guests in front 33-27 at the break.

• Goucher and Lycoming traded three-pointers in the opening minutes of the second half, with a triple by Alexis Kuhlman (Mount Airy, Md./Herndon) putting Goucher up 39-33 with 5:31 on the clock.
• Smith knocked down back-to-back threes 45 seconds apart to extend the Goucher lead to a dozen, 47-35, with 3:05 left.
• A basket by Kuhlman with 25 seconds to go put the Gophers in front 51-38, and Goucher took a 51-40 lead to the final frame.

• Lycoming got the lead down to 10, 55-45, just over a minute into the quarter.
• An 11-4 Goucher run capped by a three by Smith increased the Gopher lead to 66-49 with 5:43 on the clock.
• The Warriors worked the lead down to 14, 69-55, with 2:34 left following three free throws but got no closer as Goucher closed the game on an 8-2 run.

• Smith finished 14-27 from the floor and 7-15 behind the arc en route to her 38-point effort.  Smith's single-game total is tied for the 10th-most points in a single game in program history (eighth-highest in NCAA era).
• Smith had a career-best 43 points earlier this season against Stevenson.
• Smith's seven threes are one shy of the single-game program record of eight set by Jessica Young in 2001.
• Smith also added six assists, four rebounds and three steals.
• Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) recorded her second straight double-double and fifth of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.  She grabbed six offensive rebounds and finished 7-8 at the free throw line and 3-4 from the floor.
• Kuhlman flirted with a double-double, handing out nine assists and grabbing 12 rebounds.  She added five points.
• Kendra Lawrence (Hackensack, N.J./Immaculate Conception) hauled in 10 rebounds and chipped in with six points.
• Briyah Haggins (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) added eight points off the bench, while Nwuli posted five points and five rebounds.
• Goucher shot 43.9% overall, its second-best effort of the season, and matched its season-high with eight three pointers, going 8-25.
• The Gophers held a commanding 53-30 rebounding advantage and held the Warriors to 32.8% shooting.
• Goucher notched a season-best 20 assists on 29 field goals and its 77 points were a season high and the most in a game since a 78-69 win over Hiram on November 16, 2019.
• The Gophers also had 15 turnovers, a season low.
• Goucher and Lycoming will meet next season as conference foes, as the Warriors join the Landmark Conference from the Middle Atlantic Conference and the MAC Freedom.

• Goucher returns to Landmark Conference play next Saturday, January 7, when it travels to Juniata for a 2 pm tip.
• The Gophers return home on Tuesday, January 10, hosting Catholic in a 7 pm Landmark tilt at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.