Bridgeport (15-10, 13-6 ECC) 36-30—66
Daemen (20-6, 17-3 ECC) 35-40—75
 
 
AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen College men's basketball team claimed a 75-66 victory over the University of Bridgeport at another packed Lumsden Gymnasium today in East Coast Conference action. After a Dowling 68-76 loss to Roberts Wesleyan, the Wildcats also secured the ECC regular-season championship with the win this evening
 
Daemen improved to 20-6 overall and 17-3 in the ECC while Bridgeport dropped to 15-10 overall and 13-6 in the league. The Wildcats also close out their regular season with a 35 home game winning streak, a school-record 13-straight games overall and 16-straight league games.
 
Seniors Mark Coppola, Kadeem Johnson, Troy Nowak, Uchechi Ogbonna and Casey Sheehan were honored in a pre-game ceremony before playing in the final home contest of their careers today.
 
Sheehan led the Wildcats with 24 points and three steals while fellow senior Johnson added 19 points and was a rebound shy of a double-double with nine boards. Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) recorded his 15^th double-double of the season with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Ogbonna chipped in six points while Coppola contributed five points and a team-high seven assists.
 
Senior forward Ivan Simic paced the Purple Knights with 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Sophomore guard Ernest Rouse added 14 points and six boards to the Bridgeport cause.
 
A tightly played game featured seven ties and twelve lead changes. Bridgeport, who led for most of the first half, took control early on as they held their largest lead of the game (18-10) when Curtis Loving tipped the ball in at the 12:29 mark after a missed jumper from Rouse. The Wildcats quickly went on an 8-0 run to tie the score 18-18 with a layup from Beverly which was assisted by Coppola but the visitors went into intermission leading 36-35.
 
Daemen came out of the locker room to take a 45-40 lead after a three pointer from Sheehan with 16:15 left to go in the game. The Purple Knights tied the game for the last time (50-50, 12:02) as Daemen went on a 12-3 spurt and would hold the lead for the rest of the game. The Wildcats took a double digit lead when Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) knocked down a shot from beyond the arc leaving the score 70-60 at the 3:23 mark. The visitors came no closer than seven points from there on out as the final margin stood at 75-66.
 
Daemen shot 45-percent (13-29) from the field in the second half and finished 28-for-64 (44%) overall. Daemen attempted 33 free throws in the game and made 17. Bridgeport shot 36-percent (25-for-69) from the field and made 9-of-12 from the charity stripe. The Wildcats finished with a 40-28 advantage in points in the paint. The Wildcats forced 13 turnovers, which resulted in 15 points for the host. Daemen also held a 18-6 advantage in fast-break points.
 
Daemen is ranked No. 1 in the USCAA Division 1 poll released Feb. 14 which is the fifth-straight week the Wildcats have held the top spot. Eight teams will be selected to participate in the USCAA Championship Tournament, which will take place March 5-8 in Uniontown, Pa. Selections will be announced on Feb. 25.
 
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