Box Score AMHERST, NY - For the third consecutive season, the Daemen Wildcats have advanced to the American Mideast Conference Tournament Championship, getting there this time by virtue of a hard fought 49-41 victory over the #3 seed Roberts Wesleyan Raiders at Lumsden Gymnasium tonight.  The Wildcats can thank their stingy defense for the win as they overcame their own offensive struggles by holding the visitors to 26% shooting from the field (15-for-58) while also holding the edge off the backboard 50-45.  Daemen (23-6) will face top-seeded Point Park (22-6) in West Mifflin, PA at 7pm this Saturday for the AMC Tournament Championship and an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Sioux City, IA.  Daemen beat the Pioneers last Saturday to force a tie atop the final regular season standings and the two squads shared the regular season conference title.

Tonight's game was not pretty early on as neither team could find any offensive rhythm.  Daemen took a 6-3 lead at the 12:44 mark on free throws from junior Ellie Allen before a Daemen dry spell allowed Roberts to rattle off seven straight points to take a 10-6 lead with 9:59 left in the half.  The scoring drought ended with back-to-back buckets by Allen followed by a trey-ball from senior Courtney Donovan allowing the Wildcats to jump back in front at 13-10.

The lead changed hands three times in the last 2:36 of the half, culminating in a 17-16 lead for the home-standing Wildcats after a jumper by junior Samantha Stanfield erased a one-point deficit.

Daemen opened the second half on a 10-4 run, opening up a seven-point advantage at 27-20 - the game's farthest margin to that point - with 15:38 to play.  Daemen got points from four different players in the spurt.

Later, with Daemen leading 32-25, Roberts put together a quick 6-0 run of their own, keyed by Bianca Jones, to cut the Wildcat lead to just one at 32-31 with 6:36 remaining.  From there, the Daemen defense went to work again, holding the Raiders to 1-for-5 shooting and forcing two turnovers over the next 4:24.  Offensively, Daemen converted its opportunities getting back-to-back threes from Allen and Donovan followed by consecutive baskets by Stanfield.  When Donovan hit another triple, her third of the contest, it extended the Daemen spurt to 13-2, as the Wildcats opened up a 12-point lead with 2:12 to play.  The Raiders would cut the deficit to five with 37 ticks left but four Daemen free throws and a couple empty RWC possessions ended the contest.

Allen finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds - her second double-double in her last three games - to lead the way for Daemen.  Donovan matched Allen's 13 points while adding seven rebounds, five assists, two blocked shots and two steals in a fine all-around effort.  Stanfield chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds.

Daemen also got seven rebounds, four steals and three assists from sophomore Lindsay Stoddard who got the start in place of junior Chelsea Andorka - the two-time reigning conference Player of the Week - who missed the game with an injury.

Jones came through with a monster effort for Roberts Wesleyan as she canned 20 points while grabbing 17 rebounds.  Sarah Child added eight points.  After that, no other Raider managed more than five.

The tourney final should be a good one as the Wildcats and Pioneers split their season series, each winning at home.  To get the job done, Daemen will have to erase the memory of a 51-43 loss at Point Park back on Jan. 28.