Dec. 2, 2006

Box Score

Staten Island, NY - The Seahawks of Wagner College outscored visiting Yale University 27-4 in second chance points to end a three game losing streak in a 72-65 victory today at the Spiro Sports Center. Wagner improved to 2-5 on the season while also exterminating a seven game slide at home. The Bulldogs lost their fifth straight falling to 1-5 on the season.

A career high 21 points from junior James Ulrich (Mt. Laurel, NJ / Camden Catholic) led four Seahawk players in double figures. Ulrich added 10 rebounds and three steals for his second career double-double as Wagner posted a 44-34 advantage in rebounding and a 19-9 edge on the offensive end.

The Seahawks trailed the entire game until an 8-0 run highlighted by a pair of lay-ins from sophomore Llewchean Radford (Newport, News, VA / Hertiage) equaled the score at 39-39 at the 14:18 mark of the second half. Yale would then extend another lead of six points (53-47) after a three-point play from Sam Kaplan. Wagner responded with another 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 55-53 with 7:55 left following a pair of free throws from junior Mark Porter (Atlantic City, NJ / St. Augustine's Prep).

In a game that featured seven ties in the second half, the Seahawks finally seized advantage with three offensive rebounds in a 10 second span that turned into a five point cushion. With the contest even at 63 all Ulrich scored an inside lay-up and was fouled with 1:56 on the clock. He then missed the free throw attempt only to grab his own rebound and convert the first of two free throw shots. Sophomore Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD / Towson Catholic) secured the offensive rebound on the second miss and scored inside himself as Wagner led 68-63 following the 40 second possession.

Porter, who scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half nailed 3-4 from the line n the closing seconds to wrap up the win. Smith scored 14 points as well to go with his eight rebounds and four steals, while Radford added career bests of 10 points and eight boards (five offensive).

Wagner shot .448 from the field a season high at home this season, counting a .519 clip in the second half. Yale hit .519 in the first half, but finished at .429 for the game with a .318 showing in the second half.

Casey Hughes and Caleb Holmes led the Bulldogs with 11 points each, followed by Eric Plato with 10.

Yale stormed out of the gates hitting their first six shots on the way to a commanding 14-3 lead with 16:06 remaining. Down 19-9, Wagner ripped off seven straight points on a jumper by Ulrich, two free throws from Smith and a three pointer from classmate Joey Mundweiler (Olathe, KS / Olathe East) to make it 19-16 with 11:04 to go. However Yale would answer right back with a three pointer of their own to start a 10-3 run to extend their lead back to 10 at 29-19 with 6:12 remaining. The Seahawks would then put the clamps on the Yale offense while outscoring the Bulldogs 12-2 over the next 4:08 to tie the game up at 31-31. Yale would answer yet again with a pair of layups to go up 35-31 at the half.

The Seahawks cross the New York Harbor on Tuesday for a 7:00 pm game at Columbia next time out.

~ wagnerathletics.com ~