Score By Periods	1st	2nd	Total
Daemen	36	50	86
Salem International	33	33	66

With the win, Daemen, ranked #4 in the latest USCAA National Poll released today, improved to 11-3.  SIU, an independent member of NCAA Division II, fell to 3-6 with the loss.

Sheehan sparked an 18-4 Daemen run to open the second half, turning their three-point halftime lead (36-33) into an 18-point advantage (54-36).  The 5'9" guard scored 12 of his 18 second half points in the spurt and capped the run with a thundering one-handed slam on top of an SIU defender at the 15:26 mark.

All this came after Daemen outscored the host Tigers 19-9 over the final 8:06 of the first half to erase a seven-point deficit (24-17).

SIU responded with a quick 8-0 spurt of their own, cutting the Daemen lead to 10 (54-44) with 13:47 to play.  That run was answered by a Johnson layup off a feed from Sheehan.

Salem's Kevin Webb hammered down a rebound-slam on the Tigers' next possession but freshman guard Supreme Hannah (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) deftly answered with a pull-up jumper for Daemen after shaking free from the SIU full court press.

A traditional three-point play from Johnson and an inside bucket by senior forward Jim Regan (Williamsville, N.Y./Nichols) followed as the Wildcats ran their lead back to 17 at 63-46 with 11:47 to play.

From there, the Tigers never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way. 

Daemen would run their lead to 19 on two ocassions, first on a layup by Johnson at the 4:50 mark (76-57)  and later on a Sheehan drive and basket with 3:20 remaining (80-61).

Regan's fastbreak layup off a feed from junior forward Uchechi Ogbonna (Hicksville, N.Y./Erie CC) with 1:22 left pushed the Daemen lead to 20 and provided the winning margin.

Sheehan connected on 11-of-18 from the field and matched a season-high with six rebounds.  Johnson  was equally as good as he canned eight of his 10 field goal attempts with his 18 points matching a career-high as well.

Regan tossed in 12 points, seven rebounds and two steals.  The 6'7" forward now stands 18 points shy of 1,000 for his career.

Sophomore center Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) powered down four dunks on his way to nine points and five rebounds while fellow sophomore Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) led all Daemen reserves with seven points. 

Dexter Batts, Jr. had 16 points and five rebounds to pace Salem International.  Kevin Gilbert (12 points) and Raymar Porter (11 points) both reached double figures off the Tiger bench.

Daemen, which was plagued by ball security issues in the contest (19 turnovers), connected on 34-of-57 from the field (60%) while SIU was limited to 39% shooting (26-of-66) while committing 21 turnovers of their own.  The Wildcats turned those miscues into a 30-20 point edge in points off turnovers while also outscoring the hosts 54-30 in the paint.

Daemen goes for the weekend sweep when they face Newberry College - another NCAA Division II member - on day two of the Joe Manchin Classic tomorrow from SIU's T. Edward Davis Gymnasium with tipoff slated for 5:00 p.m.