Alahna Paige scored a season-high 12 points in Sunday's win over Bridgeport. The team's starting point guard will lead them into road games at CSI and UDC this weekend.

Wildcats Visit CSI & UDC This Weekend

Daemen faces ECC newcomer Staten Island Friday, duels with District of Columbia Sunday afternoon

12/16/2021 11:30:00 AM

GAME #8
Daemen Wildcats (4-3, 2-0 ECC) vs. Staten Island Dolphins (2-5, 0-1 ECC)
Friday, Dec. 17 | 5:30 p.m. | Sports and Recreation Center | Staten Island, N.Y.
Watch - ECC Sports Network
Live Stats
Daemen Game Notes (PDF)

GAME #9
Daemen Wildcats (4-3, 2-0 ECC) vs. University of Dist. Columbia Firebirds (6-4, 2-0 ECC)
Sunday, Dec. 19 | 1 p.m. | UDC Gymnasium | Washington, D.C.
Watch - ECC Sports Network
Live Stats
Daemen Game Notes (PDF)

JUMP BALL
Daemen continues their 2021-22 season with an East Coast Conference road trip when they visit the Staten Island Dolphins Friday night followed by a trip to our nation's capital to face the District of Columbia Firebirds in a Sunday matinee. This will be Daemen's first-ever meeting with Staten Island, the ECC's newest member, and their first with UDC since a 61-50 victory on February 21, 2020. UDC is returning to ECC play after the program saw its 2020-21 campaign cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

A MAGICAL RUN
The Wildcats earned their second consecutive NCAA tournament berth and captured their first regional title last March. After entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the East Regional, the Wildcats ran to a 73-54 win over third-seeded Georgian Court in the regional semifinals, marking the program's first-ever NCAA tournament victory. The Wildcats followed up with a 58-40 defeat of fifth-seeded Roberts Wesleyan in the regional final, avenging a loss just nine days prior in the ECC Championship final. Katie Titus was named the Most Outstanding Player of the East Regional after netting 22 points to go with seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the regional final. The postseason run came to an end just over a week later in Columbus, Ohio where the Wildcats suffered a 66-49 loss in the Elite Eight to top-seeded and eventual national champion Lubbock Christian.

RELOADED
Daemen is set to return 13 players, including four starters, from their regional championship team – players responsible for 78% of scoring, 81% of rebounds and 85% of their assists from a season ago. Among the returners is senior forward Katie Titus who was recently named the ECC Preseason Player of the Year. A 6-foot forward, Titus produced a career-high 14.8 points per game last season. She led the ECC in three-point field goals (48) and blocks (40) while also ranking second in rebounding (8.1 rpg) and third in scoring en route to earning honorable mention All-American honors. Redshirt senior guard Tiara Filbert - the 2020-21 ECC Preseason Player of the Year - is also set to return after being limited to just eight games by an injury last season. A three-time All-ECC selection, Filbert enters her final collegiate season with 1,096 points in 93 games played. Senior forward Mickayla Ivy (9.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and sophomore guard Alahna Paige (2020-21 ECC Rookie of the Year) also return.

BANK ON IT
Jenepher Banker returns for her sixth season on the Daemen bench and her 11th overall as a collegiate head coach. The veteran mentor has led Daemen to an 82-53 record since taking the reins in 2016, with 59 of her victories coming over the past four seasons. The Wildcats' success under Banker includes a 23-win season in 2019-20 (a benchmark for wins during the program's NCAA Division II era), back-to-back regular season conference titles, the program's first ECC tournament championship, a pair of NCAA tournament berths and the 2021 regional title. She was named the ECC Coach of the Year after leading the Wildcats to an unbeaten run through conference play. Including her five seasons as the head coach at Penn State Behrend, Banker enters the weekend just one win shy of 150 for her career.

IN THE POLLS
For the first time in the program's NCAA Division II era (2015-present), Daemen was nationally ranked to start the season. Daemen was ranked 20th in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Preseason Top 25 Coaches Poll and eighth in the Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) Preseason Media Poll. The Wildcats ended the 2020-21 season ranked eighth in both polls - the first time they've finished a season in the national rankings. Daemen is also ranked tied for seventh in D2SIDA's latest East Region Poll and have now been ranked in 26 consecutive D2SIDA regional polls since January 2019.

MILESTONE MOMENT
By converting a free-throw in the second quarter of a 54-53 win over Angelo State on November 19, senior Katie Titus became the 27th member of Daemen's 1,000-point club. In 80 career games, Titus has made 72 starts and totaled 1,099 points, 639 rebounds and 135 blocked shots. She ranks 21st in career scoring all-time at Daemen. A three-time All-ECC selection, Titus is one of only four players in program history to have 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 100 blocks in a career. Titus is off to a fast start with five double-doubles in seven games while averaging 20.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season.

HIGH ECC-XPECTATIONS
For the second straight season, Daemen has been selected as the preseason favorite to win the ECC. The Wildcats were the near unanimous choice atop the ECC Preseason Coaches Poll, garnering nine of the 10 first-place votes and 97 points. The Wildcats posted a 9-0 ECC record last season - the program's first unbeaten conference season since 2003-04 - and hold a 43-8 conference mark since the start of the 2018-19 season.

SWEET CAROLINE
The biggest missing piece from last season is forward Caroline White who was lost to graduation last spring. White earned ECC Player of the Year honors last season after averaging 15.2 points (second in ECC) and 8.5 rebounds (first in ECC) per game.

T IT UP
Daemen will regain the services of redshirt senior guard Tiara Filbert to start the 2021-22 season. A three-time All-ECC selection, Filbert missed the final nine games last season with an injury. She has appeared in 100 games in her career, averaging 11.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. In Daemen's 2020-21 season opener, she became the 25th member of the program's 1,000 Point Club. Filbert currently ranks 15th in program history with 1,173 career points.

BREAKOUT SEASON
Senior forward Mickayla Ivy will look to take her game to another level after experiencing a breakout campaign in 2020-21. After averaging 2.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in her first two seasons, Ivy emerged as a consistent performer at both ends of the floor last season. She started all 17 contests and averaged 9.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field. Her contributions were recognized by the ECC coaches who voted her onto the All-ECC Second Team.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
Daemen has held 42 of its last 51 opponents to 65 points or less, posting a 38-4 record in those games. The Wildcats were among the best defensive teams in the country in 2020-21, ranking third nationally in both field goal percentage defense (.325) and scoring defense (51.6).

SUSTAINED SUCCESS
Daemen has posted a 55-13 record in their last 68 games, a span that dates back to mid-January of 2019. The Wildcats have won 12 of their 18 regular season, non-conference games in that time.

FRESH FACES
Daemen welcomes just two newcomers to the roster this season. Junior guard Sarah Cloutier is a transfer from NAIA affiliate Southeastern where she appeared in 38 games over two seasons while helping the Fire post a 53-6 record. Guard Sydney Hvizdzak is the lone freshmen on Daemen's roster. She comes to the Wildcats after earning All-Western New York honors last winter when she averaged 26.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while leading Randolph to the Section VI Class C title game. Hvizdzak is one of only 15 women in Section VI history to surpass 2,000 career points.

CACC DOMINANCE
Since gaining full NCAA membership in 2015, Daemen is 9-1 against affiliates of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The Wildcats won their eighth straight game with a CACC opponent when they defeated Felician 72-50 on Nov. 13 at the Redhawks Classic.

BATTLING THE NE10'S BEST
Daemen will play four games against Northeast 10 Conference opponents this season, including teams picked first, second and third in the NE10 Northeast Division preseason coaches' poll. The Wildcats suffered a five-point loss to Saint Anselm (picked third) in their season opener and two-point loss to Stonehill (picked first) on Nov. 30. Daemen will visit Bentley (picked second) on Jan. 2, and will also host Le Moyne (picked fourth in NE10 Southwest Division) on Dec. 30.

TEXAS SQUEAKER
Mickayla Ivy hit a jumper with 19 seconds to go and then secured a defensive rebound to help Daemen get past Angelo State, 54-53, in the opening round of the Lady Chap Classic hosted by Lubbock Christian on Nov. 19. It was the Wildcats' first one-point victory since defeating rival Roberts Wesleyan, 70-69, on Jan. 20, 2015. Katie Titus scored 22 points – including the 1,000th of her career – and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Wildcats past the Belles.

ELITE REMATCH
On Nov. 20, Daemen suffered a 62-37 loss to Lubbock Christian in a rematch of the Wildcats' first-ever NCAA Division II Elite Eight game from last March. The Chaps are the defending national champions and were ranked No. 1 in both national polls to start the season.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSIONS
After averaging 59.8 points in their first five games of the season, the Wildcats broke out offensively with back-to-back wins in their first two conference games of the season. It started Dec. 8 when they canned 18 three-pointers on 32 attempts (.563 shooting %) during an 83-46 romp over Roberts Wesleyan in what was the teams' first meeting since last season's East Regional finals. Sydney Hvizdzak (5-8, 15 points), Tiara Filbert (4-4, 16 points), Katie Titus (4-5, 16 points) and Kaytlyn Matz (3-7, 9 points) all made multiple three-pointers in the win. Then, on Dec. 12, the Wildcats erupted again during a 97-83 win over Bridgeport. It marked their first game with 95+ points since a 96-84 win over LIU Post on Jan. 25, 2017. Titus scored a career-high 38 points on 15-of-22 shooting, matching the highest individual scoring effort of the program's NCAA Division II era. Filbert, who shares the record, chipped in 20 points and nine rebounds.

SCOUTING STATEN ISLAND
The Staten Island Dolphins are in their first official year as a member of the East Coast Conference in what is their third and final provisionary period and are led by third-year head coach Nicole Sarcone. The Dolphins saw their 2020-21 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Sarcone came to Staten Island after two seasons coaching the varsity program at Staten Island Academy High School, guiding the Tigers to a 38-10 record and capturing the New York State Class A Federation Championship in 2016-17. Sarcone spent three years guiding the Junior Varsity team at her alma mater with Notre Dame Academy, compiling an immaculate 63-9 record, three-straight Archdiocesan Championships and two-straight Staten Island Championships from 2014-2016.

Only two players, lone senior and guard Lola Plamenco and sophomore guard Kristina Arvelo, return from their 2019-20 team that finished 17-8 overall and faced mostly against Division III opponents in CUNYAC play. This season, the Dolphins bring in eight newcomers and are playing a full Division II opponent schedule.

Freshman guard Elizabeth Lofaro is tied with sophomore guard Ashley Lambert for the team lead in points per game (10.4) and also solely leads in assists per game (2.4.) Lambert has converted a team-high 12 three-pointers. Freshman small forward Jenalyse Alarcon has posted team-highs in rebounds per game (9.4) and steals per game (2.3.)

Staten Island enters Friday following a loss at Goldey-Beacom (71-67 on Dec. 13) and have lost three straight contests following a 61-58 win over Nyack on Nov. 23.

SERIES HISTORY VS. STATEN ISLAND
All-Time Series: 0-0
At Staten Island: 0-0
Current Streak: N/A
Last Meeting: N/A

SCOUTING UNIVERSITY OF DIST. COLUMBIA
The University of District Columbia Firebirds are members of the East Coast Conference and are led by fourth year head coach John Nakpodia. The Firebirds saw their 2020-21 season cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Nakpodia is a familiar face within the women's basketball program as he served as an assistant coach in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Before coming to our nation's capital, Nakpodia served as an associate head coach and trainer with Impact Basketball in Las Vegas, Nevada from August 2014 through June 2015 and beforehand served as the Director of Basketball Operations for the men's basketball team at Howard University.

Only two players, sophomore guards Halia Ellis and Latavia Jackson, return from UDC's 2019-20 team that finished 8-20 overall and 4-12 in East Coast Conference play.

Jackson currently leads the Firebirds in points per game (15.2) and rebounds per game (8.0) and has finished in double-figure scoring eight times this season, including a stretch of five consecutive contests (Nov. 29 – Dec. 11.) Ellis is currently third in scoring (10.0) and leads the team in converted three-point field goals (20-of-52, 38.4%.) Sophomore guard Destiny Ryles is second in scoring (11.9) and leads the Firebirds in assists per game (3.6.)

UDC enters Sunday's contest following a 72-62 non-conference loss versus Goldey-Beacom on Dec. 15. UDC is 4-2 this season so far at home and picked up ECC wins against Molloy (72-69 on Dec. 1) and Queens College (77-68 on Dec. 11.)

SERIES HISTORY VS. DIST. COLUMBIA
All-Time Series: 7-7
At Dist. Columbia: 3-4
Current Streak: Win 7
Last Meeting: Daemen 61, Dist. Columbia 50 | February 21, 2020 | at Washington, D.C.

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