LA JOLLA, Calif. - The Daemen College men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season today after the University of California-San Diego got a 16-point, seven-assist performance from senior guard James McCann to push the hosts to a 66-56 victory at RIMAC Arena.

The win improves UCSD to 1-0 as this was their 2013-14 season opener while Daemen drops to 2-1 on the young season. 

UCSD, which led the entire ballgame, opened on a 9-2 run, establishing a gap that Daemen would never fully overcome.

The Tritons found their largest lead of the night at the 9:46 mark off a three ball from Darryl Wong putting UCSD up 22-6. Daemen then used an 14-5 spurt to get themselves back into it, cutting the hosts' lead to seven (27-20) at the 4:09 mark of the first half on layup by junior forward Steve Carder (Champlain, N.Y./North Country CC).

UCSD's Adam Klie hit a three pointer with 1:27 left in the opening stanza leaving the score 32-23 at halftime.

To open the second half, Daemen rattled off seven straight points to bring the Wildcats within two (32-30).  Senior forward Uchechi Ogbonna (Hicksville, N.Y./Erie CC) knocked down a jumper at the top of the key before a Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) layup assisted by Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls). Following that was a three ball from junior guard Aaron Davis (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) at the 18:04 mark.

UCSD pushed the lead back up to eight by scoring 11 of the next 16 points, capped by a four-point play from Hunter Walker at the 15:14 mark.  Greene hit a triple on Daemen's next possession to make the score 43-38, but Walker answered with his second straight three-pointer at 14:45 to keep the Wildcats at bay, trailing 46-38.

Daemen chipped away over the next several minutes, using a 14-7 spurt to pull within one at 53-52 with 8:02 to play.  Greene and Davis keyed the run for Daemen, combining for nine points in that stretch.  Senior guard Casey Sheehan (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena) hit a three-pointer to cap the run, bringing Daemen within a whisker of tying the game.

But, the Wildcat offense went cold, scoring just four points over the final eight minutes of the contest.  Daemen managed to connect on just one of its final eight field goal attempts (0-for-4 from three-point range) while committing three turnovers in crunch time as well.

Daemen was plagued by poor shooting in the game, going just 19-for-55 (35-percent) from the field, including a 31-percent output (8-for-26) in the opening stanza.

In addition to McCann's performance, the Tritons also got a 16-point game from Walker, a sophomore guard, while teammate MacKenzi McCullough added 11 points in the win.

For the game, UCSD hit on 16 of its 22 free throw attempts (73-percent) compared to a 13-for-23 (56-perecent) showing from the visitors.

Beverly paced Daemen with 13 points and eight rebounds.  Greene knocked down two triples en route to 12 points while Ogbonna contributed nine points and 11 rebounds to the Daemen cause.

Sheehan had seven points and four rebounds after returning from an injury that caused him to miss the Wildcats' 59-56 win over Goldey-Beacom last Saturday.  Daemen remained without regular starters Mark Coppola (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South) and Kadeem Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger) who continue to work their way back from injuries as well.

The Wildcats return to action tomorrow (Nov. 16) when they will take on California State University-San Marcos - an independent member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.  The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. (PST) at the MiraCosta College Gymnasium.