AMHERST, N.Y. – Freshman Katie Titus (Penfield, N.Y.) continued her solid play of late while leading Daemen College to a 79-47 victory over the University of the District of Columbia here today in East Coast Conference women's basketball action. The 79 points were the most scored by the Wildcats this season, and the most since they netted 81 in an 81-46 victory over Mercy College at DC's Lumsden Gymnasium on Jan. 26, 2018.
Daemen improved to 10-8 overall and 7-2 in the ECC following its sixth-straight win. The Wildcats entered the game in third place in the ECC standings. The six-straight wins ranks as the longest winning streak for Daemen since it joined the ECC in 2013-14. The last time the Wildcats won six-straight games was the end of the 2012-13 season. UDC, which suffered a 63-56 loss at Roberts Wesleyan College Friday night, dropped to 7-12 overall and 4-5 in the ECC.
It was also a milestone win for Daemen head coach Jenepher Banker, who recorded her 100th career win as a collegiate coach. Banker, who is in her third season at Daemen, previously won 67 games over five seasons at Penn-State Behrend.
Titus, who is the only ECC player to be named the conference's Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week this year, equaled her career-high for points (24)—which she also totaled in a win over regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas College Friday night. She has scored 20 or more points in five of the last six games. The Our Lady of Mercy product connected on 9-of-14 shots overall and made 4-of-7 from three-point land today. It marked the third-straight game Titus has made four three-pointers in a game. She also contributed four rebounds and a career-high four steals. She is shooting 46-percent (16-35) from three-point land and is averaging 22 points and 10.5 rebounds during Daemen's six-game winning streak.
Redshirt sophomore Tiara Filbert (Batavia, N.Y.) helped the Daemen cause with 18 points (14 in the second half), six rebounds and three assists. Filbert has now scored in double figures in 14 of the team's 18 games. Senior Erin Egan (Williamsville, N.Y.) came one rebound shy of a double-double and finished with 12 points and a team-high nine boards. Junior point guard Ranaveya Richards (Albany, N.Y.) added seven points, five rebounds and four assists. A transfer from Finger Lakes Community College, the Wildcats are unbeaten since she entered the starting lineup five games ago. Junior Jordan Heinold (Hamburg, N.Y.) chipped in six points and a career-high six assists.
Senior Natasha Roy (Gambrills, Md.) was the only UDC player to reach double figures in points, as she went 3-of-14 from the field and finished with 10 points. Junior guard Tyra Coombs (Mechanicsville, Md.) added eight points and a team-high nine rebounds.
The teams traded baskets early on and Daemen held a 9-8 lead when the Wildcats scored six unanswered points and opened up a 15-8 lead after Titus swished two free throws with 4:10 left in the first quarter. The teams then traded baskets before a corner three-pointer by Titus with just six seconds left in the frame gave the hosts a 22-14 lead.
A layup by Titus 27 seconds into the second quarter gave the Wildcats a 24-14 lead, and the lead bounced between seven and 12 points over the next five minutes. A three-pointer by Titus with 4:03 left in the half gave Daemen a 37-22 lead, and the hosts eventually took a 39-23 lead into intermission.
The Daemen lead was 42-25 a minute into the third quarter when a triple by Heinold sparked the Wildcats on an 8-0 run. The spurt was capped when a steal by Titus led to a layup by Filbert with 6:43 left in the frame that gave Daemen a 50-25 lead. A triple and a layup by Filbert later in the quarter pushed the Daemen lead to 30 points, 59-29, and the hosts would take a 61-31 lead into the fourth quarter. A 14-3 run by the Wildcats over the first four minutes of the final quarter secured the win for the hosts.
Daemen shot over 50-percent for the second-straight game, as the Wildcats made 29-of-57 shots (51%) from the field overall and connected on 9-of-20 from downtown. The hosts made 12-of-15 from the charity stripe. UDC shot just 26-percent (17-for-65) from the field overall and made just 3-of-20 from downtown. The Firebirds made 10-of-15 free throws. Daemen finished with a 42-36 edge in total rebounds, and the Wildcats also finished with an advantage in points off turnovers (19-7) and points in the paint (32-26).
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 their long-time rivals for the first time since Daemen joined the ECC in 2013-14. RWC (9-9, 5-3 ECC) took a five-game winning streak into its game against St. Thomas Aquinas today.
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