FLUSHING, N.Y. (Feb. 10, 2019) – Daemen College's height and explosive play proved too much for the Queens College Men's Basketball team to handle on Sunday, QC Community Day at Fitzgerald Gymnasium.

The Knights (6-17, 6-7 ECC) were hoping to break .500 in conference play with a win against the ECC-leading Wildcats. Daemen (19-3, 11-1 ECC), however, had other ideas and demonstrated why they are ranked 13^th and 20^th in two different NCAA Division-II polls. The Wildcats came into the matchup riding a seven-game winning streak and stretched it to eight with a decisive 26-point victory over Queens. Daemen's front-court presence---Andrew Sischo (six-foot-nine), Jeff Redband (six-foot-seven), and Deion Hamilton (six-foot-four) ---was certainly felt by the Knights on Sunday afternoon. In fact, Daemen had a 45-28 advantage in the rebounding department.

The Wildcats' size also affected QC's game plan: unable to score in the paint, Queens was forced to take rushed three-pointers for most of the contest. Yet, most of the damage was done when Daemen had possession. The Wildcats, who have arguably the conference's most efficient offense (they average an ECC-best 47.6% from the floor), shot a solid 52.6% for the game and converted on 92% of their foul shots. Incapable of working around the rim, the Knights could not answer, shooting a subpar 32.8% from the field.

The home squad may have been the underdog, but it opened the game looking like the favorite. Its energy off the jump ball would have led one to believe an upset was in the air. Guards Shomari Redd and Tyrese Crosdale executed acrobatic layups that brought the crowd to their feet. Fellow guard Keenan Gorski's two free throws shortly afterward gave Queens a 6-2 lead just over two minutes in. Then the beast woke up. Multiple baskets from Sischo, including a difficult sky hook, swung the momentum back to the visitors. Daemen's superb guard penetration and bench play in the first half were significant factors as well. Struggling to get open looks against the best defensive team in the conference (the Wildcats only allow 70.7 points per game), QC endured lengthy scoreless streaks that would haunt them later. The Knights would not go away, though. Forward Jelani Williams provided a much-needed spark off the bench with a trey and a layup. Center Evan Goldberg, also a reserve, had a major blocked shot. Inside two minutes to go in the first half, Crosdale hit two triples to bring Queens within 13, 43-30. Redband, however, quieted QC with a three-point buzzer beater to end the half. The Wildcats took a 46-30 lead into the locker room.

The second half became the Gorski show. The guard, who had dropped 20 points in two of the previous three games, continued his offensive onslaught. He swished three treys in the half and connected on multiple mid-range jumpers from the elbow. Gorksi finished the game with 17 points and seven rebounds, but it was not enough to change the outcome. The Wildcats successfully stifled the Knights' pick-and-roll offense all-half-long and only let up a bit offensively—the visitors still managed 43 points in the second.

In only 26 minutes, Sischo claimed a game-high 20 points—on an efficient seven-of-12 from the field and six-of-six from the charity stripe—and a game-high 13 boards. Daemen led a well-balanced scoring attack: Hamilton had 15 points, Breon Harris added 15, and Redband chipped in nine. Quinn Lee Yaw tacked on 13 bench points. On the Queens side, Crosdale and center Wayne Li helped Gorski out by contributing 11 points apiece. 

The Knights return to the hardwood on Wednesday (Feb. 13) at 5 p.m. to face Mercy in a pivotal East Coast Conference showcase.