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Daemen University Athletics

Western New York's Premier Division II Team
Fearless, Integrity, Effort, Respect, Commitment, Excitement
wallace mbb vs syracuse
Joey Wallace scored 10 of his 18 points in the second half tonight
65
Mercyhurst MER 1-1
67
Winner Daemen DAEM 4-1
Mercyhurst MER
1-1
65
Final
67
Daemen DAEM
4-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Mercyhurst MER 32 33 65
Daemen DAEM 29 38 67

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

Wildcats Solve Mercyhurst Curse Behind Sischo & Wallace

Daemen Knocks Off Defending Atlantic Region Champs For First Win In Series Since 2013

AMHERST, N.Y. - If Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) is Batman then Joey Wallace (Rochester, N.Y.) may have emerged as Robin tonight. The dynamic duo crashed, kronked and kapowed their way to the basket all game long to lead the Daemen College men's basketball team to a 67-65 win over visiting Mercyhurst University in non-conference action at Lumsden Gymnasium. 

Sischo finished with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, and added 11 rebounds - his fifth double-double in as many games this season. Wallace posted a season-high 18 points, 10 of which came in the pivotal second half as Daemen overcame a 32-29 halftime deficit. The 6-foot-4 redshirt-senior added five rebounds, three steals and two steals, and it was his aggressiveness off the dribble that continuously collapsed Mercyhurst's signature matchup zone defense.

Daemen has now won four straight contests, improving to 4-1 on the season. The nationally-ranked Wildcats also extended a pair of home-court winning streaks. Daemen has now won 11 straight home games overall, and 12 consecutive non-conference home games. Mercyhurst came into tonight's game as the last non-conference opponent to score a win at Lumsden Gymnasium, a 69-55 final two years ago to the day. The defending Atlantic Region champions dropped to 1-1 on the season with tonight's loss. 

The win was also Daemen's first over Mercyhurst since Nov. 23, 2013, snapping a five-game slide in the all-time series. The teams have now met in seven straight seasons with five of those contests being decided by six points or less. 

Jay Sarkis (Rochester, N.Y.) nailed a pair of three-pointers as part of a 10-point effort for the Wildcats. Junior guard Kyle Harris (Buffalo, N.Y.) chipped in with 11 points off the bench, helping the Wildcats absorb the loss of starter Breon Harris (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) who was saddled with foul trouble for much of the night.

Each of the nine Mercyhurst players to enter the game got on the scoresheet. The Lakers were paced by big man Joel Ufele who canned 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Sophomore guard MiyKah McIntosh, the lone returning starter from the Lakers' 26-8 team a year ago, netted all 10 of his points in the second half. 

After trailing by as many as eight points in the opening frame, Daemen found their offensive rhythm in the second. Sischo, Sarkis and Kyle Harris all scored in a 13-3 spurt that turned a 34-29 deficit into a 42-37 advantage. Back-to-back jumpers by Harris capped the spurt.

The Wildcats would gain five-point leads five times through the course of the period, but each time Mercyhurst had an answer. A Sarkis three-pointer at the 7:17 mark put Daemen ahead 56-51, but the Lakers responded with an 11-3 spurt of their own. McIntosh accounted for six straight points, and Ufele's mid-range jumper at the 3:55 mark put Mercyhurst ahead 62-59. 

The Daemen defense stiffened, holding Mercyhurst off the board for four successive possessions. The Wildcats reclaimed the lead (64-62) on and old-fashioned three-point play from Wallace with 1:04 to go. McIntosh tied at the other end, but Breon Harris picked an opportune moment for his first field goal of the contest as he hit a fade-away jumper with 38 ticks left to put Daemen on top for good.

Ufele was fouled after gathering an offensive rebound, but he split two free throws with seven seconds left, leaving Daemen ahead by one (66-65). Sarkis was fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass, and he hit one of two at the charity stripe, leaving the door partially open for a miraculous Mercyhurst finish. But, McIntosh's running three-point attempt hit the backboard and grazed off the front of the rim as time expired.

Mercyhurst shot 51 percent from the field (24-for-47), but committed 19 turnovers in the game. Daemen finished 23-of-50 from the field (46%), and outscored the Lakers by five points at the free throw line (Daemen: 16-for-23; Mercyhurst 11-for-13). 

All four of Daemen's wins this season have featured second-half comebacks. The Wildcats erased an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Felician University last Friday night, and followed up with a late rally to defeat Nyack College the next day. Daemen's only setback of the season thus far is to defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri State University. The Wildcats are ranked in both national polls for NCAA Divison II (NABC No. 22; D2SIDA No. 18). 

Sischo's 22-point outing places him 1,169 points for his career. He surpassed Kevin Lange for 14th place on Daemen's all-time scoring list, and also moved past Kharmen Wingard for 10th in career field goals (468). 

Daemen's six-game homestand rolls on Saturday as the Wildcats welcome West Liberty University to town for a matchup of nationally-ranked teams. The Hilltoppers come in ranked no. 4 in the NABC poll and No. 3 in the D2SIDA poll. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.



 
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