Wildcats Open East Region Challenge With 88-50 Win Over Chestnut Hill

AMHERST, N.Y. – Sophomore Justin Glover (Buffalo, N.Y.) scored 15 points and graduate student Joey Atkins (Watervliet, N.Y.) added 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to lead Daemen University to an 88-50 victory over Chestnut Hill College this evening at Lumsden Gymnasium during opening round action of the East Region Challenge presented by Western New York Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC

In the other opening round game, Goldey-Beacom College outlasted Roberts Wesleyan University, 113-109.

Daemen evened its record at 2-2 on the year. It marked the 2023-24 season opener for the visiting Griffins.

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Five players scored in double figures for the Wildcats.
• Senior Andrew Mason (Webster, N.Y.) went 3-of-5 from downtown and scored 13 points, while classmate Dylan Fasoyiro (Houston, Tex.) finished with 12 points.
• Senior Nick MacDonald (Amherst, N.Y.) chipped in 12 points, while freshman Zach Philipkoski(New Hartford, N.Y.) reached double figures for the first time in his career and totaled 10 points and four rebounds.
• Sophomore Adam Angwafo (Elkridge, Md.) paced the Griffins with 12 points and eight rebounds.

GAME NOTES

• It marked the first ever meeting between the two programs. CHC is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) and finished 16-14 overall and 9-8 in the CACC last year. The Griffins were picked sixth in the CACC South preseason poll.
• Daemen returns four starters from last year’s team that finished 20-8 overall and 12-4 in the East Coast Conference. The Wildcats were picked second in the ECC preseason poll and are receiving votes in the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) Division II preseason poll.
• Daemen held a 9-7 lead five minutes into the game when a three-pointer by Fasoyiro sparked the Wildcats on a 17-4 run. Two free throws by senior Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) with 8:32 left in the half capped the run and gave the hosts a 26-11 lead.
• A triple by Fasoyiro with four minutes left before halftime gave the Wildcats a 38-16 lead and hosts would take a 40-22 lead into the break.
• Daemen opened the second half with back-to-back three-pointers by Mason and the Wildcats later took a 63-35 following a layup by Atkins midway through the second half.
• The lead grew to 35 points, 76-41, following a conventional three-point play by redshirt sophomore Jarius Jones (Gahanna, Ohio) with five minutes left, and the Wildcats later took their largest lead of the game, 88-45, after redshirt freshman Jackson Kulik (Webster, N.Y.) drilled a three-pointer with 2:35 left.
• Daemen shot 64-percent (18-28) in the second half and finished 32-for-54 (59%) from the field overall. The Wildcats connected on 11-of-18 three-pointers and made 13-of-17 from the charity stripe.
• CHC finished 19-of-64 (30%) from the field overall and made 5-of-24 from downtown. The Griffins canned 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.
   

NEXT JUMP BALL
The tournament continues tomorrow (Nov. 11). CHC will take on Roberts Wesleyan at noon, followed by Daemen vs. Goldey-Beacom at 2 p.m.

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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Fasoyiro Sparks Wildcats Past Goldey-Beacom To Close Out The East Region Challenge

Senior Guard Scores 21 To Lead Daemen To. 75-67 Victory

AMHERST, N.Y. – Tournament Most Valuable Player Dylan Fasoyiro (Houston, Tex.) scored 14 of his game-high 21 points after halftime to lead Daemen University to a 75-67 victory over Goldey-Beacom College this afternoon at Lumsden Gymnasium during second round action of the East Region Challenge presented by Western New York Knee and Orthopedic Surgery PC

In the other second round game, Roberts Wesleyan University defeated Chestnut Hill College, 81-75. The all-tournament team consisted of Malik Brooks of Roberts Wesleyan, Adam Angwafo of Chestnut Hill, Zayon Marsh of Goldey-Beacom and Justin Glover(Buffalo, N.Y.) and Andrew Mason (Webster, N,.Y.) of Daemen.

Daemen improved to 3-2 on the year, while Goldey-Beacom dropped to 1-1.

Daemen is now 15-1 all-time during the East Region Challenge (formerly (formerly the ECC-CACC Challenge).

IMPACT PLAYERS

• Fasoyiro connected on 8-of-14 shots and also chipped in three rebounds, a block and a steal.
• Mason went 4-of-9 from downtown and totaled 18 points, five rebounds and four assists.
• Glover scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game and finished with 10 points, five rebounds, a career-high seven assists and two steals.
• Graduate student Joey Atkins (Watervliet, N.Y.) added nine points, while senior Nick MacDonald(Amherst, N.Y.) chipped in seven points and five boards.
• Marsh finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four assists for the Lightning, while senior Nazim Derry also scored 15 points.

GAME NOTES

• It marked just the third ever meeting between the two programs, and the first since the 2013-14 season. Daemen has prevailed in all three meetings.
• Goldey-Beacom set a new East Region Challenge record for points in a game last night during its 113-109 win over Roberts Wesleyan.
• GBC is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) and finished 10-18 overall and 7-10 in the CACC last year. The Lightning were picked second in the CACC South preseason poll.
• Daemen returns four starters from last year’s team that finished 20-8 overall and 12-4 in the East Coast Conference. The Wildcats were picked second in the ECC preseason poll and are receiving votes in the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) Division II preseason poll.
• GBC jumped out to an early 9-4 lead, but Daemen answered with a 12-4 run and took a 16-13 lead following a layup by Glover with 10:40 left before halftime.
• The Daemen lead was still 16-13 two minutes later when a bucket by junior Cardin Joubert sparked the Lightning on a 15-4 run. A layup by sophomore Marsh with 1:42 left before the break capped the run and gave the visitors a 28-20. Daemen closed the half with a 5-0 run and the Lightning took a 28-25 lead into halftime.
• Mason opened the second half with a three-pointer to tie the game at 28-28, and after that neither team led by more than four points until the midway point of the second half.
• Daemen led 46-44 at the halfway point of the second half when the hosts put together a 6-1 spurt for 52-45 lead.
• The Lightning would not go away and they answered with a 9-2 run that tied the game at 54-54 with just over five minutes left.
• Daemen then got back-to-back three-pointers by Mason and Fasoyiro and a conventional three-point play by Fasoyiro to take a 63-54 lead.
• Goldey-Beacom cut the lead to five points, 70-65, after sophomore Caleb Bates hit a three-pointer with 48 seconds left, but the hosts secure the win by going 5-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch.
• Daemen shot 52-percent (15-29) in the second half and finished 26-for-56 (46%) from the field overall. The Wildcats connected on 7-of-22 three-pointers and made 16-of-26 from the charity stripe.
• GBC finished 24-of-60 (40%) from the field overall and made 6-of-222 from downtown. The Lightning canned 13-of-21 from the charity stripe.
   

NEXT JUMP BALL
The Wildcats return to action Wednesday (Nov. 15) when they travel to Erie, Pa. to take on nationally-ranked Mercyhurst University.