CEDARVILLE, Ohio - The Daemen Wildcats dropped their second consecutive American Mideast Conference game on Saturday, falling 87-78 to the host Cedarville Yellow Jackets. With the loss, Daemen drops to 9-9 overall and 4-3 in AMC play while Cedarville improves to 10-8, 5-2.
For the second consecutive game, the Wildcats established a double figure lead early in the first half only to watch it waste away as Cedarville shot 19-for-30 (63%) from the floor over the first 20 minutes to take a 45-39 lead into the halftime intermission.
To start the second half, Daemen quickly went on an 11-5 spurt to tie the game at 50 but they were never able to recapture the lead. With Cedarville leading 62-59 at the 12:00 minute mark, the Yellow Jackets proceeded to go on a 10-3 run that the Wildcats never recovered from.
Daemen was able to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to four (80-76) with a minute and a half to play. Two free throws from Cedarville's Matt Harner made the score 82-76. On the subsequent possession, two Wildcat three-point attempts, which would have cut the lead in half and made it a one possession game, fell by the wayside. Cedarville connected on 7-of-8 from the free throw line in he final 1:04 to seal the win.
Harner led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high 24 points. Point guard Derrick Hannon added 14 points. Daniel Hickman came off the bench to supply 11 points while starter Austin Foote also reached double figures with 10.
Khorri Silcott paced the Wildcats with 19 points and 10 rebounds, giving the senior forward his fourth double-double of the season. Reigning AMC player of the week Dominic Mazzocchi was next with 18 points and six boards while
Mujeeb Oridami added 17 points. Senior big man
Moustapha Baidy chipped in with 11 points and five rebounds and freshman guard
Mark Coppola dished out a game-high six assists.
Despite shooting just 34% in the second half (12-for-35), Daemen was able to stay in the game thanks in large part to 17 offensive rebounds which often resulted in baskets or free throw attempts.
To compound matters, it appears the Wildcats will lose the services of Coppola who suffered a broken bone in his hand in the waning seconds of the contest.
Daemen hosts Point Park next Tuesday, January 11 with tip time scheduled for 7:30pm.
