GAME INFORMATION & LINKS
Game #10
Daemen Wildcats (7-2, 1-0 ECC) vs. Mercy Mavericks (6-3, 0-0 ECC)
Friday, Dec. 13 | 5 p.m.
Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. | Victory Gymnasium
Live Stats
Live Streaming Video (via ECC Network)

Game #11
Daemen Wildcats (7-2, 1-0 ECC) vs. RV/#24 St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans (7-1, 0-0 ECC)
Sunday, Dec. 15 | 1 p.m.
Sparkill, N.Y. | Aquinas Hall
Live Stats
Live Streaming Video (via ECC Network)

JUMP BALL
Regionally-ranked Daemen hits the road this weekend for East Coast Conference games at Mercy College (Dec. 13) and nationally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas College (Dec. 15). All three teams have been playing well as of late. Daemen has won seven of its last eight games. Mercy has won six-straight games, while STAC takes a 7-1 record into a matchup with Roberts Wesleyan on Friday night (Dec. 13).

REGIONAL RECOGNITION
Daemen is ranked 10th 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 moved up to Np. 7 on Nov. 25, and have been ranked 10th in the last two polls. The Wildcats have been ranked in the last seven D2SIDA East Region polls dating back to Feb. 4 of last year.

FAST START
The Wildcats are off to the best start of their NCAA Division II era (2015-present) and their best start overall since opening the 2012-13 season by winning eight of their first nine games. Daemen has won seven of its last eight games and opened its ECC schedule with a 70-47 win over rival Roberts Wesleyan last weekend. The Wildcats have featured a balanced attack thus far, as four starters are averaging over 10 points per game. Redshirt junior Tiara Filbert was named ECC Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 27.5 points during the Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic two weeks ago. She erupted for a career-high 38 points in the loss to Nova Southeastern and netted 22 points in the win over RWC. She is averaging 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Junior forward Caroline White scored a career-high 22 points in a win over Barry and is averaging 15.0 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds. Sophomore forward Katie Titus scored a season-high 20 points in a recent win over Wilmington and is averaging 13.4 points. She is also contributing 6.1 rebounds per game and leads the team in blocks (10). Senior Jordan Heinold and newcomer Ashli Jeune and have also produced. Heinold equaled her career-high for three-pointers in a game (7) and scored a career-high 25 points against Wilmington and is averaging 10.2 points with a team-high 20 three-pointers. Jeune totaled 17 points and five steals in a 65-45 win over Franklin Pierce and is averaging 7.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists. She also leads the team in steals (20). Junior Autumn Buchsenschutz is averaging 23.6 minutes off the bench and is contributing 5.1 points and 2.7 assists per game.

ROAD WARRIORS
Daemen will play 11 of its first 13 games away from the friendly confines of Lumsden Gymnasium—where the Wildcats have won 11-straight games dating back to last season. The 11-game home winning streak is tied with Bentley University for the longest in the East Region.

BANKER'S BACK
Jenepher Banker enters her fourth season as head women's basketball coach at Daemen. She has led the Wildcats to a 48-44 overall record and a 33-22 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 from NAIA 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. The 18 wins were the most since the 2012-13 season. 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.

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

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 nine games. Jeune previously played at Division I Rutgers University and UNC-Wilmington. She has started all nine 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 nine games (13 minutes per game) 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 five 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 a junior. She has played in seven games and totaled six points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the win over Bloomfield.

WILDCATS DEBUT IN 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 seven of their first nine games and are now 21-4 over their last 25 games dating back to last season.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Daemen has held six of its first nine opponents to 57 points or less. The Wildcats have also forced 171 turnovers and collected 94 steals over the first nine games. Daemen ranks third among East Coast Conference teams in both points allowed per game (57.6) and turnovers forced per game (18.) and second in steals per game (10.4).

LONG RANGE THREATS
Daemen ranks first among ECC teams in three-pointers made per game (8.2) and three-pointers attempted per game (26.3). The Wildcats also rank third in three-point field goal percentage (.312). Four of Daemen's five starters have made at least 10 three-pointers on the year. The Wildcats made a season-high 13 three-pointers in an 83-51 win at Wilmington on Nov. 23.

CONFERENCE HONORS FOR WHITE, FILBERT AND TITUS
Junior Caroline White, redshirt junior Tiara Filbert and sophomore Katie Titus have collected honors from the ECC in recent weeks. White was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 25 after leading Daemen's defensive effort during wins over regionally-ranked Edinboro and Wilmington. 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. Filbert was named the ECC Player of the Week on Dec. 2 after averaging 27.5 points during the Cesar Odio Thanksgiving Classic. She scored a career-high 38 points in a 77-74 loss to Nova Southeastern and followed up with 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 78-69 win over host Barry. Over the two games she shot 63-percent (20-for-32) from the field and totaled 55 points. Titus was named ECC Defensive Player of the Week this past Monday. She headed up a defensive unit that forced 25 turnovers and limited the Roberts Wesleyan to 15 points or less in each of the four quarters during a 70-47 Daemen victory over the Redhawks. Titus recorded seven rebounds (five defensive) and collected a career-high five steals in the game. She also contributed on the offensive end with 14 points.

HEINOLD RECORDS 125TH THREE-POINTER
Senior Jordan Heinold has become the 10th player in program history to reach 125 career three-pointers. She reached the milestone during a win over Barry on Nov. 30 and has now totaled 128 three-pointers in 76 career games.

MERCY SCOUTING REPORT
Mercy returns eight players and four starters from last year's team that finished 4-24 overall and 1-17 in the ECC. Mercy was voted seventh in the ECC preseason poll. Scott Lagas is in his second season as head coach. The Mavericks lost their first three games this year, but enter the weekend riding a six-game winning streak—the team's longest winning streak since 1985. Mercy improved to 4-0 at home this year following a 66-60 win over Concordia this past Tuesday. coming off a Junior forward Amber Brown returns after averaging 17.4 points and 6.5 rebounds last year. A second-team All-ECC pick last year, she is averaging a league-high 17.4 points so far this year. She scored a season-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a recent 96-89 (2OT) win over Caldwell. She also ranks second on the team in three-pointers made (10) and rebounds per game (6.9). Freshman guard Katie Wall is a two-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection and is averaging 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and a team-high 4.0 assists per game. She also leads the team in three-pointers made (19) and attempted (46). She totaled six three-pointers, 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists in a 79-63 win over Holy Family. Additional production has come from senior forward Abigail Collier (10.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and sophomore guard Taysha Bender (6.2 ppg). Bender scored a season-high 19 points in a 72-69 win over Post on Dec 4.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN vs. MERCY
Series Record: 10-2
Streak: Won 7
Last Meeting: Daemen 90, Mercy 48 | March 1, 2019 | Amherst, N.Y.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS SCOUTING REPORT
St. Thomas Aquinas returns 12 players and three starters from last year's team that finished 26-5 overall and claimed the ECC regular-season title after posting a 17-1 league mark. The Spartans were upset by LIU Post in the ECC Tournament semifinals, but earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. STAC has posted a 60-11 overall record and has won 32 of their 34 home games since the start of the 2017-18 season. The Spartans claimed their first-ever ECC Tournament title and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament two years ago. STAC was voted second in the 2019-20 ECC preseason poll. The Spartans have picked up where they left off last year and entered the weekend ranked 24th nationally in the D2SIDA national poll. STAC is also receiving votes in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II poll. The Spartans have not played since seeing their season-opening seven game winning streak come to an end following a 64-51 loss to Bentley on Dec. 1. STAC hosts Roberts Wesleyan Friday night before taking on the Wildcats Sunday afternoon. STAC features a balanced attack that is averaging a league-high 80.6 points per game. Veterans Melissa Sadler, Zaria Thomas and Ruth Adams have led the way. Sadler has scored in double figures in the last seven games and is averaging a team-high 14.8 points. Thomas ranks second among the ECC leaders in three-pointers made (24) and is averaging 13.9 points with a team-high 23 steals. Adams, a second-team All-ECC pick last year, is producing 13.8 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game. Junior forward Emily Preston (9.6 ppg, 4.8 apg) also returns after earning first-team All-ECC last year. Redshirt freshman guard Sarah Scerbak has started all eight games and is averaging 9.9 points with 14 three-pointers.

ALL-TIME SERIES: DAEMEN vs. STAC
Series Record: 3-10
Streak: Lost 1
Last Meeting: STAC 65, Daemen 41 | Feb. 22, 2019 | Sparkill, N.Y.

DID YOU KNOW?
Sunday's game features the top two offenses in the ECC. STAC ranks first among ECC teams in scoring offense (80.6 ppg), while Daemen ranks second (73.0 ppg).

ON THE HORIZON
The Wildcats close out their non-conference schedule next weekend (Dec. 21-22) when they take part in the Saint Rose Holiday Classic hosted by The College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y. Daemen will face American International College in the opening round, before squaring off against the host Golden Knights during the second round. Both AIC and Saint Rose are members of the Northeast-10 Conference.