AMHERST, N.Y. – The Daemen University men's basketball team outscored Chestnut Hill College, 38-27, in the second half to win, 66-55, in the first game of the 2024
East Region Challenge presented by Western New York Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC Friday night at Lumsden Gymnasium. Today also served as the first regular season game of the 2024-25 season for both squads.
IMPACT PLAYERS
• Redshirt sophomore center
Benjamin Bill (Hamburg, N.Y.) led Daemen with a career-high 18 points and four steals. Junior
Justin Glover (Buffalo, N.Y.) and redshirt senior
Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) provided 14 points each with Glover going four-of-five from beyond the arc.
• On the glass, graduate student
Matt Becker (Fairfield, Conn.) tallied a team-high eight rebounds in his Daemen regular season debut. Hemphill was close behind with seven of his own in the winning effort.
• Hemphill and graduate student
Andrew Mason (Webster, N.Y.) each tallied three assists in the win while sophomore
Zach Philipkoski (New Hartford, N.Y.) notched nine points and a team-best two blocks.
• Omari Salvi led Chesnut Hill with a game-high 19 points while his teammate, Neal Hill, hauled in 11 rebounds for the Griffins.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The Wildcats controlled the tempo of the contest from the tip-off, scoring 12 of the first 17 points of the evening to command an early lead with 13:40 left in the half.
• The Griffins took control during the middle part of the stanza as an IV Pettit jumper ignited a 14-5 run that saw the Chestnut Hill take their first lead of the game, 19-17, with 6:55 left in the half.
• The two sides traded baskets for the remainder of the frame, but a 3-pointer by Omar Salvi with 33 seconds left sent the visitors into the locker room with a slim 28-27 lead.
• The Wildcats came out swinging to begin the second half as they used a 9-0 run, paced by six points from Bill, to reclaim the lead, 36-33, with 12:41.
• After two free-throw makes and a basket by the Griffins put them back in the lead, 37-36, with 11:40 left, the Wildcats reclaimed the lead for good as a Bill jumper kick started a 12-1 run that saw Daemen open a 48-38 advantage with 6:31 remaining.
• Daemen kept Chestnut Hill at bay the remainder of the contest to secure their first win of the regular season.
• The Wildcats finished the contest shooting 24-of-57 (.421) from the field and 5-of-15 (.333) from deep. Daemen forced 23 turnovers, highlighted by 15 steals, which turned into 28 points.
• As for Chestnut hill, they shot 18-of-48 (.375) from the floor and edged Daemen by one in rebounds, 34-33.
GAME NOTES
• Today served as the second all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Griffins with Daemen winning both games.
• Daemen is now 15-1 all-time in the
East Region Challenge presented by Western New York Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC while Chestnut Hill drops to 0-3.
• The Wildcats earned their first win when trailing at halftime since they defeated the University of the District of Columbia, 103-98, in double overtime on Feb. 22, 2024. Dating back to last season, the Wildcats have won five times when trailing after the first half.
• Along with Becker, junior
Ronnie Williams (Tampa, Fla.) made his Daemen debut, playing the final minute of the contest.
• Each side went to the line 17 times in the game with Daemen making 12 shots from the charity stripe compared to 14 for Chestnut Hill.
• Bill is the first player to have four steals in a game since Glover notched four steals against Saint Michaels on March 17, 2024.
• Daemen has now won their home opener for the fourth straight season with the streak dating back to the 2021-22 campaign.
UP NEXT
Daemen returns to action tomorrow at 2 p.m. to face Saint Anselm in their second and final game of the
East Region Challenge presented by Western New York Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC.
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.
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