Jaymeir Goosby dribbles the ball between his legs as he approaches a defender

Unbeaten Wildcats Ranked Second In NABC Poll Again

1/13/2026 3:45:00 PM

AMHERST, N.Y. - For the fourth consecutive week, Daemen University finds itself as the No. 2 ranked team in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II Poll. The Wildcats have now been ranked in 23 successive national polls, including 20 straight weeks in the top five, dating back to last season.

Daemen is off to an 18-0 start this season, including a 6-0 mark in East Coast Conference play. The Wildcats are one of just four remaining unbeaten teams at the NCAA Division II level, all of which are ranked in the top 10 this week (No. 1 Washburn, No. 4 Anderson, No. 7 Cal Stat East Bay). Daemen's 18-game winning streak ranks as the third longest across all three levels of NCAA basketball, behind only Division III Trinity College (30 straight wins) and Division I University of Nebraska (20 straight wins).

NABC Division II poll for January 13, 2026

NABC Division II poll for January 13, 2026

Daemen's success this season has been rooted at the defensive end of the court. The Wildcats rank 21st nationally (and first among ECC teams) in scoring defense, allowing just 64.6 points per game. Daemen's field goal percentage defense (.394) ranks 19th nationally (also first in the ECC). The Wildcats also lead the country in blocks per game (6.2) and rank third in rebounding margin (+11.6).

The Wildcats have been led this season by veterans Zach Philipkoski (New Hartford, N.Y.), Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Benjamin Bill (Hamburg, N.Y.). Philipkoski, who was just named the ECC Player of the Week for the third time, is shooting 53 percent from the field and averaging a team-high 18.1 points to go with 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He has posted seven 20-point outings so far, and ranks fifth among the ECC leaders in scoring, rebounding and assists.

Hemphill leads the team in assists (5.1 apg) and steals (2.1 spg) while scoring 10.9 points and grabbing 8.2 rebounds per game. He recently became the first player in program history to total more than 1,000 points, 700 rebounds and 300 assists in a career, and ranks in Daemen's top 10 all-time for rebounds, assists and steals.

Bill, the 2025-26 ECC Preseason Player of the Year and a consensus All-American last season, has posted six double-doubles and is producing 17.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. But, the junior center has missed seven straight games after going out with an injury in a win at Mercy on Dec. 12. Redshirt junior forward Phil Nwugwo (Rochester, N.Y.) has stepped up in Bill's absence, averaging 12.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per over the last nine games.

The Wildcats have also gotten solid contributions from the backcourt duo of Justin Glover (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Ryan Heath (Rochester, N.Y.). Now in his third season as a full-time starter, Glover played in the 100th game of his career last Friday vs. District of Columbia, and scored a season-high 20 points in Sunday's win over Staten Island. He is just 53 points shy of 1,000 for his career, and is contributing 10.8 points per game this season.

Heath is in the starting lineup for the first time in his career, and has responded by averaging 10.2 points, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game - all career highs. He's also been a two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week selection.

Daemen is now 46-1 since the start of the 2024-25 season, and the Wildcats have won a staggering 49 consecutive regular season games - a streak that dates back to the 2023-24 campaign. Included in that total is a quartet of wins against nationally-ranked teams this season, as they've defeated No. 19 Lenoir-Rhyne (Nov. 1), No. 5 Fairmont State (Nov. 18), No. 21 Assumption (Dec. 17) and No. 22 Adelphi (Jan. 1).

The No. 2 Wildcats put their unblemished record on the line this Friday, Jan. 16 when they visit ECC foe Queens for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

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, Facebook and Instagram at @DaemenMBB.

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