AMHERST, N.Y. – Senior Shy Britton (Rochester, N.Y./Niagara University) totaled 16 points, eight rebounds and five blocks and sophomore Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) added 15 points, seven boards and two blocks to lead Daemen College to a 75-65 victory over the University of Bridgeport here today in East Coast Conference women's basketball action.
 
The host Wildcats have now won five of their last six games and improved to 6-5 overall and 3-2 in the ECC. Bridgeport saw its losing streak go to three games and dropped to 2-12 overall and 0-6 in the ECC.
 
The victory marked the 450^th career win for Daemen head coach David Skolen, who has now posted a 450-241 record in his 23 years at the school.
 
Freshman Sarah Saba (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) turned in another solid effort for Daemen, as she finished with a 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Sophomore Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara) chipped in nine points and four rebounds, while junior Samantha Wozniak (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) added seven points, four assists and two steals.
 
Senior Jennifer Kucukkaya (Sodertalje, Sweden) drilled four three-pointers and totaled 20 points and seven assists for Bridgeport, while classmate Tiara Aziz (Easton, Pa.) added 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench.
 
Bridgeport connected on just three of its first 13 shots which allowed the Wildcats to build a 14-6 lead midway through the first half. The Wildcats took a 20-11 lead after junior Samantha Wozniak (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) scored with 8:02 left in the half, but the Purple Knights outscored the Wildcats 11-2 over the next five minutes and cut the lead to a point, 23-22, after Kucukkaya drilled back-to-back three-pointers. Bridgeport took its first lead of the game, 28-27, after Aziz scored with 1:54 left in the half, but a three-pointer by Saba closed out the first-half scoring and Daemen took a 30-27 lead into the break.
 
Daemen held a 42-39 lead five minutes into the second half, and the Wildcats increased the lead to eight points, 47-39, following a jumper by junior Somara Colon (Bronx, N.Y./Mott Haven Village Prep) and a three-point play by McDonell. The hosts later took their first double-digit lead, 59-48, following a fast-break layup by Galus with 8:23 left. Bridgeport cut the lead to four points, 65-61, after freshman Morgan Caution (Baltimore, Md.) made one-of-two free throws with 3:43 left, but Daemen scored the next five points and took a 70-61 lead following a steal and layup by McDonell with 2:37 left. Bridgeport came no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
 
Daemen shot 48-percent (12-23) from the field in the first half and connected on 22-of-52 shots (42%) for the game. Bridgeport made just 30-percent (9-for-30) of its shots in the first half and finished just 29-percent (21-72) from the field overall. Daemen won the battle of the board (49-42) and the hosts also finished with a 26-20 edge in points in the paint.
 
Daemen returns to action Friday (Jan. 16) when it travels to St. Thomas Aquinas College for an ECC game.
 
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