LIU Post (12-8, 7-5 ECC) 47-44—91
Daemen (14-6, 11-3 ECC) 45-49—94
 
AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen College men's basketball team battled hard to the very end to earn a 94-91 victory over East Coast Conference opponent Long Island University Post which was played before a packed Lumsden Gymnasium tonight. With the win, Daemen improved to 14-6 overall and 11-3 in conference play while LIUP, who was voted second in the ECC preseason poll, dropped to 12-8 on the year and 7-5 in the ECC.
 
Tonight's game marked the third all-time meeting between the two teams as LIU Post prevailed in both of the previous two meetings. The Pioneers posted a 93-85 victory over the Wildcats earlier this year on Long Island. The first-ever meeting came in opening round action of the LIU Post Holiday Invitational on Dec. 30, 2009 in which the Pioneers posted a 79-58 victory over the Wildcats. The Wildcats have now won 30 straight home games as well as 10 straight conference games.
 
Five Wildcats scored in double figures in a balanced effort as senior forward Kadeem Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) had another outstanding performance pacing the Wildcats with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Following Johnson, senior Uchechi Ogbonna (Hicksville, N.Y./Erie CC) had a huge second half as he scored 14 of his 18 points and also added five rebounds and two assists. Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) and Casey Sheehan (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) both scored 17 points apiece for Daemen. Beverly, who scored his 1,000th point off his last basket of the game, also grabbed a team high eight rebounds and blocked five shots while Sheehan contributed four rebounds and four assists.
 
Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) knocked down three three-pointers to chip in 12 points while teammate Mark Coppola (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) added eight points and a team high eight assists.

The two teams traded baskets throughout the game which resulted in seven lead changes and thirteen ties. The opening minutes of the first half were controlled by the Pioneers for the most part.  They produced a 9-4 lead about three minutes into the half before the Wildcats came fighting back to go up 16-14 with 13:58 left until intermission. There wasn't much separation between the two on the scoreboard (22-19 LIUP, 9:39) over the next few minutes until LIUP went on a 15-7 spurt which put them up 37-26 with about five minutes left in the first half. Daemen didn't give up yet as they came battling back to go into the locker room only trailing by a basket, 47-45.
 
The Wildcats continued their momentum and took control as they held their largest lead, 67-62, midway through the second half (10:22). Some highlights included a jumper by Beverly, two dunks from Ogbonna and a three ball assisted by Coppola to Greene. The rest of the game was essentially a back and forth affair as the two teams traded baskets to tie 85-85 with 2:50 remaining in the game. Daemen outscored the Pioneers 9-6 in the last few minutes to leave the final margin 94-91 in favor of the Wildcats. 

Daemen shot 55.6-percent (35-for-63) from the field and were 17-for-23 (73.9-percent) from the free throw line for the game. LIUP, on the other hand, shot 46.3-percent (38-for-82) from the field and only 60.0-percent (9-for-15) from the charity stripe. Daemen also held a 26-8 advantage on fast break points.

Five Pioneers scored in double figures as well. P.J. Torres, a transfer from Division I Duquesne, led the pioneers with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists. Vaughn Allen recorded a double-double scoring 18 points and hauling in 13 rebounds. Akosa Maduegbunam, a Division I transfer from Penn State, contributed 17 points to the Pioneer cause. Tyuan Williams chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds while teammate Dillon Burns added 10 points for the visitors.

Daemen is back in action Sunday (Feb. 2) when it hosts New York Institute of Technology in an ECC game at 3 p.m. The Bears posted a 84-79 victory over the Wildcats earlier this year on at their home court.

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