GAME INFORMATION
Game #17: Daemen Wildcats (8-8, 5-2 ECC) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans (16-2, 7-0 ECC)
Friday, Jan. 25 |  6 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y. |  Lumsden Gymnasium

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Game Day

Game #18: Daemen Wildcats (8-8, 5-2 ECC) vs. District of Columbia Firebirds (7-10, 4-3 ECC)
Sunday, Jan. 27 |  1 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y. |  Lumsden Gymnasium

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Live Stats
Watch Live on ECC Network


JUMP BALL
The Daemen College women's basketball team opens a three-game home stand by hosting St. Thomas Aquinas College (Jan. 25) and the University of the District of Columbia (Jan. 27) this weekend. STAC sits atop the ECC standings, while Daemen enters the weekend in third place. UDC is tied for fifth place in the league.

BATTLE TESTED
St. Thomas Aquinas is ranked fifth in the latest Division II Sports Information Director's Association (D2SIDA) East Region poll. The Spartans will be the ninth team that Daemen has faced this season that has been ranked regionally by the D2SIDA at some point this season.

BANKER NEARS MILESTONE WIN
Jenepher Banker stands just two wins shy of her 100th career win as a collegiate coach. She is in her third season as head coach at Daemen and previously spent five seasons (1988-93) as head coach at Penn State Behrend. Her overall collegiate record currently stands at 98-101. Last year she led Daemen to its first-ever appearance in the ECC Championship Tournament. Banker arrived at Daemen with nearly 30 years of coaching experience at various levels, ranging from Division I to high school. Banker's 1991-92 team at Penn State Behrend went 23-4 and garnered Penn State-Behrend's first-ever national ranking in any sport. She was inducted into Penn State-Behrend's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. Banker most recently coached at the high school level, guiding the varsity team at Grand Island High School from 1998-2013. She built the Lady Vikings into a regional contender with seven Section VI championships, four appearances in the Far West Regional, and one appearance at the New York State final four.

DAEMEN QUICK FACTS
Daemen returns three starters and eight players from last year's team that posted an 12-17 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the East Coast Conference. The Wildcats earned a bid to the ECC Championship Tournament for the first time since joining the league in 2013-14. Daemen suffered a 76-64 loss to Roberts Wesleyan in the ECC Tournament quarterfinals. The Wildcats are ranked eighth in the ECC preseason poll. The Wildcats enter the weekend riding a four-game winning streak, which ranks as the program's longest winning since the Wildcats won five in a row midway through the 2016-17 season.

COMEBACK KIDS
The Wildcats have overcome second-half deficits in the three wins over Mercyhurst (74-67), Gannon (58-52) and Roberts Wesleyan (72-70). Daemen trailed Mercyhurst by 10 points (59-49) late in the third quarter, before outscoring the Lakers 25-8 the rest of the way. Gannon held a five-point lead (52-47) before Daemen scored the final 11 points of the game. Roberts Wesleyan was up eight points (58-50) with seven minutes to play before Daemen closed out the game with a 12-4 run.

HISTORIC WINS
Daemen's win over Mercyhurst marked its first win over a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) team since the 2004-05 season when the Wildcats posted a 90-82 win over Gannon. Daemen's win over Gannon marked its first win in the series since the 2004-05 season, and its first at Gannon's Hammermill Center since the 1996-97 season.

A NEW ERA
A familiar face will be missing from the Daemen lineup following the graduation of Sarah Saba. A four-year starter for the Wildcats, she played in all 110 games over her career and totaled 1,774 points (16.1 ppg), 770 rebounds (7.0 rpg), 157 blocks and 157 steals. She scored in double figures in 96 of her 110 career games and ranks fifth in career points among Daemen's all-time leaders. She also ranks seventh in career rebounds and sixth in career blocks. She became the first-ever women's basketball player from Daemen to earn first-team All-ECC honors as a sophomore, and repeated the honor as a junior and senior. She averaged an ECC-best 17.7 points last year and became the first women's basketball player from Daemen to lead the league in scoring average.

SENSATIONAL SOPHOMORE
Sophomore Tiara Filbert enjoyed a solid rookie season last winter and is off to a strong start this year. Filbert, who sat out the 2016-17 season due to injury, played in all 29 games last year and started 20 of the final 21 games. She ranked second on the team in total points (252), scoring average (8.7) and defensive rebounds (115). A one-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection, she scored in double figures 12 times, including 10 of her final 19 games. Filbert equaled her career-high for points (21) in a recent loss to Saint Anselm and is averaging a team-high 13.4 points. She also leads the team in minutes played (481), field goal percentage (.447), three-pointers made (28), three-point field goal percentage (.378), assists (45) and steals (27).

SUPER SUB TO SENIOR STARTER
Senior Erin Egan played in 27 of 29 games last year and averaged 17 minutes a game off the bench. She averaged 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds and ranked second on the team in blocks (34) and steals (26). She has started 12 of the first 16 games in 2018-19 and ranks second on the team in scoring average (10.4), steals (22) and rebounds per game (5.3). The team leader in blocks (19), she was named to the weekly ECC honor roll this past Tuesday after totaling 34 points and 10 rebounds during the two wins over Mercy and Bridgeport last weekend. She scored a career-high 19 points against Mercy.

BIG SHOT BUCHSENSCHUTZ
Sophomore Autumn Buchsenschutz is playing a much larger role this year after seeing limited playing time as a freshman. She started the first 13 games this season before being sidelined due to injury. She is averaging 22 minutes and 4.8 points a game. She ranks third on the team in assists (30) and is tied for second in three-pointers made (16). She scored a career-high 13 points and handed out four assists in the win over Gannon and followed up with 10 points and three assists in the win over Roberts Wesleyan. She drilled a big three-pointer with 27 seconds left in the win over Gannon and her triple with 56 seconds left gave Daemen the lead for good (69-66) against RWC.

BACK FROM INJURY
Junior Jordan Heinold and senior Erin Sinnott both had their 2017-18 seasons cut short by injury. Heinold played in the first 13 games (7 starts) before missing the remainder of the regular-season due to injury. She averaged 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds and ranked fourth on the team in three-pointers made (27) despite missing 15 games. She has played in all 16 games this year and drilled five three-pointers and scored a season-high 17 points in a loss to St. Michael's on Jan. 5. She has canned 87 three-pointers over her career. Sinnott started the first eight games last year before missing the remainder of the season. A transfer from Division I Evansville, she was averaging 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds prior to the injury. She has played in all 16 games this year and is averaging 3.6 points. She hit two clutch free throws with 11 seconds left and totaled eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the 72-70 win over Roberts Wesleyan.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Sophomore Caroline White and junior Sarah Young both made an immediate impact with the team last year. White played in all 29 games as a freshman and was in the starting lineup 22 times. She ranked third on the team in total points (249), scoring average (8.6), minutes per game (29.9), total rebounds (149) and rebounds per game (5.1). A three-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection, she ranked second in three-pointers made (36) and scored in double figures 11 times. She equaled her career-high for points (19) in a loss at LIU Post this year and is averaging 9.7 points over the last eight games. Young contributed right away after transferring from Division I St. Bonaventure. She started 28 games last year, averaged 6.3 points and led the team in offensive rebounds (80) and field goal percentage (.500). She also ranked second in rebounds per game (5.9) and third in blocked shots (22).

MORE CONFERENCE HONORS FOR TITUS
Freshman forward Katie Titus was named the ECC Rookie of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week this past Tuesday after averaging 19.0 points, 15.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocks during the two wins over Mercy and Bridgeport. It's the third week this season that Titus has collected accolades from the conference. She was previously named ECC Player of the Week (Jan. 7-13) and ECC Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 12-18). She is the only player to be named ECC Player, Defensive and Rookie of the Week this season. Titus was named ECC Player of the Week after totaling 46 points and 21 rebounds during home wins over Molloy and Queens. She became the first freshman to earn ECC Player of the Week honors this season, and also became the first Daemen player to be named ECC Player of the Week since Sarah Saba last January. She was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week for Nov. 12-18 when she registered 12 defensive rebounds, three blocks and two steals in a come-from-behind victory over Mercyhurst. Titus has appeared in all 16 games this season and has made nine starts, including the last eight games. She is averaging 9.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. She ranks among the team's leaders in scoring (third), rebounding (first), field goals (second), steals (third) and blocks (second). She has averaged a team-high 13.1 points and a team-high 9.1 rebounds during Daemen's seven conference games, and currently ranks second among ECC freshmen in points per game (9.1).

RICHARDS GOES THE DISTANCE
Junior college transfer Ranaveya Richards made her first career start and played all 40 minutes during the win over Queens on Jan. 13. She totaled six points, six rebounds and two assists in the win. She has played in all 16 games and is averaging 19.6 minutes and 4.5 points.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SCOUTING REPORT
St. Thomas Aquinas returns 10 players and two starters from last year's team that finished 27-5 overall (16-2 in the ECC), claimed its first-ever ECC Tournament title and made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament. STAC was voted third in the ECC preseason poll. The Spartans have picked up where they left off last year despite the graduation of ECC Player of the Year Jenna Erickson and ECC Defensive Player of the Year Adiya Henderson. The Spartans have won seven-straight games and are ranked fifth in the latest D2SIDA East Region poll. Three of STAC's wins during the current seven-game winning streak have been by just two points, including a 52-50 win over Molloy last Saturday. Sophomore forward Emily Preston has paced a balanced attack. She is shooting 50-percent from the field and leads the team in points per game (11.4) and rebounds per game (6.8). She also ranks second on the team in assists (66). Junior guard Ruth Adams is averaging 10.7 points in just 15.2 minutes a game. She totaled 16 points in just 20 minutes off the bench in a recent 66-64 win over ECC preseason favorite LIU Post. Senior Julia Winnik and sophomore Zaria Thomas both rank high among the ECC three-point shooters. Winnik has made a team-high 38 triples and is averaging 8.8 points. Thomas has drained 36 from downtown and is averaging 9.2 points. Winnik also leads the team in steals (31), while Thomas ranks third (29). Junior Melissa Sadler scored 23 points in a recent 70-55 win over NYIT and is averaging 8.2 points.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. St. Thomas Aquinas: 2-9
Streak: Lost 4
Last Meeting: STAC 73, Daemen 54 | Feb. 2, 2018 | Sparkill, N.Y.
Recap

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SCOUTING REPORT
District of Columbia returns nine players and four starters from last year's team that finished 4-24 overall and 2-16 in the ECC. Former assistant coach John Nakpodia is in his second season as head coach after taking over for Juan Dixon left after one season to become the head men's basketball coach at Coppin State. UDC was voted ninth in the ECC preseason poll. The lone starter that did not return was guard Daeja Quick, who collected ECC Rookie of the Year honors last year. She is currently playing at Slippery Rock University. The Firebirds won just three of their first 10 games this year, but are 4-3 over their last seven. UDC is coming off wins over Molloy (75-70) and Queens (71-62) last week. The Firebirds play at Roberts Wesleyan Friday, before taking on Daemen Sunday. Senior guards Natasha Roy and Mia-Alexis Lloyd have paced the Firebirds this season. Roy has scored in double figures in 15 of 17 games and is averaging 13.5 points with a league-high 44 three-pointers. She drilled seven three-pointers and scored 23 points in a recent 89-82 upset of LIU Post. Lloyd totaled 14 points and 8 rebounds in the win over Queens this past weekend and is averaging 13.1 points. Additional production has come from sophomore guard Maya Thomas (9.0 ppg, 29 3pt FGs) and junior guard Tyra Coombs (8.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 19 3pt FGs).

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. District of Columbia: 3-7
Streak: Won 3
Last Meeting: Daemen 71, UDC 62  | Feb. 4, 2018 | Washington, D.C.
Recap

ON THE HORIZON
The Wildcats return to action Thursday (Jan. 31) when they host rival Roberts Wesleyan College in an ECC game. Daemen defeated the Redhawks, 72-70, earlier this year in Rochester. The Wildcats will be looking to sweep the regular-season series from RWC for the first time since Daemen joined the ECC in 2013-14.