Photos Courtesy of Susquehanna Athletics
By Marquis Frias, Sports Editor
The Susquehanna men’s basketball team ended their three-game losing streak Wednesday night after defeating the Goucher Gophers 77-64 in Selinsgrove.
The River Hawks saw two of their first-years lead the team in scoring, with KJ Carson leading the way and tying his career high with 18 points. Mikey Cumbo followed up with 10 points of his own while also recording two rebounds, two steals and a block.
Senior Billy Anderson also got in on the action, recording his first double-double of the year with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
“All credit to my teammates today who looked for me,” Anderson said. “We really try to emphasize playing off each other.”
The game started with Susquehanna holding on to a 14-13 lead over Goucher with 10 minutes left in the first half. The River Hawks would begin to make their run, however, scoring seven unanswered points and stretching their lead 21-13.
Susquehanna would continue to apply the pressure to close out the first half, as the 7-0 run helped the River Hawks enter the locker room with a 36-26 lead.
Goucher guard Jadyss Fifer led all scorers at the half with 10 points, while Carson and Anderson both led the River Hawks with seven points.
The scoring would only grow for both teams in the second half as the two teams combined for a total of 79 points in the second frame. Susquehanna consistently held their lead looking to score in the paint and capitalizing off of the Gopher’s turnovers.
With five minutes left in the second half, Carson drilled his third three-pointer of the half, giving the River Hawks a 27-point lead which was the highest for the game.
Goucher would hack away at the lead to close the second half, but the River Hawks eventually closed out to secure the 77-64 win.
The win erased a three game losing streak, a streak that also featured losses to all landmark conference teams.
“The mentality is to learn from our losses but know that it is not acceptable to lose,” Anderson said. “We know we lost in the past, but in the future keep chipping away and play Susquehanna basketball.”
The River Hawks now sit at 5-4 in the Landmark Conference, which gives them the 4th overall seed in the conference standings. Susquehanna will face only Landmark Conference opponents for the remainder of their regular season.
The River Hawks will look to climb in the landmark rankings when they defend their home court against the Elizabethtown Blue Jays on Saturday, Jan 24 at 4 p.m.