Matt Becker shoots a 3-pointer vs D'Youville

No. 2/4 Men's Basketball to Wrap Non-Conference Slate Against No. 21/7 Gannon and Clarion

Wildcats put 15 game winning streak against a pair of PSAC foes

1/17/2025 2:40:00 PM

By: CONTACT: Max Sacco, Assistant Athletics Communications Director | msacco@daemen.edu

PUSHIN PSAC
The No. 2/4 Daemen University men's basketball team will face one of their toughest opponents of the season on Jan. 18 when they take on No. 21/7 Gannon. The 'Cats will close non- conference play a few days later on Jan. 21 at Clarion in a game that was originally scheduled for Dec. 1.

BEVO FRANCIS HONORS
Daemen redshirt senior forward Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) and redshirt sophomore center Benjamin Bill (Hamburg, N.Y.) were each tabbed to the Bevo Francis Award Top 100 Watch List which was announced by Small College Basketball on Jan. 16. Bill and Hemphill join Andrew Sischo (Guilderland, N.Y.) as the only three members of the Wildcats to ever be named to the list in program history. For both Hemphill and Bill, it is their first time they have been under consideration and they are the only members of an ECC school to make the list this season. They are joined by Tray Alexander of Pace University as the only three representatives from the East Region as well. On February 15, the list will be reduced to the Top 50 players.

HE'S ON FIRE
After dropping a then season-high 21 points at Queens (Jan. 12), sophomore guard Zach Philipkoski (New Hartford, N.Y) outdid himself again as he tallied a season-high 22 points and added in eight rebounds against D'Youville (Jan. 16). Philipkoski has now scored 43 points across his last two games which is the highest two game point total for the New Hartford, N.Y., native since he had 42 points combined against Mercy and Molloy between Jan. 21 through Jan. 26. 2024.

DAEMEN VS THE TOP 25
This season, Daemen is 3-0 against teams that are either receiving votes ranked within the Top 25 of a national poll. Daemen has beaten ranked teams by an average of 28.7 points, highlighted by a 44 point victory over PSAC foe and then No. 10/10 California (Pa.) back on Nov. 26. In all three games, the 'Cats outrebounded their opponents by at least 10 and grabbed 35-or-more boards in each game as well.

NEARLY AT THE TOP
For the first time since 1961, a Division I or II men's basketball team in Western New York was ranked No. 2 in a national poll as the Daemen University men's basketball team was tabbed No. 2 in the most recent and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Poll. Daemen garnered 378 points and first place vote within the NABC poll and 286 points in the D2CSC Poll. Daemen is the first Division I, II or III men's basketball team in Western New York to be ranked No. 2 in any national poll since St. Bonaventure was tabbed No. 2 in the AP Poll released on Feb. 27, 1961. The 'Cats are not the only East Region team ranked within the top 10 of the polls as Pace University (NE-10) landed in seventh in the latest NABC poll and ninth within the D2CSC poll.

SCOUTING GANNON (15-2, 10-0 PSAC)
Currently on their own 15 game winning streak, the Golden Knights enter Amherst, N.Y., white hot after winning their last game in resounding fashion over fellow Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference member Slipper Rock, 90-64, on Jan. 15. Leading the Golden Knights offensive efforts has been sophomore guard Ernest Shelton with his team-best 19.0 points per game. His 19.0 ppg also ranks fifth within the PSAC as well. On the glass, sophomore forward Tasman Goodrick ranks second in the PSAC with an average of 11.1 rebounds per game to pair with 14.8 ppg. As a team, Gannon is currently second in the nation and leads the PSAC in rebounds per game with an average of 44.2.

SERIES HISTORY
Gannon holds an 11-1 all-time advantage over Daemen with the series dating back to Dec. 18, 1999.

SCOUTING CLARION (8-8, 3-7 PSAC)
The Golden Eagles have dropped their last five games in a row, falling to California (Pa.), 90-74, back on Jan. 15. Junior guard Cam Kearny has paced Clarion with his PSAC leading 21.9 ppg. His 21.9 ppg ranks 20th nationally while his 102 free-throw makes are eighth nationally. Kearny has also led Clarion's rebounding efforts with an average of 6.2 boards per game.

SERIES HISTORY
Daemen is 3-2 all-time against Clarion and has won the last three meetings as well.

UP NEXT
Daemen continues ECC play with a trip to Rochester, N.Y., to face Roberts Wesleyan. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. on Jan. 25.

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.

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