Daemen Narrowly Beats Men's Basketball in ECC Clash, 94-91
Box Score
AMHERST, N.Y. (Jan. 31, 2014) - Five different players netted double figures in scoring on Friday, but it wasn't enough, as the LIU Post men's basketball team lost a close 94-91 decision to Daemen in an East Coast Conference showdown at Lumsden Gymnasium in Amherst, N.Y.
Leading 22-19 more than halfway through a back-and-forth opening half, the Pioneers (12-8, 7-5 ECC) rattled off a 15-5 run in a four-minute stretch to grab their largest lead of the contest (37-24) with 5:15 to go. Senior forward
Vaughn Allen (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) accounted for six of the points. Sophomore guard
Akosa Maduegbunam (Hyde Park, Mass.) added five points in the streak.
The Wildcats (14-6, 11-3 ECC) fired right back though, recording a 16-3 response to knot the contest up at 40-all at the 2:05 mark. Senior forward Kadeem Johnson (Syracuse, N.Y.) sparked, and closed the burst with lay-ups. Senior guards Casey Sheehan (Rochester, N.Y.) and Mark Coppola (Williamsville, N.Y.) each knocked down a three.
Shortly thereafter, a successful three-point play by junior guard
P.J. Torres (New Rochelle, N.Y.) sent the visitors into the locker room ahead by a bucket (47-45). Daemen's Johnson paced all scorers in the first period with 13 points. Sophomore guard
Dillon Burns (Staten Island, N.Y.) was right behind for LIU Post, netting 10.
In the latter session, a Uchechi Ogbonna (Westbury, N.Y.) lay-up just 59 seconds in evened the score once again (47-47). It set the stage for seven more tied counts, before a team finally pulled away.
With under two minutes to go in regulation, a Johnson lay-up and Ogbonna dunk broke an 85-85 stalemate, and put the hosts in front by a four-point margin. Later on, a 3-for-4 performance from the line by Jordan Greene (Fort Edward, N.Y.) down the stretch sealed the victory for Daemen.
For the game, Torres registered a game-high 23 points. He also pulled down six rebounds and dished out five assists. Allen notched a double-double (18 points, 13 rebounds). Maduegbunam checked in 17 points, three boards and three steals. Junior forward
Tyuan Williams (Newark, N.J.) racked up 15 points, eight rebounds and a pair of assists. Fellow junior forward
Charles McCann (Springfield Gardens, N.Y.) had seven boards and six points in 20 minutes off the bench.
Head Coach
Erik Smiles and the Pioneers are back in action Sunday (Feb. 2), when they round out their three-game road trip in Rochester, N.Y. at Roberts Wesleyan. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.