AMHERST, N.Y. – Senior Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) totaled 15 points and junior college transfer Arif Mehmetaj (Jamaica, N.Y./SUNY Delhi) added 11 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Daemen College men's basketball team to an 85-50 victory over Concordia (N.Y.) College here tonight in opening round action of the 2014 Knee Center of WNY / ECC-CACC Challenge.
 
The two-day tournament features teams from the East Coast Conference and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.

It was also a successful debut for Daemen head coach Mike MacDonald, who was named the sixth head coach in program history this past September.
 
The win extended Daemen's home winning streak to 36 consecutive games. The streak dates back to the start of the 2011-12 season. Daemen's home winning streak ranks as the second longest in the nation among all NCAA men's basketball programs. Only Division III Albertus Magnus College, which entered the 2014-15 season with a 41-game home winning streak, owns a longer home winning streak than Daemen. The top five home winning streaks among NCAA men's basketball programs entering the 2014-15 season included Albertus Magnus (41), Daemen (35), Stephen F. Austin (33), Duke (33) and Florida (32).
 
Beverly, the 2014-15 ECC Co-Preseason Player of the Year, connected on 6-of-8 shots en route to his 31st consecutive game with at least 10 points. Senior Kyle Clifford (West Seneca, N.Y./St. Francis)  helped the Daemen cause, as he connected on 3-of-4 from three-point land and totaled 13 points off the bench. Sophomore Alex Borges (Erie, Pa./Mercyhurst Prep) played 21 minutes off the bench and established career highs for both points (14) and rebounds (5), while freshman Nick Petrucelli (Hicksville, N.Y./Thomasville Prep) chipped in 10 points, six rebounds and three assists in his Daemen debut.
 
Junior Jamie Holder (Milford, N.H.) totaled 16 points for Concordia.
 
The Wildcats took control early, as the hosts connected on eight of their first 13 shots en route to a 21-6 lead eight minutes into the contest. The teams then traded baskets for the next five minutes before the Wildcats put together a 17-4 run. Clifford drilled two three-pointers and classmate Aaron Davis (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) connected on one triple during the run. Clifford's second triple with 3:07 left before intermission capped the run and gave Daemen a 44-17 lead. The hosts took a 48-19 lead into the break.
 
Daemen increased the lead to 38 points, 74-36, midway through the second half and Concordia came no closer than 35 points the rest of the way.
 
Daemen shot 60-percent (18-30) from the field in the first half and finished 33-for-65 from the field (51%) overall. CC shot just 25-percent (9-36) in the first half and connected on 23-of-68 shots (34%) for the game. Daemen posted a 53-28 edge in rebounds and the hosts also posted a commanding 46-22 advantage in points in the paint. Daemen's bench also outscored the Clippers 45-16.
 
In the first game of the night, Roberts Wesleyan College of the ECC defeated Post University of the CACC, 66-56. Senior forward Isaac Mederios (Johnston, R.I) led the Redhawks with 21 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, while junior Tyrel Dixon (Tobyhanna, Pa.) added 19 points and six boards. Freshman Travis Flagg (Queens, N.Y.) paced a balanced Post attack with 12 points, six rebounds and three assists.
 
RWC held a 52-51 lead late in the second half when a Dixon bucket sparked the Redhawks on a a decisive 13-5 run. A conventional three-point play by Dixon with 2:34 left gave RWC a 61-54 lead and two free throws by sophomore Jordan McBride (Mechanicsville, N.Y.) with 50 seconds left capped the run and gave the Redhawks a 65-56 lead.
 
The tournament continues tomorrow (Nov. 15) at Lumsden Gymnasium on the Daemen campus. Roberts Wesleyan and Concordia will square off at 2 p.m., followed by Daemen against Post at 4 p.m.
 
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