Gophers Stumble in Opener, Bow to Saints

Gophers Stumble in Opener, Bow to Saints

17-Point, Six-Rebound Performance by Boswell

November 18, 2008

ARLINGTON, Va. – Goucher's all-time record in season-opening contests slipped to 9-10 when head coach Leonard Trevino's Gophers suffered a 64-60 loss to Marymount tonight in the first game of their 2008-09 campaign.

Although the Gophers never led the entire first half, they outscored the Saints (2-0), 13-5, over the final 6:41 of the period to close to within 33-32 at halftime. Darrin Boswell II (Nottingham, Md./Joppatowne) furnished Goucher with seven points in the opening 20 minutes, while Marcus Cotton (Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook) and Pat Bailey (Rockville, Md./Magruder) tallied five points apiece.

Cotton's lay-up 1:39 into the second half provided the Gophers (0-1) with their first lead of the contest, but just :24 later, the Saints went ahead to stay when Chapman Canady landed a shot from three-point range.

The Gophers trailed by just a point (55-54) when Miguel Negron (Bel Air, Md./Bel Air) turned an offensive rebound into two points with 1:09 showing on the clock, but on the Saints' subsequent possession, Canady completed a conventional three-point play to put Marymount back up by four points. Boswell and Negron both drained three-point baskets down the stretch, but the Saints were able to maintain their lead by going 7-for-7 at the free-throw line in the final minute of play.

Boswell, Goucher's leading scorer in 2007-08 at 10.2 points per game, finished with 17 tonight. Cotton also reached double figures in points as he tossed in 11.

Mike Gray captured scoring honors for Marymount as he matched Boswell's 17-point effort.

Although Goucher had faced Marymount 38 times prior to tonight, this was the first time the Gophers opened a season against the Saints. Despite the loss, Goucher enjoys a 24-15 advantage in the all-time series between the two schools.