Gophers Come Up Short Despite Huff's Shining Effort

HUNTINGDON, Pa. — By scoring a season-high 23 points, Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie) accounted for exactly half of Goucher's offensive output in tonight's game against Juniata.

Huff made eight of the Gophers' 18 field goals, including all five of their 3-pointers. She also picked up assists on three of her teammates' 10 baskets.

The senior guard was 8-for-19 from the field, missed only one of the six 3-point shots she launched and converted her only two free-throw attempts. In addition to her three assists, she was credited with five rebounds and a pair of steals while playing all 40 minutes.

Her outstanding effort, unfortunately, wasn't enough to produce a victory over Juniata. Instead, the Eagles picked up their first Landmark Conference win of the season as they pinned an 82-46 setback on head coach Didi Cotton's squad.

With Huff missing three of the first four shots she took, the Eagles were able to race out to an early 13-4 lead over the Gophers. Huff's first successful 3-point basket made the score 15-9 in Juniata's favor approximately six minutes into the contest.

The biggest advantage the Eagles (8-8, 1-3 Landmark) enoyed in the first half was the result of a 10-0 run capped by a medium-range jumper by Emily Fox which made the score 43-16. Before time expired in the period, however, Huff knocked down her second 3-pointer, reducing Goucher's deficit to 43-19 after 20 minutes.

Juniata's lead grew to as many as 37 points in the second half and never dipped below 21 points.

The Gophers (5-10, 1-4 Landmark) had a second double-digit scorer in Amaka Ezeani (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch). She was limited to only two points in the first half, but added nine points to her total in the second period to finish with 11.

Paige Dennison captured scoring honors for the victorious Eagles as she was 9-for-11 from the field and made both of her free-throw attempts to finish with 20 points.Kelsey Livoti contributed 14 points to the win, while Kate McDonald and Olivia Halfpenny added 12 apiece.