AMHERST, N.Y. - Sophomore Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) and junior Kadeem Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) both recorded a double-double, as the Daemen College men's basketball team powered past a pesky Western Ontario University, 73-57, tonight in second-round action of the 2012 Knee Center of WNY Tip-Off Classic.

Daemen saw its string of 100-point performances come to an end, but remained unbeaten on the year at 5-0. The Wildcats had scored over 100 points in each of their first four games. The Mustangs closed out their non-league schedule at 0-7.

Beverly recorded his fourth-straight double-double and finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Johnson scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds (11 offensive). He also dished out a career-high six assists. Erie Community College product Uchechi Ogbonna (Hicksville, N.Y./Erie CC) made his presence known off the bench, as he connected on 5-of-7 shots and totaled 15 points. Sophomore Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) drilled two three-pointers and totaled nine points, while sophomore Aaron Davis (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) added eight points, five rebounds and two steals.

Junior Peter Scholtes (London, Ont.) paced the Mustangs with four three-pointers and a game-high 25 points.

Daemen, which had scored at least 50 points in the first half in each of its first four games, struggled to score against Western Ontario's zone defense in the first half. The Wildcats connected on just 8-of-26 shots (31%) and went without a field goal for an eight minute stretch late in the half. Daemen went to the free throw line 14 more times than the Mustangs in the first half, but the Wildcats connected on just 11-of-18 attempts from the charity stripe. Mustangs drained 13-of-29 shots (45%) and made 5-of-11 three pointers enroute to a 35-30 halftime lead.

The Mustangs held a 12-10 lead nine minutes into the first half when a three-pointer by Greene sparked the hosts on a 10-2 run. Two free throws by Beverly with 8:28 left before halftime capped the run and gave Daemen a 20-14 lead. Western Ontario answered with a three-pointer from Scholtes and later took its largest lead of the half, 32-23, following a triple by freshman Jacob Hutchcroft (Whitby, Ont.) with 2:52 remaining in the half. The teams then traded three-pointers, before the Wildcats closed the gap with four straight points over the final minute.

Daemen picked up the defensive pressure at the start of the second half, which resulted in a 13-2 run for the hosts and got the alumni weekend crowd into the game. Western New England went 0-for-9 during the run and turned the ball over four times. A layup by Ogbonna, off an assist from Johnson, with 12:59 left capped the run and gave Daemen a 43-37 lead.

A four-point play by Western's Ryan Higgins (Fergus, Ont.) cut the Daemen lead to two, 43-41, but the Wildcats answered the challenge and increased their lead to 10 points (53-43) following a 10-2 run. Ogbonna, who had a crowd-pleasing fast-break dunk during the run, capped the run with a two free throws. The Mustangs quickly cut the lead to six points (55-49), but Daemen scored nine of the next 14 points and regained a double-digit lead, 64-54 following a jumper by Johnson with 4:42 left. Daemen later took a 68-54 lead following two free throws by Davis with 2:56 left, and the Mustangs came no closer than 11 points down the stretch.

Western Ontario shot just 26-percent (6-for-23) in the second half, including a 3-for-12 clip from three-point land. Daemen connected on 17-of-37 shots (46%) in the second half.

Daemen finished with a 36-16 edge in points in the paint and dominated the glass, 51-31. Daemen hauled in 24 offensive rebounds, which resulted in a 21-2 edge in second-chance points. The Wildcats forced 20 turnovers (12 in the second half), which resulted in 26 points for the hosts.

In the other second-round game, Point Park University (2-0) posted a 94-85 victory over the University of Toronto (6-5). Six players reached double figures in scoring for Point Park. Senior center Babtunde Somoye (London, England) totaled 21 points and 19 rebounds, while classmate Josh Arnold (Monessen, Pa.) added 18 points off the bench. Senior Arun Kumar (Hamilton, Ont.) drilled 7-of-13 three-pointers and totaled 43 points in a losing effort for Toronto.

Daemen will play its next six games on the road, starting with a trip to Rockville Center, N.Y. next weekend to take part in the Molloy College Tip-Off Tournament. The Wildcats will face Queens College Friday at 6 p.m. and take on the host Molloy Lions Saturday at 4 p.m.

2012 Knee Center of WNY Tip-Off Classic

First Round - Nov. 2
Point Park 89, Western Ontario 72
Daemen 105, Toronto 59

Second Round-Nov. 3
Point Park 94, Toronto 85
Daemen 73, Western Ontario 57