AMHERST, N.Y. — It was a big Sunday for Daemen College as both the men and women battled in the ECC championship game with an opportunity to get an automatic bid to the Division II NCAA tournament.
We’ll start with the women, hosting Molloy. After the first quarter, Daemen was up big, leading 28-11.
Molloy would go on a run of their own to bring the lead back within single digits in the second half, but it wasn’t enough as Daemen secured its second conference championship in the past three years. Daemen is going dancing in the Division II NCAA tournament after knocking off Molloy 74-67.
Kaytlyn Matz lead the Wildcats with 19 points.
The Daemen women earned the 8 seed in the NCAA tournament and will play against host Southern New Hampshire in the opening round.
Over on the men’s side on Sunday, the Wildcats hosted nationally ranked St. Thomas Aquinas in the ECC finals.
Despite major shooting struggles in the first half, going 0 for 12 from 3-point land, the Wildcats were down just seven points at the break, trailing 28-21.
In the second half, seven minutes in, the Wildcats made a run to jump out in front. Andrew Sischo had a clutch and-1 bucket to put Daemen up 3, but in the final 10 minutes it was all St. Thomas Aquinas.
St. Thomas Aquinas closed the game out looking unstoppable, going back up double digits to hand Daemen a 59-48 loss in the ECC championship game on Sunday afternoon.
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