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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
harris mbb vs edinboro 11.28.17 (3)
Breon Harris scored a career-high 15 points in today's win over Salem
77
Winner Daemen DAEM 7-6
69
Salem SALEM 4-9
Winner
Daemen DAEM
7-6
77
Final
69
Salem SALEM
4-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Daemen DAEM 38 39 77
Salem SALEM 36 33 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | By Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications

Men's Basketball Survives At Salem, 77-69

SALEM, W. Va. - The Daemen College men's basketball team led by as many as 17 points and fended off a late rally to defeat Salem University 77-69 this afternoon in non-conference action at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.

With the win, Daemen's second-straight, the Wildcats improved to 7-6 on the season. Salem, an independent member of NCAA Division II, fell to 4-10 on the season and suffered their ninth loss by nine points or less. 

Sophomore guard Breon Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) and junior guard Darius Garvin (Elmira, N.Y.) scored 15 points apiece to lead a balanced offensive attack for the Wildcats. It was a career-high total for Harris who shot 6-for-10 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range while logging more than 30 minutes for just the second time in his career. Garvin also grabbed nine rebounds, and he's now scored in double figures in three-straight games. Harris and Garvin were two of six Daemen players with at least two steals in the game.

Redshirt freshman center Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) posted his second double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 5-for-12 from the field. He also added career-highs three assists and three steals. Sischo, the reigning East Coast Conference Rookie of the Week, has posted five-straight double-figure scoring games and is averaging 19.0 points and and 9.0 rebounds in that span. 

Redshirt sophomore guard Jay Sarkis (Rochester, N.Y.) scored nine of his 12 points in the first half, with all of his scoring coming on 4-for-8 shooting from three-point range. Redshirt senior forward Aleks Miljenovic (Belgrade, Serbia) came off the bench to produce 10 points and a career-best three steals, and redshirt sophomore forward Jeff Redband (Batavia, N.Y.) had an off shooting day (2-for-10) but still contributed a career-high six assists, seven rebounds and two steals.

Junior forward Malik Toppin (Bloomfield, N.J.) and senior guard Reggie Oliver (Apopka, Fla.) led Salem with 14 points apiece. Toppin converted 7-of-11 field goal attempts and added eight rebounds and a trio of blocked shots. Oliver stuffed the stat sheet with six boards, six assists and four steals. The duo came into the game combining for 43.3 points per game this season. 

Junior guard Darren Montgomery (Indianapolis, Ind.) and sophomore forward Marko Tutunovic (Cacak, Serbia) chipped in with nine and points, respectively, for the Tigers.

Neither team led by more than five points during a first half that featured nine lead changes. A fastbreak layup by Miljenovic at the 5:53 mark gave Daemen a 27-26 lead, an advantage they would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest.  The Wildcats led by five (38-33) late in the period after Harris split a pair of free throws, but Salem's Jordan Robinson (Martinsburg, W. Va.) nailed a three-pointer on the Tigers' final possession to cut the deficit to just two (38-36) going into halftime.

After Salem pulled even at 38-all early in the second half, Daemen embarked on a 12-0 run to seize control. Harris and Garvin either scored or assisted on four of the five buckets in the spurt. Garvin drilled a three-pointer at the 17:14 mark and Harris' triple a short time later (16:21) gave Daemen its first double-figure lead of the game (48-38). Miljenovic's layup at the 15:47 mark capped the spurt with Daemen leading 50-38. Back-to-back baskets by Miljenovic and Sischo a short time later pushed the Daemen lead to 64-47 with under 12 minutes to play.

The Tigers clawed their way back into contention with a 19-5 run that cut the Daemen lead to just three points (69-66). Toppin scored six points in the spurt, including a pair of jams. The Tigers capped the run by turning back-to-back Daemen turnovers into fastbreak layups by Tutunovic and Jarius Farrow (LaGrange, Ga.), the second of which coming at the 2:18 mark. After a timeout, Daemen responded with a fastbreak layup of their own by Harris to provide some breathing room at 71-66. Salem would never get within a single possession's difference again as they went 1-for-4 from the field with three turnovers in the final two minutes of the contest. Daemen went 6-for-7 from the charity stripe in crunch time to keep the Tigers at bay.

Daemen shot 41.8 percent from the field (28-for-67) and hit 10-of-26 from three-point range (38.5%). Salem shot slightly better overall (27-for-64, 42.2%) but managed just 28.6 percent shooting frown downtown (6-for-21). The hosts were also saddled by turnover problems, committing 17 which resulted in 17 points for the Wildcats. Salem came into the game averaging 81.8 points per game, but were held under 70 points for just the second time this season. 

Today's game marked Daemen's final non-conference contest of the 2017-18 season, going 6-4 in such games. The Wildcats also improved to 4-0 in the all-time series with Salem. All three of the prior meetings occurred during the 2012-13 season, and three of the four all-time meetings have come at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. 

Daemen returns to league play this Saturday, Jan. 6 with a short trip east to Rochester where they'll face longtime rival Roberts Wesleyan College. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. and the Wildcats will be seeking their 13th consecutive win in the series. 

 
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