FLUSHING, N.Y. – Queens College connected of 15-of-31 three-pointers and got 33 points from senior Jeremiah Mordi (Valley Stream, N.Y.) en route to a 93-83 upset of Daemen College here today in East Coast Conference men's basketball action.
Daemen, which is ranked ninth in the latest D2SIDA East Region poll and entered the game in three-way tie for first place in the ECC standings, dropped to 14-6 overall and 9-3 in the league. Queens snapped a five-game losing streak and improved to 4-15 overall and 4-8 in the league. Daemen had prevailed in all of the previous four meetings between the two schools by an average of 15 points—including a 93-75 victory earlier this year at Lumsden Gym.
Daemen was once again led by junior Torrence Dyck, Jr. (Rochester, N.Y./San Jacinto College) and senior Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili). The dynamic duo accounted for 56 of Daemen's 83 points. Dyck connected on 11-of-21 shots and totaled 29 points and 10 rebounds. It marked the fourth-straight game he has scored 20 or more points, and the 13th time overall. Beverly made 9-of-11 shots and 9-of-11 free throws and totaled 27 points and 11 boards. He has averaged 25.3 points and 13.3 rebounds over the last three games. It marked Beverly's 10th-straight double-double and 16th total double-double of the season (and 43rd of his career). Beverly also scored in double figures for the 50th-straight game. No one else scored in double figures for the Wildcats. Junior Supreme Hannah (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) chipped in nine points and five assists.
Mordi, who entered the game ranked fifth among the ECC scoring leaders (19.3 ppg), connected on 10-of-17 shots overall and was 5-of-8 from downtown. He also dished out a game-high eight assists and grabbed six rebounds. Sophomore Kyheim Chaplin (Freeport, N.Y.) added 21 points and five steals, while classmate Diego Maldonado (Valley Stream, N.Y.) canned 5-of-9 from downtown and total 17 points.
Queens came out firing and drilled three three-pointers during a 13-2 game-opening run. A layup by Chaplin with just under 17 minutes left in the half capped the run. The Knights managed just three points over the next three minutes and Daemen eventually cut the lead to three points, 16-13, following a three-point play by Beverly with 14:05 left in the half. The teams then traded three-pointers before the Knights put together a 15-4 run that featured triples by Chaplin, Mordi and junior Shaquille Thomas (Brooklyn, N.Y.). A three-pointer by Thomas with 6:43 left before intermission capped the run and gave the hosts a 34-20 lead. Daemen responded with eight-straight points and cut the lead to six points, 34-28, following a layup by Beverly with just under five minutes left in the half, but Queens regained a double-digit lead following a three-pointer by Mordi and a jumper by Thomas. The teams traded baskets the rest of the half and Queens took a 44-35 lead into the break.
Queens secured the win by outscoring the Wildcats 24-8 over the first seven minutes of the second half. Back-to-back three-pointers by Maldonado capped the run and gave the hosts a 68-43 lead with 13:13 left to play. Queens held an 81-60 lead with just under five minutes left when Daemen made things interesting with a 19-5 run. A triple by Hannah with 1:16 left capped the spurt and cut the lead to seven points, 86-79. The Wildcats would get no closer, as Queens canned 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch.
Daemen shot just 41-percent (17-for-42) from the field in the second half and finished 27-for-62 (43.5%) from the field overall. The Wildcats connected on just 7-of-25 three-pointers, including a 4-for-16 clip in the second half. Daemen finished with a 42-27 edge in total rebounds, including a 16-3 advantage in offensive boards that resulted in a 21-4 edge in second chance points. Daemen turned the ball over 17 times (11 in the first half) and Queens took advantage with a 25-12 edge in points off turnovers.
Daemen is idle until Friday (Feb. 6) when it hosts the University of the District of Columbia in an ECC game at 8 p.m.
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