AMHERST, N.Y. – Senior Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) totaled 25 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and two blocks to lead Daemen College to 75-61 victory over Molloy College here tonight in East Coast Conference men's basketball action. It marked the ECC opener for Daemen, which improved to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in the league. Molloy suffered its second-straight loss and dropped to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the ECC.
 
The win extended Daemen's home winning streak to 39 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 is currently riding a 44-game home winning streak, owns a longer home winning streak than Daemen.
 
The win also extended Daemen's conference winning streak to 17-straight games dating back to last season.
 
Beverly, the 2014-15 ECC Co-Preseason Player of the Year, recorded his fourth-straight (and 31st career) double-double and has now scored in double figures in 36-straight games. Beverly, who totaled 26 points and 18 rebounds in a 79-72 win over Dominican on Nov. 30, connected on 10-of-16 shots and collected nine offensive rebounds.
 
Four players scored in double figures for Daemen. Junior Supreme Hannah (Rochester, N.Y.) drained four three-pointers for the second-straight game and totaled 12 points and five assists. Classmate Torrence Dyck (Rochester, N.Y./San Jacinto College) added 11 points and five boards, while senior Kyle Clifford (West Seneca, N.Y./St. Francis) added 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.
 
Senior Matt McLeod (Greenlawn, N.Y.) paced the Lions with 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while junior Brandon Williams (Baldwin, N.Y.) also netted 15 points. St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute graduate Jaylen Morris (Amherst, N.Y.) added 13 points and four steals for the visitors.
 
The host Wildcats pounced on the Lions early, as back-to-back three-pointers by senior Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) and Hannah sparked Daemen to a 16-4 lead just four minutes into the game. Daemen later took a 20-7 lead following a layup by Dyck with 14:57 left before the break, but the Lions responded with five unanswered points and cut the lead to eight points, 20-12, following a tip in by McLeod. Daemen scored seven of the game's next eight points and took their largest lead of the first half, 27-13, following a three-point play by freshman Xavier Long (Brooklyn, N.Y./Williamsburg Prep) with 10:48 left in the half. Molloy answered with a 16-8 run over the next six minutes and cut the lead to six points, 35-29, after Williams made one of two free throws with just over four minutes left in the half. Molloy outscored the Wildcats, 8-4, the rest of the half and Daemen took a 39-37 lead into the break.
 
The Lions continued their strong play at the start of the second half, as the visitors opened the second stanza with a 10-3 burst and took a 47-42 lead after Williams canned a jumper with 15:13 left. Daemen then heated up from the outside and regained the lead, 51-47, following three-straight three-pointers, one by Clifford and consecutive corner triples by Hannah. Beverly then took over with seven-straight points. The final three courtesy of a conventional three-point play with 9:43 remaining that made the score 58-47. The hosts increased the lead to 14 points, 64-50, following a layup by Dyck with 6:56 remaining, but the Lions made one last run and cut the lead in half following a 9-2 run. A three-pointer by sophomore Charlie Marquardt (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) with 3:47 left capped the spurt and made the score 66-59. The Lions came no closer, as Beverly canned two free throws with 3:32 left and a Clifford layup with 2:34 remaining made it 70-59.
 
Daemen shot 46-percent (12-26) in the second half and 46-percent (28-61) for the game. Molloy connected on just 23-percent (8-for-34) of its shots in the second half and connected on 22-of-69 shots (32%) overall. Daemen dominated the boards, posting a 50-30 advantage in rebounds. The Wildcats collected 19 offensive rebounds, which led to 21 second-chance points. Daemen also finished with a 34-20 edge in points in the paint and an 18-8 advantage in bench points.
 
Daemen will look to run its home winning streak to 40-straight games tomorrow (Dec. 13) when it hosts Queens College in an ECC game at 4 p.m.
 
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