GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A 19-point differential from the charity stripe was too much for the Daemen Wildcats to overcome on the road today as they dropped an 80-70 decision to the defending NAIA II National Champions - the Cornerstone Golden Eagles who are ranked 6th in the NAIA II pre-season poll. With the loss, Daemen falls back to .500 at 3-3 while Cornerstone grabs their first win of the season against four defeats.

"We were a stubborn basketball team today," said Daemen head coach Don Silveri. "We did not execute our game plan and we did not execute our mid-game adjustments. Despite that, we still had a chance to beat the defending national champs on their home court. We need to be more consistent if we're going to have a good year. Right now our performances are just too inconsistent on a day-to-day basis."

Justin Yoder led six Golden Eagles in double figures with 18 points, including a 10-for-10 showing from the free throw line and two huge three-point baskets late in the game. Big man Dan Possehl was next with 14 points while Wes Hudson added 13. Jake Plite and reserve Ty Mason scored 11 points apiece and point guard Ronald Bates chipped in with 10.

Plite and Possehl each grabbed nine rebounds to lead Cornerstone who enjoyed a 47-31 edge off the backboard in what is becoming a serious epidemic for the Wildcats.

Junior Jim Regan (Williamsville, NY/Nichols HS) led the Wildcats with 15 points and a season-high eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Mark Coppola (Williamsville, NY/Williamsville South HS) tossed in a career-high 14 points to go with six assists and three steals.

Dom Mazzocchi (Geneva, NY/Finger Lakes CC) chipped in with 13 points and five boards while fellow senior Devon Dawson (Buffalo, NY/St. Joel's HS) added 10 points and four steals. Dawson was instrumental in erasing a 10-point deficit halfway through the second stanza.  

Dawson and Regan were the only Wildcats to find the range from deep, combining to shoot 5-for-11 from beyond the three-point arc. The rest of the squad combined for a dismal 0-for-18.

The road doesn't get easier from here as Daemen travels to Erie, PA next week for the Gary Miller Classic hosted by Gannon University of NCAA II. The Wildcats will do battle with the host Gokden Knights on Friday, Nov. 25 at 7:30pm.