Daemen Men's Basketball Finishes at No.1 in Final National Poll of 2024-25 Season

Release courtesy of Max Sacco, Daemen University Sports Information AMHERST, NY – The Daemen University men's basketball team landed in the No. 1 spot for the fourth consecutive week in the final National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Poll of the 2024-25 regular season. The Wildcats garnered 393 points and 11 first-place votes.  Daemen has topped the NABC National Poll four four consecutive weeks and is the first team Division I or II school from New York since Division I Syracuse (ACC) during the 2011-12 season to be ranked No. 1 for four-or-more consecutive weeks. The Orange were ranked No. 1 for six consecutive weeks between Dec. 12, 2011 - Jan. 16, 2012. The Wildcats joined St. Bonaventure, Niagara, Buffalo and Canisius as the only five Western New York Division I or II schools to be ranked in the final national poll of the year as well.  Behind the Wildcats in the final NABC National Poll was Nova Southeastern (Sunshine State) who occupied second place with 388 points and the last five first-place votes. Alabama Huntsville (GSC) closed the top three with 371 points. Daemen and Nova Southeastern are both hosting their respective regional as well with the Sharks selected as hosts for the NCAA South Regional.  The Wildcats earned their first ECC Tournament Championship with an 88-80 victory over the No. 2 seeded St. Thomas Aquinas Spartans on March 9. The win marked the first time that Daemen defeated St. Thomas Aquinas in any round of the ECC Tournament as well. Redshirt sophomore forward Benjamin Bill (Hamburg, N.Y.) led Daemen with 23 points and notched a game-high three blocks. Redshirt senior forward Justin Hemphill (Buffalo, N.Y.) poured in 21 points while knocking down 10 shots to propel the Daemen offense. The forward collected his team-leading ninth double-double of the year with 10 boards and seven assists. His performances over both games netted him ECC Championship Most Outstanding Player honors as well. Earlier this season, Daemen joined C.W. Post (1989-90 & 2008-09), Adelphi (2000-01) and Philadelphia U. (1992-93 & 1993-94) as the only four schools in ECC history to finish the regular season undefeated.  Daemen will host the NCAA East Regional later this week which will feature No. 2 Adelphi (Northeast 10) facing No. 7 Dominican (N.Y.) (CACC),  NE-10 Tournament champions No. 3 Southern New Hampshire will battle fellow NE-10 member No. 6 Assumption and No. 4 Pace (NE-10) will take on No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas (ECC). The ECC and CACC each have two representatives within the East Regional while the NE-10 represents the remaining four teams. The 'Cats will play No. 8 seed and former ECC member Bridgeport (CACC) in the first round on March 15 at 5 p.m. Tickets will be available later this week for purchase.  A full opening-round preview will be posted to daemenwildcats.com later this week as well. 
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