Gophers Cruise Past Falcons, Move Back over .500

TOWSON, Md. —Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie) paced the offense with 17 points, and Goucher produced a stifling defensive effort on the other side of the floor in its 59-38 victory over Cedar Crest from the Decker Sports & Recreation Center this evening.

Monique Welch (Reisterstown, Md./Franklin) added 14 points for the Gophers (3-2), whose defense forced Cedar Crest (1-5) to shoot just 23.4 percent from the field for the game. Huff and Olivia Nono (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair) each grabbed a team-high nine rebounds for Goucher.

The Gophers never trailed again after a jumper from Taje Burston (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) gave them a 6-5 advantage with 15:40 left in the first half.

Goucher led by as many as 13 points in the opening 20 minutes, and the lead was 31-22 at the intermission. The Gophers had a commanding 20-6 edge on points scored in the paint, and they also had all eight of the game's fast break points in the first half.

A jumper from Huff gave Goucher an 11-point lead five seconds into the second half, and the Falcons would never be able to get the game back into single digits. Huff has scored in double figures in all five of Goucher's contests this year. The final margin of 21 points was the largest lead of the game for the Gophers.

Welch hit 6 of 7 shots from the field for Goucher, which had a 49.1 percent field goal percentage in its best shooting performance of the season thus far. Burston added nine points and five assists, registering at least five helpers for the fourth time this season, while India Perkins (Brentwood, Md./Bladensburg) and Amaka Ezeani (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) each chipped in eight points.

Taylor Osley had a team-high 11 points for the Falcons, who have lost five straight.

The Gophers held a 44-28 advantage on the boards, and they also tallied 16 assists compared to five for Cedar Crest. All three of their wins have been by at least 18 points this season.

Goucher will remain at home in its return to action after the Thanksgiving break, hosting Washington Adventist for a 7 p.m. matchup next Monday.