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top 10 moments wbb unbeaten ecc

Top 10 Moments of 2020-21: Women's Basketball Completes Unbeaten ECC Campaign

7/21/2021 12:00:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Mike Miranto, Sr. Associate A.D. for External Operations & Communications | (716) 839-8385 | mmiranto@daemen.edu
AMHERST, N.Y. - On Wednesdays and Fridays this summer, daemenwildcats.com will feature stories that look back upon the top 10 moments of the 2020-21 season. Record-setting performances, important wins and history-making achievements will be documented in the series.

THE MOMENT:
Women's Basketball Completes Unbeaten ECC Campaign
The Daemen women's basketball team entered the final weekend of the 2020-21 regular season with a chance to make history. In a season that was drastically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, all that stood between the Wildcats and an unbeaten East Coast Conference campaign was two games against St. Thomas Aquinas at Lumsden Gymnasium. The matchups featured teams picked in the top two of the conference's preseason poll after they shared the 2019-20 regular season title.

The Wildcats moved one step closer to the achievement when they bounced the Spartans out of Lumsden Gymnasium on Saturday, February 27, winning 61-44 behind the double-double efforts of forwards Caroline White and Katie Titus. The duo, who would later be named honorable mention All-Americans by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, combined for 34 points and 26 rebounds in the victory. Add in the nine points and eight rebounds of junior forward Mickayla Ivy and it was clear that the Daemen frontcourt came to play. 

After taking a 30-21 lead into halftime, the Wildcats outscored STAC 23-7 in the third quarter. As it had been all season long, the Daemen defense was suffocating, limiting the Spartans to just 21% shooting (13-for-62). With many STAC shots caroming off the rim, the Wildcats racked up 58 rebounds - their second highest total of the season.   
When the teams met back at Lumsden Gymnasium less than 24 hours later, freshman guard Alahna Paige came up with a breakout performance for the ages while leading the Wildcats to a 67-49 win. Paige, who would go on to be named the ECC Rookie of the Year, hit 10-of-13 shots overall, including seven three-pointers, as part of a career-high 28-point outing. 

After starting sluggishly with just six first-quarter points, Paige and White keyed a 26-6 second-quarter run that sent the Wildcats into halftime with a 32-17 lead. Paige hit a pair of three-pointers and added an old fashioned three-point play in the period, while White, later named the ECC Player of the Year, did most of her damage in the paint and in transition. Together, they accounted for 18 points in the quarter. 

As Paige continued her long range assault into the second half, the Wildcats stretched their lead to as many as 28 points. It was another stymieing defensive effort from Daemen, limiting STAC to 17 field goals and 36% shooting. The Wildcats turned 22 STAC turnovers into 19 points and held a 14-4 advantage in fastbreak points. 

The win was Daemen's seventh straight as they closed the regular season with an 11-1 overall record and a 9-0 mark in ECC play. It marked the third unbeaten conference season in program history, and the first since 2003-04. The win also gave Daemen a second straight ECC regular season crown and sent them into the ECC Championship tournament as the number one seed for the first time. 
"We're so thankful that we have a school, a president, an administration, trainers, everybody that made this happen for us," head coach Jenepher Banker said afterwards. "We're grateful for that, to have the opportunity to just play a game. And honestly, it's still like, you're just so grateful to be able to play the next game. That's kind of how we've looked at it all along. Our players have been great trying to protect the bubble, and doing what's necessary to protect the bubble. We've been lucky to be able to play. We've really only missed one game."


MORE COVERAGE
Feb. 27 Game Recap
Feb. 27 Game Highlights
Feb. 28 Game Recap
Feb. 28 Game Highlights
2020-21 Women's Basketball Schedule & Results

LOOK BACK - ADDITIONAL TOP 10 MOMENTS OF 2020-21

Daemen College features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 18 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen College women's basketball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenWBB. 



 
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