GAME #25
DAEMEN WILDCATS (21-3, 13-1 ECC) vs. MOLLOY LIONS (18-8, 10-4 ECC)
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28
QUEALY GYMNASIUM (ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y.) - 5 PM

GAME #26
DAEMEN WILDCATS vs. NEW YORK TECH BEARS (17-9, 10-4 ECC)
SUNDAY, MARCH 1
RECREATION HALL (OLD WESTBURY, N.Y.) - 1 PM

FASTBREAK POINTS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW

FAST BREAK POINTS: 10 THINGS TO KNOW

MOLLOY SCOUTING REPORT

• Molloy returns seven players and two starters from last year's team that finished 10-18 overall and 5-13 in the ECC. Molloy was voted sixth in the ECC preseason poll.
• Head coach Joe Pellicane enters his fifth season as head coach at Molloy. He entered the 2019-20 season with a 64-82 record with the Lions—including a program-record 24 wins and an ECC Tournament title in 2016-17. He previously coach at Dowling College and led the Golden Lions to the NCAA Division II championship game in 2013.
• Molloy's 14-player roster consists of seven returning players, six transfers and one freshman.
• Molloy leads the ECC and ranks sixth among all Division II teams in scoring defense. The Lions are allowing just 52.6 points per game and have held 11 of their 26 opponents to less than 50 points.
• The Lions have won seven of their last 10 games and bring a four-game winning streak into Friday's game.
• Graduate transfer Kadijah Dickson has paced the Lions thus far. A former ECC Rookie of the Year, she played two seasons at Bridgeport before transferring to Clarion last year. She was named the ECC's top rookie following the 2015-16 season and collected third-team All-ECC honors in 2017-18. She led Clarion in scoring (15.9 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg) last year. She has scored in double figures in all but one game this year and currently ranks first among the ECC scoring leaders (15.4 ppg) and third among the ECC rebounding leaders (8.5 rpg).
• Junior guard Gabriella Aspuru is the only player to start all 26 games and is contributing 12.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and leads the team in blocks (31).
• Additional production is coming from graduate transfer Robyn Francis (7.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 53 stls) and senior Kathryn Gibson (7.2 ppg, 42 3pt FGs). Francis, who comes to Molloy from former ECC member LIU Post, totaled 19 points, four assists and five steals in a recent win over Queens.

SERIES HISTORY VS. MOLLOY
All-Time Series: Daemen leads 10-3
At Molloy: Tied 3-3
Current Streak: Daemen won 6
Last Meeting: Daemen 68, Molloy 51 | Jan. 24, 2019 | at Amherst, N.Y.

NEW YORK TECH SCOUTING REPORT

• New York Tech returns 10 players and five starters from last year's team that finished 23-9 overall (12-6 ECC), claimed the ECC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Bears were voted first in the ECC preseason poll.
• Head coach Kenny Parham is in his fourth season at NYIT.
• The Bears host Roberts Wesleyan Friday night before taking on the Wildcats Sunday.
• The Bears enter the weekend riding a six-game winning streak and are coming off a big 62-58 win at regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas last weekend.
• New York Tech ranks second in the ECC and 11th among all Division II teams in scoring defense. The Bears are allowing just 54.1 points per game and have held 10 of their 26 opponents to less than 50 points.
• Sophomore forward Ketsia Athias and junior forward Meg Knollmeyer have led the way thus far. Athias is coming off a solid rookie season in which she averaged 7.1 points and 8.5 rebounds and ranked second in the ECC in blocks (66). This season she leads the team in points per game (12.2) and rebounds per game (8.6) and has posted a league-high 52 blocks. Knollmeyer earned first-team All-ECC honors last year and was the 2019-20 ECC Preseason Player of the Year. The reining ECC Player and Defensive Player of the Week, she totaled 22 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks and six rebounds in the win over STAC.
• Additional production is coming from junior guard Shalie Frierson (10.0 ppg, 27 3pt FGs) and sophomore guard Zoe Amalbert (8.9 ppg, 4.0 apg).

SERIES HISTORY VS. NEW YORK TECH
All-Time Series: NYIT leads 11-3
At NYIT: NYIT leads 6-0
Current Streak: Daemen won 1
Last Meeting: Daemen 52, New York Tec 46 | Jan. 26, 2019 | at Amherst, N.Y.

DAEMEN QUICK FACTS
Daemen returns three starters and seven players from last year. 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.

BANKER'S BACK
Jenepher Banker enters her fourth season as head women's basketball coach at Daemen. She has led the Wildcats to a 62-45 overall record and a 45-23 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.

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 Caroline White (7.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Autumn Buchsenschutz (3.1 ppg, 45 asts) also return after playing major roles last season. Sophomore guard Sydney Barney and sophomore forward Mickayla Ivy round out the list of returning players.

PLENTY OF NEW FACES
The 2019-20 roster features nine newcomers—one graduate transfer and eight freshmen. Graduate transfer Ashli Jeune (Westhampton, N.J.) and freshman Marina Maerkl (Binghampton, N.Y.) have seen consistent playing time. Jeune previously played at Division I Rutgers University and UNC-Wilmington. She has started all 24 games and scored a season-high 27 points in a win over Queens on Jan. 10. She earned ECC Player of the Week honors after scoring 25 points in a win at Roberts Wesleyan on Feb. 1. 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 21 games (10 minutes per game) and scored a season-high seven points in a recent win over Mercy. Freshman Tyra O'Meally-Turnbull (Niskayuna, N.Y.) has also contributed. She played at Niskayuna High School and was named the team's Outstanding Defensive Player as a junior. She has played in 16 games and totaled six points, eight rebounds and two blocks in a win over Bloomfield.

REGIONAL RECOGNITION
Daemen is ranked sixth in the NCAA Division II East Region poll and fifth the final 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 has been ranked in the last 15 D2SIDA East Region polls dating back to Feb. 4 of last year.

HISTORIC 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 2003–04 season by winning 21 of their first 24 games. The Wildcats have won 13-straight games and 16 of their last 17 contests. The 13-straight wins is a new program record for most consecutive wins during the program's NCAA Division II era (2015-present). It is the longest winning streak overall since the 2007-08 season when the Wildcats posted a 17-game winning streak.

LETHAL LEFTY
Redshirt junior Tiara Filbert was named the ECC Player of the Week for the second time this season on Feb. 17 after leading Daemen to league wins over St. Thomas Aquinas and Mercy. She totaled 35 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists over the two games, while shooting 52-percent (12-23) from the field. She scored 28 points in a recent win over Bridgeport and is averaging 16.4 points and 5.0 assists over the past five games. Among the ECC leaders she ranks third in points per game (14.1), third in minutes per game (34.5), fifth in free throw percentage (.780), sixth in assists per game (3.7) and 11th in field goal percentage (.439).

THE WHITE STUFF
Junior forward Caroline White earned ECC Player of the Week honors for the second time this season on Feb. 10 after leading the Wildcats to wins over Bridgeport and Queens. She totaled 40 points and 14 rebounds over the two games. White is producing career-high numbers for the Wildcats this season, as she ranks second on the team in points per game (13.7), rebounds per game (6.7), field goal percentage (.460) and minutes per game (33.2). Among the ECC leaders she ranks sixth in points per game, third in offensive rebounds per game (3.0), eighth in field goal percentage and eighth in total rebounds per game.

SUPER SOPHOMORE
Sophomore forward Katie Titus equaled her career-high with 27 points during a 64-35 win at District of Columbia last month and is averaging 13.0 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per game. She also ranks second in three-pointers made (37). A two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week selection, she also leads the team and ranks third among the ECC leaders in blocks (39). She 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.

SENIOR SHARP SHOOTER
Senior Jordan Heinold was named ECC Player of the Week on Jan. 27 after leading the Wildcats to wins over Molloy and New York Tech. She has shot 47-percent (36-77) from three-point land during Daemen's 13-game winning streak and is averaging 12.0 points overall with a team-high 62 three-pointers. She has totaled 170 three-pointers in 91 career games and ranks fourth among the program's all-time leaders. She stands three three-pointers shy of moving into the top three. She has also become the seventh player in program history to make 60 or more three-pointers in a season—and the first since Raeann Stilwell in 2014-15.

SUDDEN IMPACT
Newcomer Ashli Jeune was named ECC Player of the Week on Feb. 3 after totaling six three-pointers and 25 points in a win at Roberts Wesleyan. She has started all 24 games and is averaging 9.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. She also leads the team and ranks ninth among the ECC leaders in steals (41).

20/20
Daemen has reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since the 2012-13 season—and the 16th time in program history.

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 16 games. The Wildcats have won 21 of 24 games this year and are now 35-5 over their last 40 games dating back to last season.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Daemen has held 20 of its 24 opponents to 65 points or less and is 20-0 in those games. Daemen has not allowed an opponent to score over 65 points during its current 13-game winning streak. The Wildcats have also forced 455 turnovers and collected 225 steals. Daemen ranks third among ECC teams in both points allowed per game (54.8) and turnovers forced per game (19.0) and fourth in steals per game (9.4).

LONG RANGE THREATS
Daemen ranks first among ECC teams in three-pointers made per game (8.7) and three-pointers attempted per game (26.4). The Wildcats also rank second in three-point field goal percentage (.330). All five of Daemen's starters have made at least 25 three-pointers on the year. The Wildcats made a program-record 20 three-pointers in an 89-62 win over Queens on Jan. 10—which is tied for the most by an East Region team (U Sciences) ranks fifth among all NCAA Division II teams this season.

ROAD WARRIORS
Daemen has played 15 of its 24 games away from the friendly confines of Lumsden Gymnasium—where the Wildcats have won 18-straight games dating back to last season. The 18-game home winning streak ranks as the longest home winning streak among all NCAA Division II East Region teams. The Wildcats are 8-1 in true road games this season.

TALENTED STARTING FIVE
All five of Daemen's starters have been honored by the ECC at some point this season. Four have been honored as the ECC Player of the Week and three have been named the league's Defensive Player of the Week. Caroline White (twice), Tiara Filbert (twice), Jordan Heinold and Ashli Jeune have been named Player of the Week, while White, Heinold and Katie Titus (twice) have been selected Defensive Player of the Week. A Daemen player has collected ECC Player of the Week in four of the last five weeks, and a Daemen player has received a weekly honor in nine of a possible 15 weeks.

NEXT JUMP BALL
The Wildcats are idle until March 7 when they will face an opponent to be determined in the semifinal round of the ECC Championship Tournament. The game will be played at the UDC Sports Complex in Washington, D.C.