ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Redshirt sophomore Tiara Filbert (Batavia, N.Y.) and classmate Caroline White (Fairport, N.Y.) both scored 15 points to lead the Daemen College women's basketball team to a 73-48 win over Assumption College here today in second round action of the Redhawks Classic.
It marked the first-ever meeting between the NCAA Division II programs. The season-opening tournament is being hosted by Roberts Wesleyan College and features teams from the East Coast Conference and the Northeast-10 Conference. Daemen, which suffered a 69-66 loss to The College of Saint Rose in the opening round yesterday, is now 1-1 on the year. Assumption, which posted a 57-51 victory over host Roberts Wesleyan yesterday, is also 1-1.
Filbert, who scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half, connected on 4-of-6 shots and also totaled four rebounds, three assists and a career-high four steals. White, who scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half, connected on 7-of-9 shots and also grabbed five rebounds. Senior Erin Egan (Williamsville, N.Y.) helped the Daemen cause, as she was good on 5-of-7 shots and totaled 12 points and a career-high four steals. Junior college transfer Ranaveya Richards (Albany, N.Y.) played 19 minutes off the bench and totaled eight points, four rebounds and two assists, while sophomore Autumn Buchsenschutz (Port Allegany, Pa.) chipped in seven points, three rebounds and two assists.
Senior forward Morgan O'Donnell (Easton, Mass.), a third-team all-conference selection last year, paced the Greyhounds with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Both teams struggled to score early on, before a 9-0 run by Daemen gave the Wildcats a 13-9 lead. Richards scored six of the nine points during the spurt. Assumption cut the lead to four points (15-11) after Brittani LeBlanc's (Townsend, Mass.) three-quarter-court, buzzer-beating heave was good.
Daemen opened the second-quarter scoring with a three-pointer from Egan, and the teams traded baskets the rest of the frame. Daemen took its first double-digit lead of the game, 27-17, after freshman Mickayla Ivy (Grand Rapids, Mich.) canned two free throws with 2:54 left before halftime. Neither team scored the rest of the half.
The Daemen lead was 11 points (38-27) midway through the third quarter when the Wildcats took control with an 8-1 run. A steal and layup by White with 1:53 left in the quarter capped the run and gave Daemen a 46-28 lead. Assumption quickly cut the lead back to 11 points (46-35), but Daemen took a 14-point lead (49-35) into the final frame after redshirt freshman Khamera Muhammad (Rochester, N.Y.) banked home a three-pointer with 34 seconds left in the quarter. It marked the first three-pointer and the first career points for Muhammad.
Daemen was up 13 points, 57-44, four minutes into the fourth quarter when a jumper by White sparked the Wildcats on a 16-0 run. White scored nine points during the run, while a steal and layup by Egan with 2:24 left capped the rally and gave Daemen a 73-44 lead.
Daemen shot 63-percent (17-for-27) from the field in the second half and finished 26-of-50 (52%) from the field overall. The Wildcats connected on 6-of-10 three-pointers over the final 20 minutes and finished 8-of-20 from behind the arc overall. Six different Daemen players made a three-pointer in the game. Daemen went 13-for-20 from the charity stripe. Assumption shot just 28-percent (16-of-57) from the field overall and made 6-of-28 from downtown. The Greyhounds converted 10-of-13 free throws. The Greyhounds finished with a 39-28 edge in total rebounds, while Daemen posted the advantage in points off turnovers (18-13), second-chance points (14-7), bench points (37-19) and points in the paint (28-14).
The Wildcats return to action Thursday (Nov. 15) when they host Mercyhurst University in their 2018-19 home opener. Mercyhurst is a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and posted a 10-18 record last year.
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