AMHERST, N.Y. – Freshman Nick Petrucelli's (Hicksville, N.Y./Thomasville Prep) free throw with 1.6 seconds remaining to play lifted Daemen College to an 89-88 victory over Dowling College here tonight in East Coast Conference men's basketball action. Daemen has now won seven of its last eight games and improved to 9-3 overall and 4-0 in the league. Dowling dropped to 5-7 overall and 3-2 in the ECC.
The win extended Daemen's home winning streak to 41 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 46-game home winning streak, owns a longer home winning streak than Daemen. Daemen and Duke University are currently tied for second on the list with 41-straight home wins.
The win also extended Daemen's conference winning streak to 20-straight games dating back to last season. That streak ranks as the longest among all NCAA Division II programs.
Tonight's game appeared headed for overtime after Daemen senior guard Kyle Clifford (West Seneca, N.Y./St. Francis) watched his game-winning attempt roll around the rim and out. Petruculli collected the offensive rebound and was fouled attempting a last-second game-winner of his own. He missed the first of two free throws, but calmly canned the second to secure the win.
The game featured the two players that were crowned ECC Co-Preseason Player of the Year—Daemen senior forward Gerald Beverly (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) and Dowling senior guard Darien Davis (Middle Island, N.Y.). The two players more than lived up to the billing tonight.
Beverly racked up 27 points, a career-high 21 rebounds and six blocks. It marked the eighth double-double of the season (and 35th of his career) for Beverly, who also scored in double figures for the 42nd-straight game. Beverly is now averaging 18.0 points per game and leads the ECC in rebounding (12.5 rpg) and blocks (52). Davis, who entered the game averaging a league-high 26.3 points, totaled 27 points and 11 rebounds.
Four players scored in double figures for Daemen. Junior Torrence Dyck, Jr. (Rochester, N.Y./San Jacinto College) scored 21 points and has now scored 20 or more points eight times this season. Clifford played a season-high 28 minutes and scored a career-high 18 points. Senior Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y./South Glens Falls) added 16 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six assists.
Dowling also had four players reach double digits in points. Junior center Evan Maxwell (East Islip, N.Y.) totaled 16 points and 10 boards, while sophomore Ryan Hickey (Smithtown, N.Y.) drilled four three-pointers and finished with 16 points.
The teams traded baskets for the first 10 minutes of the first half and Dowling held a 13-10 lead when the visitors put together an 11-6 run. A three-pointer by Hickey with 8:04 left in the half capped the run and gave the Golden Lions a 24-16 lead. A layup by Davis with just four minutes left in the half gave Dowling a 33-26 lead, but Daemen closed out the half with a 14-2 run and the hosts took a 40-35 lead into the break. Greene hit two three-pointers and totaled eight points during the run.
Dowling scored the first five points of the second half, but the Wildcats answered with a 12-2 run and opened up a 52-42 lead following back-to-back layups by Clifford and Dyck. Dowling scored the next six points, but the Wildcats answered once again and eventually took a 61-50 lead after Beverly dunked off a nice feed from Greene with just over 11 minutes left. Daemen held a 66-56 lead when the Golden Lions rallied behind a 12-4 run. A long three-pointer by Hickey with 5:51 left capped the run and cut the Daemen lead to two points, 70-68.
Daemen appeared in good shape after Clifford hit back-to-back triples with just over three minutes left that gave the hosts an 84-75 lead, but the Golden Lions stormed back and actually had the chance to take the lead after Davis scored and was fouled with 37 seconds left. An 80-percent free throw shooter, Davis missed the freebie and the game remained tied at 88-88—setting up Petrucelli's heroics at the other end.
Daemen shot 53-percent (17-for-32) in the second half and finished 35-for-74 (47%) from the field for the game. The Wildcats canned just 5-of-23 three-pointers, and also made just 14-of-21 free throws. Dowling shot 49-percent (21-for-43) from the field in the second half and finished 35-for-82 (43%) from the field overall. The Golden Lions also struggled from downtown (6-for-27), but made 12-of-15 free throws.
Daemen posted a 46-45 advantage in rebounds, and the hosts also finished with a slim 54-50 edge in points in the paint.
Daemen returns to action tomorrow (Jan. 10) when it hosts the University of Bridgeport in an ECC game at 4 p.m. Bridgeport entered its game at Roberts Wesleyan College with an 8-3 overall record and a 4-0 mark in the ECC.
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