The Moravian College women's basketball team defeated Goucher College, 62-44, in Landmark Conference action Friday evening behind double-doubles from senior forward Alexandra Blair and freshman forward Alexis Wright.
Blair had her seventh double-double of the season for Moravian, now 12-7 overall and 5-3 in Landmark Conference action, with 13 points and 14 rebounds to go with a game-high four blocked shots while Wright had her fourth double-double of the year with a career high 18 rebounds to go with 13 points.
The Gophers, who fall to 5-14 overall and 1-7 in conference play, scored first on a jumper from sophomore forward TaQuasia Lambert at the 19:06 mark while the Greyhounds would tie the game at 2-2 on a jumper from sophomore guard Katie O'Rourke at 18:45. Moravian pulled ahead and led 6-2 on a lay-up from junior guard Amanda Kreuder before Goucher tied the game at 8-8 on a lay-up from senior guard/forward Elizabeth von Ende with 11:45 left in the first half.
The Greyhounds had an 11-8 lead after a free throw from Wright at the 8:54 mark but the Gophers moved back in front again, 14-13, on a jumper by Lambert with 4:01 left before the intermission. Wright put the Greyhounds back in front on the next trip down the court, and Goucher junior guard Shante Atkinson tied the game at 17-17 with a three-point play at 2:59. That would be the last time the Gophers scored in the first half as Moravian scored the last six points of the half to head to the locker room with a 23-17 lead on a jumper from senior guard Cassandra Phillips with nine seconds left in the half.
Moravian was ten-for-32 from the floor (28 percent) and three-for-six at the foul line in the opening 20 minutes, and the Greyhounds had just ten turnovers while forcing the Gophers into 15 turnovers. Goucher was eight-for-32 from the field (25 percent) and made its only free throw attempt, and the Gophers had a 26-25 edge in rebounds in the first half.
Goucher opened the second half scoring with a jumper from von Ende in the lane while Moravian's first points of the second half were on a three-point play by Blair, who was scoreless in the first half, at 17:45 for a 26-19 Greyhounds' lead. Blair and Wright added back-to-back baskets to give Moravian its first double-digit lead of the game, 30-19, with 16:52 left in the contest. Wright would hit two more baskets sandwiched around a jumper from Blair as Moravian pushed its run to 13 straight points and a 36-19 advantage at the 14:37 mark.
Freshman guard Sherlanda Buskey would end the Greyhounds' run with a jumper at the 14:20 mark as Goucher cut the score to 36-21. Blair connected on a jumper at the 11:49 mark as Moravian pushed its lead to 41-26. The Greyhounds pushed their lead to 51-36 on a fast break lay-up by sophomore guard Alyssa Hann with 6:57 to play, and Moravian had a 60-43 advantage after a pair of free throws by Kreuder at the 2:44 mark.
The Greyhounds connected on 16-of-36 field goal attempts (44.4 percent) in the second half, and Moravian was seven-for-11 at the foul line in the final 20 minutes. The Greyhounds finished the game with a 52-45 edge in rebounds including 20 on the offensive boards, and Moravian had 23 turnovers while Goucher made 27 turnovers in the contest. The Gophers were ten-for-32 from the floor and seven-for-14 at the foul line in the second half.
The teams were a combined 0-for-11 behind the three-point line marking the first time since a game versus The University of Scranton on December 6, 2008 that Moravian and its opponent failed to make a three-point shot as both squads were 0-for-27 in that game. For Goucher, it was the first time since February 3, 2000 that the Gophers and their opponent failed to make a three-pointer in a game.
In addition to Blair and Wright, Kreuder was in double-digits for the Greyhounds with 13 points to go with three rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists. O'Rourke finished with six points, three rebounds and three steals for Moravian while sophomore forward Laura Jordan had six points and five boards. Hann finished with four points, four assists and five steals while sophomore guard Danielle Brogan added three points and four boards for the Greyhounds.
Sophomore guard Precious Kollock led Goucher with 11 points, six rebounds and three assists while Lambert added nine points and 11 rebounds. Buskey tossed in seven points with four rebounds while sophomore guard/forward Sharnell Huff added seven points and four boards. Atkinson contributed six points, two rebounds and three steals for the Gophers while von Ende had four points, five rebounds and three steals.
Moravian will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, January 28th in a Landmark Conference game at The Catholic University of America tipping off at 3:00 p.m.
