TOWSON, Md.--Sophomore Ryan Junghans scored a game-high 31
points to power the Hood College men's basketball team to a 78-74
come-from-behind victory over the host Goucher College Gophers
Thursday evening at the Sports & Recreation Center.
The Blazers (17-6, 10-4 CAC) remain in first place in the
Capital Athletic Conference standings and own a one-game lead over
the York College Spartans, who defeated Catholic University, 67-63.
Goucher (7-15, 4-10 CAC) suffered its seventh defeat in its last
eight outings.
The lead flip-flopped several times in the first half but
neither team led by more than six points. Hood's Jesse Gutekunst
gave the visitors a 31-26 edge on a putback with 2:08 to go before
halftime, but the Gophers outscored the Blazers 9-2 the rest of the
way and took a narrow 35-33 lead into the break.
Hood tied the score on three occasions in the second half, the
last with 12:28 to go in regulation (46-46). But the Gophers used
three triples to assume a nine-point cushion midway through the
stanza.
The Blazers chipped away at the Goucher lead at the foul line,
connecting on 11-of-12 from the charity stripe over the next 3:20
to cut the deficit to one, 66-65. Junghans was fouled twice on
three-point attempts, hitting all six free throws in the spurt.
Then, at the 4:41 mark, sophomore Tim Abercrombie converted a
conventional three-point play to give the Blazers their first lead
of the second half (68-66).
However, Goucher tied the score at 71-71 on a three-point play
by Pierre Jones with 3:05 to play. The Gophers never regained the
lead though as Hood made 3-of-6 from the foul line in the final 14
seconds to ice the victory.
Junghans drilled four three-pointers and connected on a 15-of-16
from the foul line to eclipse the 30-point plateau for the third
time this season. His 15 made free throws tied a Sports &
Recreation Center record. Gutekunst recorded his 15th double-double
of the season with 19 points and a game-high 18 rebounds while
Abercrombie chipped in 11 points.
James Russo and Pierre Jones combined for 50 of Goucher's 74
points.
The Blazers return to action Wednesday at second-place York
College at 8 p.m. in the second game of a doubleheader with the
Hood women's team.
