Feb. 16, 2006

Box Score

Staten Island, NY - Wagner men's basketball team was downed by visiting Central Conn. St by a final score of 74-55 at the Spiro Sports Center tonight. The Seahawks slip to 10-13 overall and 3-11 in the NEC with the loss, while the Blue Devils jump to 9-5 in the league and 13-10 on the season.

In the first half with both teams starting out slow Wagner held a 7-6 lead after the first four and a half minutes of play. The Blue Devils then went on an 8-0 run with five points from Justin Chiera, to move in front 14-7 at the 12:46 mark.

Junior Durell Vinson (Vineland, NJ / St. Augustine's Prep) would bring the Seahawks back to with in five (18-13) a few minutes later before another CCSU run. Chiera would score five more of his 13 first half points during an 11-2 stretch that left Wagner trailing 29-15 with 4:19 remaining in the half. The deficit stayed at 14 until senior DeEarnest McLemore (Cary, NC / Cary) nailed a three with three seconds left to put the Seahawks down 36-25 at halftime.

Wagner, having now lost seven straight, used a 10-4 to start the second half as they remained down by five (40-35) following a Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD / Towson Catholic) free throw. With both team firing blanks over the next two minutes the Seahawks missed on a chance to cut more into the margin. Obie Nwadike then ended the scoring drought and put the Blue Devils back up by seven at the 13:49 mark.

The Seahawks still trailed by just six (47-41) with 11:29 left when Lenny Jefferson set off a 10-2 CCSU push that gave them control of the game. Jefferson would score seven points during the five minute stretch that ended with Wagner down 57-43.

Blue Devils, who ended a three game losing streak, would push the lead up to as many as 22 (69-47) before the final outcome was decided.

McLemore led Wagner with 13 points and five assists, while Vinson put up 12 points and nine rebounds on 6-8 shooting. Smith, a freshman, was also in double figures with 10 points for the Seahawks which shot 39.0 percent for the game, but just 26.1 percent (6-23) from three and 27.3 percent (3-11) from the foul line.

Chiera would lead all scorers with 19 points backed by five threes. Jefferson added 18 points while Tristan Blackwood hand 17 points and Nwadike had 12 to go with 13 rebounds. CCSU held a 44-31 advantage in rebounds and shot 45.6 percent from the floor. The Blue Devils also nailed 11 threes in 28 attempts (39.1 percent).

Wagner returns to action on Saturday at Quinnipiac for a 2:00 pm contest.

~ wagnerathletics.com ~