AMHERST, N.Y. —  The #13 Daemen women's basketball team (20-3, 13-1 ECC) downed St. Thomas Aquinas (7-18, 4-9 ECC), 71-50, on senior day Sunday at Lumsden Gymnasium, aided by a strong defensive performance.

The Wildcats honored seniors Joline Raposo (Tampa, Fla.), Shyla Montgomery (Brockton, Mass.), Cecilia Lapertosa (Whitesboro, N.Y.), and Claire Pikett (Holland, N.Y.) before the game. 

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Julia Fontanillo (Valladolid, Spain) scored 11 points, including one three-pointer, and added two steals. 
• Brianna Caliri (Staten Island, N.Y.) contributed 10 points, collected seven rebounds, and recorded one block. 
• Montgomery posted five steals, three assists, and scored six points. 
• Pikett recorded four blocks and three steals while scoring nine points.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Daemen began play assertively, quickly establishing an early lead with Pikett's three-pointer at 8:47, assisted by Ne'vaeh Buntley (Rochester, N.Y.). Joline Raposo (Tampa, Fla.) contributed with a steal and a fast-break layup, extending the lead. Despite turnovers from both teams, the Wildcats maintained control, capitalizing on fast-break opportunities and points in the paint. Sophie Auer's (Lewiston, N.Y.) layup at 2:44 further solidified their advantage. Caliri capped the quarter with a buzzer-beater jumper, assisted by Montgomery, ending the first quarter with Daemen up 17–7.
• Daemen began the second quarter with a strong defensive performance, forcing multiple turnovers from STAC and converting them into points. Montgomery scored a fast-break layup following her own steal at 8:03. Caliri contributed significantly with key rebounds and points in the paint, extending the lead. The Wildcats' offense controlled the paint, outscoring their opponent 16-2 in that area during the quarter, and led 39-20 at halftime.
• In the third quarter, Daemen extended its lead with a dominant performance, outscoring the Spartans 23-11. Raposo and Montgomery initiated the momentum with back-to-back fast-break layups early in the quarter, and Buntley added a critical three-pointer at 7:10, expanding the Wildcats' advantage. Daemen's defense was formidable, recording seven steals and four blocks, which limited STAC to just three field goals in the quarter. The game concluded with Daemen securing a solid victory, 62-31.
• Daemen maintained control despite a scoring surge from the Spartans in the fourth, highlighted by Fontanillo's early layup and a key three-pointer. Reece Beaver (Busti, N.Y.) added to the momentum with a fast-break layup following a steal. Although the Spartans closed the gap slightly with a series of successful shots, Daemen's lead remained secure. 

GAME NOTES

• Pikett had a milestone day, first surpassing the 1,000 career point mark. The senior also tied her season high with four blocks.
• Daemen logged 19 steals, marking the fifth consecutive game it has recorded 14 or more.
• The Wildcats forced 31 Spartan turnovers, scoring 33 points off of them.
• Daemen outscored St. Thomas Aquinas 33-28 in points in the paint. 
• The Wildcats evened the all-time series against the Spartans at 14-14.
• Daemen will end the regular season with a 9-2 home record 

UP NEXT
Daemen heads to crosstown rival D'Youville next Sunday (Feb. 22) for a 1 p.m. contest. 

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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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