TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
GAME #1: Roberts Wesleyan Redhakws (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Nyack Warriors (0-0, 0-0 CACC)
Friday, Nov. 10 | 6 p.m. | Amherst, N.Y. | Lumsden Gymnasium
GAME #2: Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Felician Golden Falcons (0-0, 0-0 CACC)
Friday, Nov. 10 | 8 p.m. | Amherst, N.Y. | Lumsden Gymnasium
GAME #3: Roberts Wesleyan Redhakws (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Felician Golden Falcons (0-0, 0-0 CACC)
Saturday, Nov. 11 | 2 p.m. | Amherst, N.Y. | Lumsden Gymnasium
GAME #4: Daemen Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 ECC) vs. Nyack Warriors (0-0, 0-0 CACC)
Saturday, Nov. 11 | 4 p.m. | Amherst, N.Y. | Lumsden Gymnasium
GAME LINKS
Live Stats (ALL GAMES)
Watch Live on ECC Network (ALL GAMES)
Tickets
Game Day
Tournament Home Page
RETURN OF THE MAC
Mike MacDonald returns to the bench for his fourth season as Daemen's head coach, and his 21st season overall as a collegiate head coach...in his first three seasons roaming the Daemen sidelines, MacDonald has led the Wildcats to a 59-29 overall record...the Wildcats have won at least 19 games in each of MacDonald's three seasons, and the team's 59 victories in that span are the second most among all NCAA Division II programs in New York State...before coming to Daemen, MacDonald transformed the Division III program at Medaille into a perennial power, averaging 18 wins per season and advancing to the postseason six times in his eight years as head coach...MacDonald made his head coaching debut at the Division I level, leading the program at Canisius from 1997-2006...while there, MacDonald's teams racked up 108 wins making him the third all-time winningest coach in the program's history...the longtime bench boss opens the 2017-18 season with a career record of 315-255.
THE GRADUATES
Daemen must cope with the graduation of five seniors from their 2016-17 team who played in a role in the team's 80 wins over the last four seasons. Gone are starters Arif Mehmetaj, Supreme Hannah and Jesse Lalka, as well as key reserves Jaleo Wilkes and Alex Borges. Mehmetaj, a 6-foot-7 forward, earned second-team All-ECC honors for the second-straight season after leading Daemen in scoring (15.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.2 rpg). Hannah, a 6-foot guard, had his finest collegiate season, averaging 13.9 points per game en route to third-team All-ECC honors.
HAM IT UP
Redshirt junior guard/forward Deion Hamilton headlines Daemen's returning players. Hamilton established himself as one the premier 6th men in the ECC last season, averaging 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while leading Daemen in field goal percentage (.514). After posting nine double-figure scoring games in his redshirt freshman season, Hamilton erupted for 21 such outings last year, and Daemen went 14-2 in games that Hamilton shot 50 percent or better from the field. A former two-time MVP of the Section V Class A Tournament while at Greece Athena High School, Hamilton figures to move into an even more prominent role for the Wildcats this season.
REDBAND FOR THREE
Redshirt sophomore forward Jeff Redband established himself as one of the preeminent three-point shooters in the ECC last season. For the season, Redband canned 68-of-151 three-point attempts becoming the first Daemen freshman with more than 50 triples since Brian Montanaro had 70 in 2002-03. A four-time ECC Rookie of the Week honoree, Redband ranked third among all ECC players in total three-point baskets, and fifth in three-point field percentage (.450). He made at least one three-pointer in 23 games, and knocked down multiple threes in 17 contests. Appearing in all 28 games while making 27 starts, Redband contributed 10.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
BACKCOURT HELP
The Daemen backcourt will get a boost with the return of Jay Sarkis and Nick Petrucelli, both of whom missed the entire 2016-17 season with injuries. Sarkis, a 6-foot-1 redshirt sophomore, quarterbacked the Wildcats to an appearance in the ECC Tournament finals as a freshman in 2015-16. That season, Sarkis was a four-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection as he appeared in all 29 games while making 26 starts, and averaging 8.5 points and 2.3 assists per game. Petrucelli, a 6-foot-3 redshirt junior, returns to the lineup for the first time since January 2016. A player with 45 collegiate games (15 starts) under his belt, Petrucelli was avaeraging a career-best 9.9 points per game in 2015-16 before being forced from the lineup with an injury.
GARV-ELOUS
With injuries to key backcourt players in each of the last two seasons, Daemen has become reliant on the steady play of junior guard Darius Garvin who has appeared in 58 of a possible 59 games in his career while making 40 starts. Last season, Garvin upped his statistical numbers in nearly every category, including minutes per game (from 17.9 as a freshman to 27.4 as a sophomore), points per game (from 4.8 to 7.6), rebounds per game (from 2.8 to 4.4) and assists per game (from 1.1 to 1.8).
RUNNING OF THE BULLS
Daemen suffered a 77-55 loss in an exhibition contest vs. Division I Buffalo last Friday, Nov. 3. After Daemen crept within eight points at halftime, the highly-touted Bulls opened the second half with a 14-4 run and never looked back. Redshirt freshman center Andrew Sischo paced the Wildcats with 13 points and seven boards. Guards Nick Petrucelli (12 points) and Jay Sarkis (10 points) both reached double figures on the scoresheet while each seeing their first action since the 2015-16 season. Sophomore guard Breon Harris came off the bench to score 10 points for the Wildcats as well. Friday's game marked the third-straight season that Daemen and UB have met in exhibition action, and it came nearly a year to the day after UB narrowly escaped with a five-point win (87-82) in overtime against the Wildcats. UB has been picked to win the Mid-American Conference East Division this season.
STARTING 1-0
Daemen has won 15 consecutive regular season openers dating back to the 2002-03 season. The wins in that span have come over 13 different opponents. Fisher (Mass.) and Wilfrid Laurier (Ont.) are the only opponents Daemen has defeated twice in season openers during the streak. The Wildcats' average margin of victory during the streak is an astonishing 25.7 points per game; in the team's four season openers since beginning to play a full Division II schedule, the average margin of victory is 22.3 points per game. Just one game - a 68-65 final over Toronto in 2011 - has been decided by single digits. Daemen has gone over 100 points in three of the last five season openers; the high-water mark came in 2013 when they downed Ohio Valley 111-90. Last season opened with a 75-64 dispatching of Caldwell which put the Wildcats en route to their first 5-0 start to a season since 2012-13. Daemen's last loss in a season opener came at the Spring Hill College (Ala.) Tournament against the hosts on Nov. 2, 2001, falling 75-35.
ECC-CACC CHALLENGE HISTORY
This weekend's event marks the fourth-straight year that Daemen has hosted the ECC-CACC Challenge presented by WNY Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC. The Wildcats are 5-1 all-time in the tournament, and they'll bring a two-game winning streak into this weekend's action after defeating Caldwell (75-64) and Dominican (60-49) in last season's tournament. Daemen's lone loss in the event came on Nov. 14, 2015 to a Holy Family team that went on to win the CACC championship that season. Daemen is averaging a point differential of 14.0 points per game in their six ECC-CACC Challenge outings. Roberts Wesleyan is 1-5 all-time, while Felician and Nyack are making their first tournament appearances. A complete tournament history including game results and individual records can be accessed by clicking HERE.
DEFENDING THE DEN
Daemen posted a 14-2 record at the friendly confines of Lumsden Gymnasium last season, matching the program record for home wins in a season last achieved in 1999-2000. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Daemen is 70-10 at Lumsden Gymnasium (.875 winning percentage).
FELICIAN SCOUTING REPORT
Felician is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, and the Golden Falcons are led by head coach Ivan Lewis, a 2004 Felician graduate. Now in his third season as the team's head coach, Lewis has posted a 20-33 record to date. Felician enters the 2017-18 season seeking their first postseason berth since the 2012-13 season, and their first CACC championship since 2009-10. The Golden Falcons return six players from their 2016-17 team which posted a 10-17 overall record and a 7-12 mark in CACC play to finish in sixth place in the CACC North Division. Among the returners are a pair of double-figure scorers - 6-3 redshirt junior guard Terrell Spaulding (18.8 ppg) and 6-1 redshirt senior guard Gjaimeir Stanford (15.1 ppg). Spaulding, who also led Felician in rebounding (8.3 rpg), was a second-team All-CACC selection last season, and he is the leading returning scorer among all CACC teams. Spaulding knocked down 59 three-pointers last season, and ranked first in the CACC in three-point field goal percentage (.461). Felician posted an 8-4 record last season when Spaulding scored 20 or more points. Among the newcomers expected to make an immediate impact are 6-9 junior forward Rahsaan Williams and 6-7 junior forward Marlon Reid, both of whom are junior college transfers. Felician was picked sixth in the CACC North Division preseason poll.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Felician: 1-0
Streak: Won 1
Last Meeting: Daemen 94, Felician 71 | Jan. 3, 2016 | Orangeburg, N.Y.
More Details
NYACK SCOUTING REPORT
Nyack is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, and the Warriors are led by head coach Jason Crafton, a 2003 Nyack graduate. Now entering his sixth season as the team's head coach, Crafton has posted a 40-89 record to date. Nyack enters the 2017-18 season seeking their first postseason berth since the 2005-06 season. The Warriors' roster features six returners and seven newcomers, and they'll be looking to rebound from a 7-19 campaign in 2016-17 (3-16 in CACC play). Gone are the team's top two scorers - Robert Tyler (16.5 ppg) and Jaron Smith (12.8 ppg) - who accounted for 123 of the Warriors' 169 three-point field goals last season. The Warriors return a pair of players who averaged double figures last season: 6-1 junior guard Shawn Witherspoon (11.3 ppg) and 6-1 senior guard Imran Ritchie (11.2 ppg). Witherspoon added 5.2 rebounds per game (second on team) while Ritchie led the Warriors and ranked third in the CACC in assists (4.5 apg). Nyack opened the season with a three-point loss (65-62) in an exhibition contest vs. Division I affiliate Central Connecticut State last Thursday, Nov. 2. Freshman guard Deandre Osuigwe knocked down 4-of-12 attempts from three-point range and led the Warriors with 15 points in the loss. Nyack was picked seventh in the CACC North Division preseason poll.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Nyack: 2-1
Streak: Won 2
Last Meeting: Daemen 94, Nyack 61 | Jan. 4, 2003 | Amherst, N.Y.
More Details
ROBERTS WESLEYAN SCOUTING REPORT
Roberts Wesleyan is a member of the East Coast Conference, and the Redhawks are led by head coach Rob McCoy, a 1981 Roberts Wesleyan graduate. Now entering his 16th season as the team's head coach, McCoy is the program's all-time leader in wins with 189. The Redhawks went 3-24 overall and 2-16 in ECC play last season. McCoy must deal with the departure of two of the team's top three scorers - guards Quinn Carey (12.2 ppg, team-high 83 three-pointers) and Zack Panebianco (11.3 ppg) - who both transferred to Division III Geneseo. The Redhawks do return eight players, including three double-figure scorers. Manny Joseph, a 6-4 senior guard/forward, led the Redhawks in scoring (13.6 ppg), rebounding (6.6 rpg), steals (32) last season. Sophomore guard Isaiah Lewis is back after averaging 10.9 points per game, tops among ECC freshmen last season. And, 6-5 senior center Malik Dare returns after shooting 59.3 percent from the field and averaging 10.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Roberts Wesleyan will be looking to improve from the charity stripe after shooting 59.9 percent as a team last season which ranked 301st out of 302 Division II teams. Among the team's nine newcomers are six transfers, five of whom hold previous collegiate playing experience.
DID YOU KNOW?
Daemen is 7-2 in November home games since Mike MacDonald took the reins of the program beginning with the 2014-15 season. Since joining the ECC in 2013-14, Daemen is 9-3 against CACC opponents, and eight of the 12 meetings have occurred at Lumsden Gymnasium where Daemen is 7-1.
UP NEXT
Daemen's season-opening four-game homestand continues Tuesday, Nov. 14 with Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference member Mercyhurst coming to Lumsden Gymnasium. The homestand closes Saturday, Nov. 18 with Daemen's third game against a CACC opponent this season as Wilmington (Del.) heads to WNY.
