Gophers Turn Back Wilkes for First Win of the Season

TOWSON, Md. - Junior Merci Turner and first year Brianna Johnson each totaled 14 points as the Goucher College women's basketball team held off Wilkes University for a 63-55 Landmark Conference women's basketball victory Wednesday evening at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.  The win marked the Gophers' first of the season.

• Wilkes (5-7, 1-4 Landmark) scored the game's first five points.
• Goucher (1-11, 1-4) used an 8-0 run capped by a Julia Cavoli three-pointer to take a 12-7 lead with 4:15 left in the opening period.
• The Colonels countered with the final seven points of the quarter to build a 14-12 lead after 10 minutes.

• Savannah Holmes scored the first six points of the quarter for the Gophers to put them up 18-14 44 seconds into the period.
• After a five-point Wilkes spurt put the guests back in front, a Johnson basket and a Darby Sherman three propelled Goucher back to the lead, 23-19, with 7:18 on the clock.
• A Johnson basket midway through the half upped the lead to 25-19.
• Goucher continued to extend the lead and a Maiya Villanueva basket with 16 seconds left put Goucher in front 34-26 at intermission.

• After Wilkes had the first basket of the second half, Goucher scored seven straight points to go up 41-28 on a Turner three with 7:23 on the clock.
• The Gophers took their largest lead, 48-32, with 1:51 remaining on a basket by Turner, and held a 50-35 lead heading into the final frame.

• The Colonels scored the first five points to make it 50-40 with 8:10 left.
• A Briyah Haggins three with 6:42 left pushed the lead back to 13, 53-40.
• A 10-0 Wilkes run capped by five straight points by Taylor Simpson made it 53-50 with 3:28 to go.
• Turner scored with 2:28 left and was fouled, sinking the free throw for the conventional three-point play and a 56-50 advantage.
• Wilkes cut it to two with 1:26 on the clock, but the Gophers sealed the win by going 7-8 at the free throw line in the final 32 seconds.

• Turner had five rebounds, three assists and four steals in addition to her 14 points.
• Johnson added four rebounds and shot 6-11 from the floor.
• Holmes was the third Gopher in double figures with 10 points.  She also grabbed seven rebounds.
• Haggins narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.
• Sherman knocked down both of her three point attempts and finished with six points, while Cavoli and Villanueva added five each.
• Goucher shot 34.4% overall, was 7-26 behind the arc and 12-20 at the free throw line.
• The Gophers limited Wilkes to 30.8% shooting, including 6-33 from long range.  The Colonels went 9-19 at the charity stripe.
• Both teams grabbed 47 rebounds.
• The win was the first at Goucher for first-year Gopher head coach Mike Ricks, who was previously head coach at Birmingham Southern and St. Thomas (Texas).
• Goucher picked up its first Landmark Conference win since February 5, 2020 at Juniata.

• Goucher is set to return to action Saturday, traveling to Juniata for a 4 pm Landmark Conference matchup.
• The Gophers are back home on Friday, January 12, hosting Lycoming in a 4 pm game at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.