Gophers Go Cold Late, Bow to Cavaliers

Gophers Go Cold Late, Bow to Cavaliers

Dec. 17, 2007 

RADNOR, Pa. - Goucher had just outscored Cabrini, 13-4, during the previous 3:53 to close to within 58-56 when the Gophers gained possession of the ball with exactly 4:00 remaining tonight. But that's where their comeback bid essentially short-circuited as they went 1-for-7 from the field the rest of the way, paving the way for the Cavaliers to pull away for a 70-61 non-conference victory.

Goucher's only basket down the stretch was a three-pointer by Shadae Swan (Baltimore, MD/St. Frances Academy) that made the score 63-59 with 1:38 left to play. The Gophers (4-5) didn't score again until Swan cnverted a pair of free throws with :14 showing on the clock.

Swan finished with a game-high 21 points and has now scored in double figures in 56 consecutive contests.

Amber Smith (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) supplied the Gophers with 10 points and Taqwisha Richardson (Roanoke Rapids, NC/Western) turned in a seven-point, 10-rebound effort.

Even though they were cold at the end, the Gophers still shot 44.4 percent from the field and out-rebounded Cabrini, 34-33.

Both teams shot well from the charity stripe, but one of the decisive factors in the game was the number of free-throw attempts awarded to each team. The Gophers made nine of their 12 free throws (.750), while the Cavaliers (4-3) went to the line 22 times and missed only three (.864).

Goucher used an early run of 10 unanswered points to open up a 15-6 advantage 6:28 into the contest. By halftime, however, Cabrini had battled back to lead by a point, 33-32.

Smith tallied the first three points of the second half to put Goucher up 35-33, but the Cavaliers went ahead to stay on a lay-up by Brittany McLeod that snapped a 39-39 tie with 14:58 remaining.

The leading scorer for Cabrini was Kayleen Smith with 14 points.