FREDERICK, Md.--Sophomore Ryan Junghans netted a game-high 22 points to lead the Hood College men's basketball team to a 73-65 Capital Athletic Conference victory over Goucher College Saturday afternoon at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School.

Hood (11-3, 5-1 CAC) won its fourth game in a row and improves to 5-0 at home on the season.

By virtue of a St. Mary's College (Md.) triumph over previously undefeated Salisbury University Saturday afternoon, Hood is currently in first place in the CAC standings at 5-1.

The Blazers also presented fourth-year head coach Tom Dickman, who started the program from scratch in 2003-04, with his 50th collegiate head coaching victory.

Both teams struggled offensively in the early going before a pair of buckets by Pierre Jones and a jumper by Cameron Brown gave the Gophers a 10-4 lead just under six minutes into the game. But the Blazers turned that six-point deficit into a six-point advantage with a 14-2 run over a span of four minutes.

The Gophers rallied to tie the score at 24-24, the fourth tie of the half, and went back up by four after a jumper by Tim Merritt with 4:44 remaining before halftime. But five consecutive free throws by Junghans, Hoodýs top foul shooter, gave the edge back to the Blazers, and Hood took a slim 38-33 lead into the break.

The Blazers did a solid job of containing the CAC's top perimeter shooter, James Russo, in the first 20 minutes, limiting the senior guard to 1-of-4 from the floor and 0-3 from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Blazers took advantage of 15 trips to the foul line, connecting on 11 of them, including 7-of-7 by Junghans.

Hood did not relinquish its lead in the second half, but Goucher managed to tie the game twice more in the final 20 minutes. A jumper by Jon Sicherman knotted the score at 55-55 but the Blazers used an 8-0 run to take a 63-55 lead with 6:30 to play. The Gophers closed to within four with 4:36 to go but connected on just one of their final eight shots from the floor the rest of the way.

Junghans tallied 22 points on 5-of-15 shooting and was a perfect 9-of-9 at the foul line. Junior Jesse Gutekunst registered his 23rd career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds despite playing only 23 minutes. Sophomore Nnamdi Uzoukwu came off the bench to score 11 points, hitting all four field goal attempts, and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds. Junior Arthur Claybon finished with eight points and five assists, both career-highs.

Goucher had four players reach double figures, led by Jones' 20 points. Russo was held to just 10 points and was 2-of-7 from long range.

The Blazers entertain Waynesburg College Monday in their final non-conference game of the season at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School. Tip is slated for 4 p.m. Admission to the game is free for students 18 and under.