Nov. 22, 2005

Box Score

Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College men's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the year with an impressive 75-59 win over visiting American University earlier this evening at the Spiro Sports Center.

High School teammates Durell Vinson (Vineland, NJ / St. Augustine Prep) and Mark Porter (Atlantic City, NJ / St. Augustine Prep) paved the way offensively for the Seahawks as each set a career high with 22 points a piece. Vinson, a junior, would add a career best 15 rebounds as he shot 10-14 from the floor for his second career double-double. The sophomore Porter meanwhile, connected on 12-15 free throws, including his final eight in a row to help seal the win.

The Wagner defense was once again the story as they locked up American in the first half, holding the Eagles to 20.7 percent shooting (6-29) while building up a 28-15 advantage.

American (0-2) started off the game with a 3-0 lead after a three by leading scorer Andre Ingram at the 18:24 mark. Wagner final got on the board on a free throw by Porter at 15:12 and took the lead for good on a lay-in by sophomore James Ulrich (Mt. Laurel, NJ / Camden Catholic) at 13:38. After the Eagles made it 8-7 two minutes later, Wagner closed out the half on a 20-8 run to account for the 13-point margin. During the final nine minutes, the Seahawks held American to just 2-12 shooting from the floor.

The offenses came alive in the second half, with each team shooting over 50 percent from the floor (Wagner-56.0; American-51.4). American would score the first five points to pull to within eight (28-20), but that was as close as the Seahawks would let them get. Wagner would extend the margin to as many as 19 (47-28) with 12:23 to play before the free throw shooting of Porter, senior DeEarnest McLemore (Cary, NC / Cary), and red-shirt junior Matt Vitale (Brooklyn, NY / St. Edmunds Prep) helped sealed the win.

Vitale would also finish in double figures with 10 points off the bench, while McLemore chipped in nine points, six assists and three steals.

For American Brayden Billbe had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Ingram chipped in 12 points and five assists, but was forced in to 5-19 shooting.

Wagner has now won six straight at home dating back to last season and improved to 57-24 (.703) all-time at the Spiro Sports Center. The 2-0 start is the first for the Seahawks since 2000-01 and just the third time in the past 14 years. Overall Wagner has now won 13 of the last 15 games they have played.

The Seahawks take to the road for the first time this year next time out on Saturday at Vermont for a 1:00 pm contest.

~ wagnerathletics.com ~