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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
sarkis
Jay Sarkis scored the go-ahead basket and totaled nine points in his return to the lineup today
55
Saint Michael's M-613
64
Winner Daemen M-30174
Saint Michael's M-613
55
Final
64
Daemen M-30174
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Saint Michael's M-613 36 19 55
Daemen M-30174 28 36 64

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

Strong Defensive Effort Propels Daemen To Sixth Straight Win

Wildcats Outscore Purple Knights 24-10 Down The Stretch

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Daemen College men's basketball team outscored Saint Michael's College 24-10 in the final 13 minutes, and held the Purple Knights to less than 25 percent field goal shooting in the entire second half en route to a hard-fought 64-55 victory in non-conference action at Lumsden Gymnasium today. Daemen, which is ranked fourth in the latest Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) East Region media poll and receiving votes in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll, has now won six straight games overall, improving to 8-1 this season. SMC, a member of the Northeast-10 Conference, dropped to 4-8 on the season.

Breon Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) scored a season-high 23 points, including 14 in the second half, while also gabbing five boards and a season-high five steals. Harris' offensive production came on 8-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-9 from downtown. Harris has now gone over 20 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He scored 22 points in Daemen's 98-72 win at New York Institute of Technology on Dec. 16.

Redshirt senior forward Quinn Lee Yaw (Jamestown, N.Y.) connected on 6-of-9 field goal attempts, and totaled 14 points in the win. Classmate Deion Hamilton (Rochester, N.Y.) chipped in with 10 points and four assists, while redshirt junior forward Jeff Redband (Batavia, N.Y.) corralled a team-best eight rebounds.

The Wildcats also regained the services of guards Jay Sarkis (Rochester, N.Y.), Darius Garvin (Elmira, N.Y.) and Nick Petrucelli (Hicksville, N.Y.) today. The trio had missed significant time over the early portion of the season. Sarkis played big minutes in the second half, and finished with nine points, four rebounds and three assists. But, the good news comes with some bad as Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.), the East Coast Conference Preseason Player of the Year, missed today's game with an injury.

Levi Holmes III, a second team All-NE-10 performer last season, paced the Purple Knights with 16 points, albeit on just 6-of-19 shooting. Holmes III and Buffalo native Derek Cheatom form the highest scoring tandem in the NE-10 this season, combining for 38.9 points per game coming into today's game. Daemen's stingy defense limited the pair to just 23 points on 9-of-30 shooting today. 

Eli DiGrande recorded a double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Winston Jones II scored 11 of his 12 points in the opening frame for SMC. 

Daemen led 19-15 about midway through the first half, but a nearly five-minute drought between field goals allowed SMC to recapture the lead. Lee Yaw's layup at the 6:27 mark snapped the Daeme cold spell, cutting the guests' lead to 25-21. After Daemen knotted the score at 26-26 on a Harris three-pointer, the Purple Knights closed the period with a 10-2 spurt, opening up their largest lead of the game (36-28) as the teams headed to their locker rooms at halftime.

Daemen flipped the script with a 10-2 spurt of their own near the outset of the second half, tying the score at 40-40 on a fastbreak slam by Lee Yaw. Holmes III responded with a three-pointer on SMC's ensuing possession, and the lead went back to five points (45-40) following a jumper by reserve forward Jason Heter at the 13:09 mark.

That's when the proverbial lid went on the basket for SMC as Daemen limited them to just one field goal over the next 10 minutes. The Wildcats scored 18 of the next 22 points. Sarkis' layup after a nifty spin move in the lane at the 9:52 mark gave Daemen their first second-half lead (46-45), and the bulge grew to five points (51-46) on a driving layup by Petrucelli with 7:15 to go. Daemen extended its lead to 58-49 when Lee Yaw split a pair of free throws at the 3:55 mark.

But, SMC wouldn't go quietly as Holmes III connected on a three-pointer at the 2:39 mark, bringing it back to a two-possession game. On the ensuing Daemen possession, Lee Yaw drew a foul as he was attacking the offensive glass, and the SMC bench was quickly whistled for a technical foul. Daemen split the four free throws they were awarded, and after getting another defensive stop, the lead grew to double figures (62-52) when Sarkis hit Lee Yaw with a no-look feed for an easy lay-in, essentially sealing the win.

The win was Daemen's ninth straight at Lumsden Gymnasium dating back to last season. The Wildcats are a perfect 5-0 at home this season, and they've won 87 of their last 100 home games dating back to the start of the 2011-12 season. 

The win also served as a bit of retribution for Daemen's 83-82 road loss at St. Michael's on Dec. 30, 2017. The Wildcats trailed by 27 points at halftime before mounting a furious second-half rally that came up just short. Since that game, Daemen has gone 25-3, and they've done so despite missing at least one key player in every outing. 

Daemen returns to action Monday, Dec. 31 when they host the College of Saint Rose for a noon tip-off. 

For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.



 
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