Box Score MHERST, NY - The 23rd-ranked Daemen Wildcats snapped a three-game losing skid with an impressive 66-47 dispatching of conference rival Walsh, who defeated the Wildcats in two of their three meetings a season ago, including in the American Mideast Conference Championship Game.  The Wildcats picked up the win tonight with steady offensive play (48% shooting for the game, 53% shooting in the second half), a stifling defense (held Walsh to 33% shooting for the game and 23% in the second half; tied a season-high with 12 blocked shots) and a great team effort on the backboard (out-rebounded Walsh 43-31).

"It was a great overall team effort," said head coach Dave Skolen, who picked up his 399th career win tonight.  "We started out real sluggish in the first 10 minutes, but we weathered the storm and played great after that."

After trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half (16-6 with 9:46 remaining), the Wildcats offense came to life, producing 24 points to close out the half with a 30-29 lead.  Senior Courtney Donovan (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island HS) led the charge as she knocked down three shots from behind the three-point arc during the Daemen run.  Donovan would finish with a team-high 12 points, all coming on three-point shots.

The tide really turned in Daemen's favor when the Wildcats (12-4, 3-0 AMC) went on a 21-5 run over the first 10:21 of the second half to lead by 17, at 51-34.  The Wildcats would push the lead to as many as 23 points late in the game and Walsh (6-9, 3-2 AMC) never seriously threatened.

After Donovan's production, which included her fifth consecutive game with at least three makes from the land of plenty and a season-high five blocked shots, the Wildcats got a great effort from junior point guard Samantha Stanfield (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison HS) who finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

Daemen also got 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals from junior Chelsea Andorka (Canton, OH/Central Catholic HS).  Fellow junior Ellie Allen (Amherst, NY/Sweet Home HS) finished with eight points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Skolen was quick to applaud the play of junior Lia Zahn (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua HS) as well, calling it, "possibly the best overall game of her career."  Zahn knocked down 4-of-5 from the field to finish with nine points.

Walsh failed to have a single double figure scorer but got nine points apiece from Kristi Yoder, Tracy Payne and Maggie Berry.  

Next up for Daemen is a road contest vs. conference rival Roberts Wesleyan on Tuesday at 6pm, before returning home to face Wilberforce on Thursday night at 5:30.