AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College connected on 14-of-29 three-point field goal attempts en route to a 78-58 victory over the University of the District of Columbia here today in East Coast Conference women's basketball action.
Daemen, which played its first home game in over a month, improved to 5-10 overall and 2-3 in the ECC. UDC dropped to 2-13 overall and remained winless (0-6) in the league.
The 14 three-pointers were the most in one game for Daemen since Dec. 30, 2014 when the Wildcats tied the school-record for three-pointers in a game (16) in a 101-83 win over Briarcliffe College.
Redshirt freshman Tiara Filbert (Batavia, N.Y./Batavia) continued her solid play of late and finished with a team-high 15 points and a career-high seven assists. Filbert, the reigning ECC Rookie of the Week, connected on 5-of-7 shots overall and drained 4-of-5 from downtown. It marked the second-straight game she has made four three-pointers in a game. Senior Sarah Saba (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Saba, who entered the game averaging a league-high 18.3 points per game, has now scored in double figures in 14-straight games. Sophomore Sydney Jones (Clifton Springs, N.Y./Midlakes) went 4-for-7 from behind the three-part arc and finished with 14 points in just 16 minutes off the bench.
Junior Mia-Alexis Lloyd (Woodbridge, Pa.) paced the Firebirds with 19 points, while freshman Daeja Quick (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added 12 points.
Daemen had trouble connecting on its long-range shots early in the game, as the Wildcats went 0-for-5 from three-point range over the first eight minutes. UDC took advantage and eventually took a 15-6 lead following a layup by freshman Danielle Harrington (Gainesville, Va.) with 1:36 left in the first quarter. Daemen drilled three three-pointers, two by Jones and one from Filbert, over the final minute of the quarter and cut the lead to two points, 17-15.
The Wildcats continued its long-range attack during the second quarter, as the hosts hit five triples during the 19-3 run over the first seven minutes of the period. A three-pointer by freshman Caroline White (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) capped the run and gave the Wildcats a 34-20 lead. UDC cut the lead in half with seven unanswered points, but Daemen got a three-pointer from senior Taylor Heinold (Hamburg, N.Y./Immaculata Academy) with 36 seconds left before intermission and the hosts took a 37-27 lead into halftime.
The Daemen lead was eight points, 39-31, early in the third quarter when the Wildcats took control with a 13-1 run. A layup by junior Erin Egan (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) with 5:17 left in the frame capped the run and gave the Wildcats a 52-32 lead. UDC chipped away at the lead and eventually got it down to 12 points, 56-44, but Filbert answered with a three-pointer and Daemen went on to take a 59-46 lead into the fourth quarter.
The lead was still 12 points four minutes into the fourth when the Wildcats secured the win with eight unanswered points. A conventional three-point play by Saba with 3:12 left capped the spurt and gave Daemen a 74-54 lead.
Daemen shot 53-percent (16-for-30) from the field in the second half and finished 30-for-62 (48%) from the field overall. The hosts attempted just five free throws in the game and made four. UDC went 23-for-62 (37%) from the field overall and made just 3-of-18 from three-point land. The visitors canned 9-of-12 from the charity stripe. UDC finished with 40-31 edge in total rebounds.
The Wildcats return to action Friday (Jan. 12) when it hosts Long Island University—Post in an ECC game.
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