FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Coming off a loss to Palm Beach Atlantic yesterday which snapped their three-game win streak, the Daemen University women's basketball team wrapped up their Florida road trip falling 71-63 to Nova Southeastern University on Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats drop to 3-3 on the year, while the Sharks move to 2-2 this season after winning both games over the Thanksgiving holiday.
After a back-and-forth first three quarters, the Nova Southeastern offense pulled away late after the Wildcats were unable to put balls into the basket in the fourth, going on a seven-minute field goal draught until putting together a 10-point run in the final three minutes of the game. Daemen shot 53-percent (24-of-45) from the field, 38-percent (5-of-13) from beyond the arc and knocked down 10-of-14 free throws in the game.
The Sharks took advantage of Daemen's 24 turnovers in the game, totaling 30 points off turnovers on the day. Nova Southeastern's Alana Ellis led all players with 23 points in the game after banking 10-of-15 from the field. The Sharks shot 38.5-percent (25-of-65) from the field and 32-percent from beyond the arc (9-of-28) while out-rebounding Daemen 34 to 27, tallying an impressive 18 offensive boards in the win.
The Wildcats will return to Lumsden Gymnasium next Saturday, Dec. 2 as they open up East Coast Conference play with a 2 PM game against Roberts Wesleyan.
IMPACT PLAYERS
- Daemen senior guard Alahna Paige (Rochester, N.Y.) scored in the double-figures for the sixth straight game, finishing with 16 points after going 6-of-11 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Paige added four assists, two defensive rebounds and a steal.
- Senior guard Gabby McDuffie (Buffalo, N.Y.) scored 15 points, seven of which came in the final three minutes of the game, shooting 6-of-10 from the field while pulling down six rebounds and adding a steal.
- Sophomore forward Claire Pikett (Holland, N.Y.) posted double-digit points for the second game in Florida, totaling 10 points after banking 5-of-8 from the field. Pikett finished with five rebounds – including four defensive boards – a block and a steal on the day.
- Sophomore forward Cecilia Lapertosa (Whitesboro, N.Y.) led the Wildcats with seven rebounds on the day and posted eight points (4-of-7 from the field) while adding two blocks to her stat line.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Wildcats and Sharks traded points throughout the first quarter with Nova Southeastern taking a 16-15 lead after one. Daemen shot 50-percent (6-of-12) from the field and 2-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first, while the Sharks shot 6-of-17 from the field in the quarter. Paige led the Wildcats with six first-quarter points.
- Daemen jumped out to a lead in the second and held onto it until the final three minutes of the half when the Sharks went on an 8-4 run to take a 32-31 lead after the first two quarters.
- The Wildcats shot 57-percent (12-of-21) from the field and 38-percent (3-of-8) from beyond the arc in the second quarter.
- In a back-and-forth third quarter, the Sharks went on an 11-6 run in the second half of the third to take a 54-48 lead of the Wildcats heading into the final quarter of play. Daemen shot 54-percent (7-of-13) from the field in the third.
- Nova Southeastern went on a 10-4 run to open the fourth quarter, leading by as much as 17 points in the game. The Sharks held Daemen to just five points through the first seven minutes of the quarter, but Daemen put together a 10-2 run at the end of the game.
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 University women's basketball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenWBB.
