Smith Pours in 43, Gophers Stage Comeback Before Falling at Stevenson

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Goucher College women's basketball graduate student Kyla Smith (Easton, Pa./Easton) poured in 43 points, two points shy of the program's NCAA-era single-game scoring record, as the Gophers mounted a second half comeback before falling 81-75 at Stevenson University Wednesday night at Owings Mills Gymnasium.

• Goucher (1-3) took an early 4-3 lead on a basket by Briyah Haggins (Waldorf, Md./Westlake) 2:15 into the game.
• The Gophers tied the game 9-9 with 3:40 left on a Smith basket.
• Stevenson (1-0) closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to take an 18-11 lead through 10 minutes.

• Goucher got the lead down to three, 22-19, with just over seven minutes left on a Smith three.
• The Mustangs pushed the lead back to eight, 29-21, with 4:07 left before halftime.
• Stevenson took a 39-29 lead into the locker room.

• The Mustangs extended the lead to 12 on their first possession of the second half and took a 46-30 lead with 8:30 left in the third.
• A Julia Cavoli (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) three and a basket by Sydney Nwuli (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park) whittled the lead down to 11 with 6:29 on the clock.
• Goucher kept chipping away and a Smith triple with 4:28 left made it a 50-42 game.
• After the Mustangs got the lead back to 13, six straight Gopher points capped by a Claire Flynn (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) three made it 55-48.
• Stevenson closed the quarter on a 9-2 run and led 64-50 after three quarters.

• Smith opened the fourth with seven straight points to halve the lead and two free throws made it 64-57 with just over eight minutes remaining.
• The Mustangs scored the next seven points to move the lead back to 14 with 6:33 on the clock.
• Goucher embarked on a 15-1 run capped by a Smith three with 1:42 remaining to tie the game 72-72.
• Smith had 11 of the 15 points while Nwuli also had a pair of baskets, while Goucher's defense forced eight straight Stevenson misses from the floor.
• Aysia Ferguson responded with a basket on Stevenson's next trip down the floor to reclaim the lead.
• After a Goucher turnover, a Stevenson three-point play with 42 seconds to go put the hosts up 77-72.
• GVahn Pace (Akron, Ohio/East) sank a free throw to make it 77-73, but a steal and layup for the Mustangs made it 79-73 with 22 seconds to go.
• A Nwuli layup with 10 seconds left cut it back to four but two Stevenson free throws sealed the win.

• Smith finished 16-33 from the floor, knocking down five three-pointers, and finished 6-8 from the free throw line.  She also grabbed 10 rebounds and added three steals, two blocks and two assists.
• Smith's 43 points are two shy of the NCAA-era single-game program record of 45 points scored by Goucher all-time leading scorer Renie Amoss against Chestnut Hill on February 12, 1990.  The program's all-time single-game scoring record is 52 scored by Betsy Winegarten in 1988.
• Her 43 points are the second-highest single-game total in NCAA Division III this season and also a Landmark Conference single-game record, surpassing the 37 points scored twice, most recently in 2019.
• Nwuli also recorded a double-double, posting 11 points and 13 rebounds, career highs in both categories.  Smith finished 5-9 from the floor.
• Cavoli had a pair of three-pointers and added seven points.
• Goucher finished at 45% from the floor, 8-26 from three and 13-20 at the free throw line.
• Stevenson, which was outrebounded by Goucher 44-43, shot 42.3% overall 8-16 from three and 13-27 at the free throw line.

WBB | Kyla Smith capped a 15-1 run with this late three that tied @GoucherWBB and Stevenson 72-72.#d3hoops #GopherGreatness #GoucherProud pic.twitter.com/AKBjKOmP62

— Goucher Gophers (@GoucherSports) November 17, 2022

• Goucher is back on the road Saturday, traveling to sixth-ranked Christopher Newport for a 6 pm contest.
• The Gophers return home Wednesday, November 30 when they host Gallaudet in a 6 pm game at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.