TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic
Hosted by Barry University
Miami Shores, Fla. | Health & Sports Center
Game #7
Daemen Wildcats (5-1, 0-0 ECC) vs. Nova Southeastern Sharks (1-3, 0-1 SSC)
Friday, Nov. 29 | 6 p.m.
Watch Live (Via SSC Digital Network)
Live Stats
Game #8
Daemen Wildcats (5-1, 0-0 ECC) vs. Barry Buccaneers (1-2, 0-1 SSC)
Saturday, Nov. 30 | 2 p.m.
Watch Live (Via SSC Digital Network)
Live Stats
JUMP BALL
Daemen heads to the Sunshine State to take part in the Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic hosted by Barry University. The Wildcats, who bring a five-game winning streak into the tournament, will take on two teams from the Sunshine State Conference (SSC)—squaring off against Nova Southeastern in the opening round Friday (Nov. 29) night and then tipping off against the host Buccaneers from Barry on Saturday (Nov. 30) afternoon. It marks the second-straight year—and the third time in the past six years—that the Wildcats have traveled to Florida for a tournament.
MOVING ON UP
Daemen is ranked seventh in this week's Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) East Region media poll. Daemen entered the season ranked ninth in the D2SIDA East Region preseason poll and was once again ranked ninth in the first in-season poll released Nov. 18. The Wildcats have been ranked in the last five D2SIDA East Region polls dating back to Feb. 4 of last yea.
FAST START
The Wildcats have won five-straight games and are off to their best start since transitioning to NCAA Division II in 2013-14. Daemen posted an impressive 64-57 win over regionally-ranked Edinboro and rolled to an 83-51 win at Wilmington last week. The Wildcats have featured a balanced attack thus far, as all five starters are averaging at least 8.2 points per game. Sophomore forward Katie Titus totaled 20 points in the win over Wilmington and is averaging a team-high 14.7 points. She is also contributing 4.8 rebounds per game and leads the team in blocks (8). Junior forward Caroline White totaled 18 points and eight rebounds against Edinboro and is averaging 14.3 points, a team-high 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Redshirt junior Tiara Filbert (10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg) and senior Jordan Heinold (8.8 ppg, 8 3PT FGs) have also produced. Filbert totaled 14 points and nine boards against Edinboro and is averaging 10.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and a team-high 3.5 assists. Heinold equaled her career-high for three-pointers in a game (7) and scored a career-high 25 points against Wilmington and is averaging 11.5 points with a team-high 15 three-pointers. Newcomer Ashli Jeune totaled 17 points and five steals in a 65-45 win over Franklin Pierce and is averaging 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds. She is tied for the team lead in assists per game (3.5) and leads the team in steals (15).
ROAD WARRIORS
Daemen will play 11 of its first 13 games away from the friendly confines of Lumsden Gymnasium—where the Wildcats have won 10-straight games dating back to last season.
BANKER'S BACK
Jenepher Banker enters her fourth season as head women's basketball coach at Daemen. She has led the Wildcats to a 46-43 overall record and a 32-22 mark in the ECC since the start of the 2016-17 season. Last year she led Daemen to an 18-10 overall record, a 15-3 league record and a second-straight appearance in the ECC Championship Tournament. The 18 wins were the most for the Wildcats since the program transitioned to NCAA Division II in 2013-14. She also recorded her 100th victory as a collegiate head coach during the 2018-19 season. Banker arrived at Daemen with nearly 30 years of coaching experience at various levels, ranging from Division I to high school. Her first collegiate experience came as an assistant coach at Iowa State University (1986-88) and later as an assistant at Canisius College (1993-95). Between assistant coaching stops, Banker served as the head coach at Penn State-Behrend where she led the NCAA Division III program to a 67-61 overall record. Her 1991-92 team went 23-4, winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) South Region championship. That team 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 ultimately settled at the high school level, coaching the varsity team at Grand Island High School from 1998-2013, building 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 seven players from last year when the Wildcats enjoyed their most successful season since transitioning to NCAA Division II. Daemen posted an 11-game winning streak, won 14 of its final 15 regular-season games and posted a 15-3 league record last year. Seeded second in the ECC Championships, the Wildcats were upset by New York Tech in the semifinals and closed out the year with an 18-10 overall record. Daemen entered the 2019-20 season ranked third in the ECC preseason poll and ninth in the Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) East Region preseason poll.
WILDCATS MAKE REGIONAL RANKINGS
Daemen was ranked in both D2SIDA Division II East Region media poll and the NCAA Division II East Region poll during the 2018-19 season. It marked the first time since Daemen transitioned to NCAA Division II that it has been regionally-ranked. The East Region of NCAA Division II is comprised of teams from the East Coast Conference, the Northeast-10 Conference and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference
PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
Daemen was one of the hottest teams in the NCAA Division II East Region at the end of last year, as the Wildcats won 14 of their final 15 regular-season games. The Wildcats have opened the 2019-20 season by winning five of their first six games and are now 19-3 over their last 22 games dating back to last season.
THE STREAK
Daemen posted an 11 game winning streak last year, which ranked as the program's longest winning streak since the Wildcats won 17 in a row during the 2007-08 season.
GETTING DEFENSIVE
Daemen has held its last five opponents to 57 points or less. The Wildcats have also forced 119 turnovers and collected 64 steals over the first six games. Daemen ranks second among East Coast Conference teams in points allowed per game (54.2) and third in both steals per game (10.7) and turnovers forced per game (19.8).
BACK IN THE FOLD
Redshirt junior Tiara Filbert and sophomore Katie Titus top the list of returning players after earning all-conference honors last year. Filbert earned second-team All-ECC recognition after averaging 12.0 points per game with a team-high 76 assists. Titus took the ECC by storm over the second half of her freshman season, averaging 17.4 points and 8.9 rebounds over the final 15 games. For the season, she led the team in scoring (12.1 ppg), rebounding (7.2 rpg), three-pointers (42) and blocked shots (38), and was a first-team All-ECC honoree—as well as the ECC Rookie of the Year. Senior Jordan Heinold (6.3 ppg, 37 3pt FGs) also returns after making 24 starts last year. Junior guards Autumn Buchsenschutz (3.1 ppg, 45 asts) and Caroline White (7.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) also return after playing major roles last season. Sophomore guard Sydney Barney and sophomore forward Mickayla Ivy round out the list of returning players.
A FIRST FOR TITUS
Katie Titus was voted first team All-ECC and ECC Rookie of the Year last year after leading the team in points per game (12.1), rebounds per game (7.2), three-pointers (32) and blocks (38). She became the first women's basketball player from Daemen to garner a major award from the ECC since the Wildcats joined the conference. She also became the first freshman to earn first-team All-ECC honors since Madison Rowland of Queens College in 2013-14. Titus ranked first among ECC freshmen in points per game and second in rebounds per game. She shot 49-percent (109-for-222) from the field and averaged 17.4 points and 8.9 rebounds over the final 16 games. Her efforts earned her conference recognition in six of the final eight weeks. She was named ECC Player of the Week twice (Jan. 14, Jan. 28) and became the first player in team history to earn multiple ECC Player of the Week honors in the same season. She was also a two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week selection (Nov. 19, Jan. 22), and a four-time ECC Rookie of the Week pick (Jan. 22, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18). She was only the freshman in the league to be named ECC Player of the Week and also the only ECC player to be named Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week.
CONFERENCE HONOR FOR WHITE
Junior Caroline White was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week this past Monday after leading Daemen's defensive effort during wins over regionally-ranked Edinboro and Wilmington last week. She keyed the Daemen defense which surrendered just 108 points (54.0 ppg) in the two games, limiting EU and WU to a combined 35 percent shooting. Against Edinboro, White totaled eight rebounds, including five defensive and added a blocked shot. She grabbed six defensive rebounds and a team-high three steals against Wilmington. She also netted 18 points in each contest, shooting 16-for-29 from the field (55%) for the week. She is the second Daemen player to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors, joining teammate Katie Titus who was a two-time selection last season. The ECC Defensive Player of the Week award was instituted for the 2018-19 season
PLENTY OF NEW FACES
The 2019-20 roster features 10 newcomers—one graduate transfer and nine freshmen. Graduate transfer Ashli Jeune (Westhampton, N.J.) and freshman Marina Maerkl (Binghampton, N.Y.) have seen consistent playing time over the first two weeks of the season. Jeune previously played at Division I Rutgers University and UNC-Wilmington. She has started all six games and scored a season-high 17 points in the win over Franklin Pierce. Maerkl led Seton Catholic to the Final Four of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A Tournament as a junior and senior. She averaged a double-double as a senior and earned fourth-team Class A all-state honors. She has played in all six games and totaled six points and four rebounds in a win over Bloomfield. Freshmen Abby Lundquist (Rochelle, Ill.) and Tyra O'Meally-Turnbull (Niskayuna, N.Y.) have also contributed. Lundquist closed out her career at Rochelle Township High School with a school-record 1,909 career points. She has played in three games this year and drilled her first career three-pointer in the win over Bloomfield. O'Meally-Turnbull played at Niskayuna High School and was named the team's Outstanding Defensive Player as junior. She has played in four of Daemen's six games and totaled six points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the win over Bloomfield.
NOVA SOUTHEASTER SCOUTING REPORT
Nova Southeastern is a member of the Sunshine State Conference and was voted second in the 2019-20 SSC preseason poll. NSU was also ranked first in the D2SIDA South Region preseason media poll and 10th in the D2SIDA Division II preseason media poll. The Sharks have been one of the more successful NCAA Division II programs over the past seven years, having won 154 games (22 per year) with four NCAA Tournament Regional crowns and six NCAA Tournament appearances. The Sharks posted a 21-12 overall record (13-7 SSC) last year and claimed the NCAA Tournament South Region championship. Head coach Leann Freeland-Curry is entering her ninth season at NSU and owns a career record of 172-79 with the Sharks. NSU returns 10 players and two starters from last year. Each of NSU's first four opponents are currently regionally-ranked by the D2SIDA. The Sharks opened the year with losses to Union (77-56) and Delta State (85-78) during the GSC/SSC Crossover Challenge. Union (5th) and Delta State (4th) are both currently ranked in the D2SIDA South Region poll. The Sharks registered their first win of the 2019-20 season following an 81-66 win over Bentley on Nov. 18. Bentley is currently ranked eighth in the D2SIDA East Region poll. NSU is coming off a 72-70 loss at Tampa in its SSC opener last weekend. Tampa is tied for the 10th in the D2SIDA South Region poll this week. Red-shirt senior Jordan Tully, a 6-2 forward, is shooting 59-percent (29-49) from the field and is averaging a team-high 18.3 points. She connected on 12-of-15 shots and scored 25 points in the loss to Delta State. Junior guard Hailey Conley drilled six three-pointers and scored 22 points in the loss to Tampa and is averaging 13.5 points. She leads the team in rebounding (6.5 rpg), assists (16) and three-pointers (14). Red-shirt junior guard Claire McMahon (11.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and senior guard Iva Ilic (10.3 ppg) have also produced. McMahon had 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Bentley.
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. NOVA SOUTHEASTERN
First Meeting
BARRY SCOUTING REPORT
Barry is a member of the Sunshine State Conference and was voted eighth in the 2019-20 SSC preseason poll. The Bucs posted a 10-19 overall record and a 7-13 mark in the SSC last year. Head coach Bill Sullivan is entering his 14th season at NSU and owns a career record of 198-175 with the Bucs. Barry returns three starters from last year. Each of Barry's first three opponents are currently ranked among the top-five teams in the D2SIDA South Region media poll. The Bucs opened the year with a 66-58 loss to Delta State and a 90-82 upset of Union during the GSC/SSC Crossover Challenge. The Bucs are coming off a 59-54 loss to Florida Southern last weekend in their SSC opener. FSU is ranked third in the D2SIDA South Region poll. Junior guards Harriet Swindells and Nichel Tampa top the list of returning players. Swindells scored 18 points in the win over Union and leads the team in points per game (16.7) and three-pointers (10). Tampa, who played at Division I Western Kentucky as a freshman, was named the SSC Newcomer of the Year last year after leading the team in points per game (14.6), assists per game (3.9) and steals per game (2.9). She was named the SSC Player of the Week after totaling 34 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in the upset of Union. She is averaging 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists so far this season. Additional production has come from junior forwards Nerea Baena (9.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and Emma Hergot (8.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg).
ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN VS. BARRY
Series Record: 0-1
Streak: Lost 1
Last Meeting: Barry 74, Daemen 64 | Dec. 16, 2014 | at Miami Shores, Fla.
ON THE HORIZON
The Wildcats are idle until Dec. 7 when they host longtime rival Roberts Wesleyan College. It will mark the East Coast Conference opener for both teams.
