Roberts Wesleyan won their seventh game in a row Tuesday night defeating Daemen College at Lumsden Gymnasium on the Daemen campus in Amherst, N.Y. 73-54. The win marks the Raiders seventh in a row and ninth victory out of their last ten contests. There is a confidence brewing within the Raiders because what they do night in and night out is defend. Roberts is second in the nation in defensive field goal percentage and first in the nation in blocked shots. The Raiders allow 38% shooting from the floor by their opponents. Daemen came into the game shooting 42% but managed only 30% from the floor against the Raiders smothering defense.
MJ Oridami hit two free throws at the 14:07 mark for an 8-6 Daemen lead. That marked the first and only time the Wildcats were ahead in the game.
Jordan Heath set the pace early for the Raiders in the first half scoring ten points and blocking three shots. The Raiders went into the break with a 33-26 lead.
Roberts quickly upped the lead to nine points on an opening possession
Alif Bland dunk, but Daemen responded with a six point run to make it a one possession game. At the 7:53 mark of the second half The Raider lead was five points. A 10-2 run over the next 4:20 capped by a Will-Kemp Harris drive and finish had the Raiders up 13 with 3:30 remaining in the game. From there, Roberts iced the game on the free throw line converting ten free throws down the stretch.
Daemen was held scoreless from behind the three point line in the second half shooting 0-9 from behind the arc, and Roberts limited the Wildcats to 54 points, their lowest output of the year.
Roberts was lead by
Jordan Heath and last week's National Player of the Week in the NAIA,
Dan Foley, who both knocked down 15 points. Heath finished with 7 rebounds and 4 blocks as well.
Rashaad Stokelin chipped in 11 points and
Alif Bland had 8 points and 8 boards. The bench was a factor for the Raiders tonight as they received strong contributions from
Curt Despard, 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists, Will Kemp-Harris, 9 points and 3 assists, and
Jake Russell, 4 points, 6 rebounds and a huge blocked shot when Daemen was making a run.
Justin Andreozzi was stellar once again on the defensive end for Roberts.
Daemen was led by Casey Sheehan's 15 points, Dominic Mazzocchi 14 points, and MJ Oridami's 10. Khorri Silcott led all rebounders with 11 on Daemen's Senior Night.
Roberts clinched an AMC playoff spot with the victory at Daemen. After starting 1-5 in the conference and battling several key injuries, the Raiders have gone 9-1 and are now 10-6 in the conference and 16-11 overall.
Next up for the Raiders is rival Houghton at the Nielson Physical Education Center in Houghton, N.Y. on Thursday night. Start time for the men's game is 6:00 followed by the women at 8:00.
