AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen University men's basketball team opened its 2022-23 season with a hard fought 65-60 victory over Georgian Court University this afternoon in opening round action of the East Region Challenge presented by
Western New York Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC.
The event brings together teams from each of the three Division II conferences in the NCAA East region. Daemen is a member of the East Coast Conference, while GCU hails from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.
In the other opening round game, Saint Anselm College of the Northeast-10 Conference, defeated Roberts Wesleyan University of the ECC, 97-80.
IMPACT PLAYERS
- Senior Nick MacDonald (Amherst, N.Y.) and redshirt senior Joey Atkins (Watervliet, N.Y.) paced the Wildcats today.
- MacDonald scored 11 of his team-high 16 points in the second half and also collected four rebounds. His three-pointer with 2:55 to play gave the Wildcats a 62-58 lead and his defensive rebound with four second left with Daemen leading 63-60 secured the win for the hosts.
- Atkins connected on 6-of-10 shots and totaled 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and and two blocks.
- Junior Andrew Mason (Webster, N.Y.) hit two clutch three-pointers late in the second half and finished with six points and two assists, while senior Ryan Salzberg (Manlius, N.Y.) turned in solid complete game with six points, a team-high seven rebounds and a team-high four assists.
- Former St. Joesph's Collegiate Institute standout Justin Glover (Buffalo, N.Y.) started for the Wildcats, played 24 minutes and totaled five points and two assists.
- Junior guard Clint Wright, Jr. paced the Lions with 11 points, while redshirt sophomore Jamaal Waters added eight points, 12 rebounds and four blocks.
GAME NOTES
- Daemen was picked first in the 2022-23 ECC preseason coaches' poll and is also receiving votes in the NABC Division II preseason poll.
- The Wildcats are now 12-1 all-time in East Region Challenge games.
- Today's game marked the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and the Lions.
- Daemen shot 46-percent (14-30) in the first half and built a 36-22 halftime lead.
- The lead was 10 points (42-32) five minutes into the second half when the Lions rallied behind a 17-3 run. A conventional three-point play by freshman Hassan Jackson with 8:54 left capped the run and gave GCU a 49-45 lead.
- The GCU lead was still four points, 51-47, when Mason hit back-to-back three points to give the Wildcats a 53-51 lead with 6:27 left.
- Daemem led 59-58 with just under three minutes to play when MacDonald drilled a triple and the Wildcats maintained the lead despite scoring just one point until MacDonald secured the win with two free throws with four seconds left.
- Daemen shot 44-percent (24-of-55) from the field overall and made 6-of-21 from three-point land.
- GCU shot 42-percent overall (22-of-55) and made 4-of-16 from downtown.
NEXT JUMP BALL
The tournament continues tomorrow. Roberts Wesleyan and Georgian Court tip off at 11 a.m., followed by Saint Anselm and Daemen at 1 p.m.
Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 17 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 men's basketball program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @DaemenMBB.
