Third Quarter Surge Moves River Hawks to Victory

TOWSON, Md. - Goucher College trailed 21-19 at halftime, but visiting Susquehanna University outscored the Gophers 23-12 in the third quarter as it went on to post a 61-47 Landmark Conference women's basketball victory Wednesday evening at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

• Goucher (3-15, 0-7 Landmark) jumped out to a 6-3 lead midway through the first quarter.
• The River Hawks (7-11, 2-5) used an 11-0 run to build a 14-6 lead with 14 seconds remaining in the quarter.
• Kyla Smith (Easton, Pa./Easton) was fouled going to the basket with 0.7 seconds left and converted a conventional three-point play to make it 14-9 after one quarter.

• A Smith three 1:55 into the second pulled Goucher within three, 17-14.
• A free throw by Alayna McFadden (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) with 4:36 on the clock put the Gophers within two, 19-17.
• The teams traded a pair of made free throws the rest of the half, and two at the line by Kyani Quarles (Houston, Texas/Cristo Rey Jesuit) with 1:55 to go made it 21-19, which would be the halftime score.

• Susquehanna opened the second half on a 7-0 run to take a 28-19 lead two minutes into the third.
• A three by Julia Cavoli (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) with 7:30 on the clock stopped the River Hawk run.
• The guests went up 11, 36-25, with 5:14 remaining in the third.
• Another SU spurt increased the lead to 14, 42-28, with 1:15 left.
• Smith knocked down a three with a minute left to make it 42-31, and the River Hawks carried a 44-31 lead into the final frame.

• Susquehanna increased its lead to 16, 48-32, 1:18 into the fourth.
• Goucher got the lead down to 12, 52-40, with 6:53 on the clock following a Smith three.
• The guests scored the next five points and maintained at least a 13-point cushion the rest of the way.

• Smith posted her ninth 20-plus point performance of the season and reached double figures for the 16th time in 17 games with 20 points, knocking down three three-pointers and going 5-5 at the free throw line.
• Quarles registered eight points and 12 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end.  She went 6-9 at the free throw line and also had five steals.
• Alexis Kuhlman (Mount Airy, Md./Herndon) added nine ooints and grabbed five rebounds.
• Kendra Lawrence (Hackensack, N.J./Immaculate Conception) grabbed eight rebounds and added five points.
• Goucher finished 17-23 at the free throw line and 6-27 behind the arc, while going 12-71 overall.
• Susquehanna, which held a 53-48 rebound advantage, made all 14 of its free throws and shot 37% overall and 5-20 from long range.
• The Gophers committed a season-low 11 turnovera and made nine steals, tied for their second most of the season.

.@GoucherWBB Play of the Game

Kyla Smith draws contact and converts the basket in the final moments of the first for an eventual three-point play.#d3hoops #GopherGreatness #GoucherProud pic.twitter.com/dksJCsZdw1

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) January 26, 2023

• Goucher remains home on Saturday, welcoming fourth-ranked Scranton for a 2 pm Landmark Conference game at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.