Men's Basketball | 11/14/2024 2:14:00 PM
Game Three - RV/#14 Daemen vs #11/RV Charleston • Amherst, N.Y. • Charles L. & Gloria B. Lumsden Gymnasium • Nov. 6 • 12 p.m.
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HOME TEST
The RV/#14 Daemen University men's basketball team will look begin the year 3-0 for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign when they welcome the #11/RV University of Charleston Hawks to Charles L. & Gloria B. Lumsden Gymnasium. Tip-off is set for noon. During the 2016-17 campaign, Daemen started the regular season 5-0.
BRING AN UMBRELLA, IT'S RAINING 3'S
Against Saint Anselm (Nov. 9), seven different Wildcats knocked down at least one 3-pointer in Daemen's 96-55 win. Former Hawks guard
Matt Becker (Fairfield, Conn.) led the way with an impressive four-of-seven performance from deep with his four 3-pointers also representing a career-high.
Zach Philipkoski (New Hartford, N.Y.) tallied a trio of makes from beyond the arc while
Andrew Mason (Webster, N.Y.) and
Ryan Salzberg (Manlius, N.Y.) tallied two 3-pointers of their own. Coppin State transfer
Ronnie Williams (Tampa, Fla.),
Jackson Kulik (Webster, N.Y.) and
Phil Nwugwo (Rochester, N.Y.) each made one 3-pointers to assist in the Wildcats effort from deep.
RANKING THE CATS
After a 2-0 start to their season, the Wildcats were ranked in multiple national and regional polls. Daemen was tabbed first in the East Region in the Division II College Sports Communicators (D2CSC) Poll and 14th in the first D2CSC National Poll of the season. The 14th place ranking marked the first time the Wildcats have been ranked within the top 25 of any national polls since February 2022. Daemen received 179 points in the national poll, 11 better than USC Aiken who sits below them in 15th place. Regionally, they received four first place votes and 58 total points, nine more points and two more first place votes than longtime ECC rival St. Thomas Aquinas who earned 49 points and the remaining two first place votes. Daemen also received four votes to be included in the first National Association of Basketball Coaches Poll of the season as well.
100 DOLLAR (BENJAMIN) BILL
A native of Hamburg, N.Y., redshirt sophomore center
Benjamin Bill opened the 2024-25 season with a bang, dropping a career-high 18 points and four steals against Chestnut Hill (Nov. 8). Bill followed that performance with a 10 point, five rebound and four steal outing against Saint Anselm (Nov. 9). Prior to Chestnut Hill, Bill's previous career-high for scoring was seven points which he set matched twice, most recently against Mercy (Feb. 19, 2023). His performances also earned him a spot on the most recent East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Honor Roll.
CHART TOPPER
For the second time in three seasons, Daemen was tabbed first in the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Oct. 21. The Wildcats were tied with longtime ECC rival St. Thomas Aquinas College for first place in the poll with both teams garnering 72 points. The Spartans earned four first-place votes while the Wildcats received three. The College of Staten Island rounded out the top three with 64 points and the remaining two first place votes. Sitting atop the poll for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign, Daemen will look to make their fifth consecutive trip to the ECC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Division II Championship for the second year in a row and fifth instance since the 2018-19 season. For the second time in three seasons, Daemen was tabbed first in the East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league office announced on Oct. 21. The Wildcats were tied with longtime ECC rival St. Thomas Aquinas College for first place in the poll with both teams garnering 72 points. The Spartans earned four first-place votes while the Wildcats received three. The College of Staten Island rounded out the top three with 64 points and the remaining two first place votes. Sitting atop the poll for the first time since the 2022-23 campaign, Daemen will look to make their fifth consecutive trip to the ECC Championship and qualify for the NCAA Division II Championship for the second year in a row and fifth instance since the 2018-19 season.
SCOUTING CHARLESTON (1-1)
The Hawks began the year with a double overtime loss to instate rival California (Pa.), 112-103. Charleston rebounded in their next game, defeating Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 82-76, in the final game of the MEC/PSAC Tip Off Challenge. CJ Meredith has paced the Hawks offense to begin the year, averaging 22.5 points per game to pair with an average of two blocks per game. On the glass, Zach Loveday has a team-best 8.5 rebounds per game over two contests. Prior to the season, Charleston announced the hiring of new head coach James Long and was picked to finish third in the Mountain East Conference. A season ago, UC compiled 29-5 campaign that included a regular season co-title and MEC tournament championship.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's contest will serve as the first meeting between the two schools in men's basketball.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will hit the road for the first time during the 2024-25 campaign and head to the Nutmeg State to face RV/RV Post University on Nov. 23.
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 men's basketball program on Twitter and Facebook at @DaemenMBB.
