Jan. 10, 2007

Box Score

New Britain, CT - Using a game-changing 16-0 run midway through the second-stanza the Wagner Seahawks snapped an 11-game losing streak with a come-from behind 69-63 win against Central Connecticut State earlier tonight at Detrick Gym. With the win Wagner improves to 2-13 and 1-4 in the NEC while ending a 24-game road losing streak dating back to the 2004-05 season and an 11-game skid in the Nutmeg State. CCSU is now 4-11 and 2-2 in conference play.

In the second half, Wagner grabbed control of the game with one of their most dominating runs in the last two-plus years. Down 41-29 with 14:23 to go in the game, Wagner began their comeback as senior Jessie Collins (Crofton, MD / Arundel), freshman John'a Poole (Middle River, MD / Eastern Tech) and junior Chelsey Bunyer (Shannon, IL / Eastland) all hit lay-ups before Poole drilled a three pointer off a pass from Bunyer. After a pair of Collins' free throws, freshman Andrea Reed (Pocomoke City, MD / Pocomoke) gave the Seahawks the lead for good with a lay-up to make it 42-41. Collins would then drill a three-pointer to culminate Wagner's 16-0 run while giving Wagner an insurmountable 45-41 lead with 10:20 to go. During the run the Seahawks hit on six of their eight shots while forcing the Blue Devils into seven turnovers.

CCSU would make one final push down 58-52 with 3:59 to go as Brittany Dixon hit a pair of free throws and a jumper to cut the lead to 58-56. Jamilah Corbitt then went to the charity stripe with the chance to tie the game. She hit the first but missed on the second with Collins pulling down the huge rebound. Poole then calmly drilled her third three pointer to push Wagner's lead back out to four and for all intents and purposes end any chance of a comeback for the Blue Devils. Dye and junior Ali Ridge (Barrington, IL / Fremd) then combined to hit eight-straight free throws to put icing on the cake as Wagner won going away 69-63.

After shooting just 25.9 percent in the first, Wagner shot 58.6 percent (17-29), including 4-5 from behind the arc, on their way to scoring a season-high 48 points in the second half. For the game the Seahawks shot 42.9 percent (24-56). The Green & White defense also held CCSU to 32.7 percent while limiting All-NEC First Team performer Gabriella Guegbelet to just 13 points and nine rebounds. The Seahawks also won the battle of the rebounds (42-33) for the first time all season.

Poole led four Wagner players in double-figures with a career-high 17 points on 7-12 shooting to go along with five steals. Bunyer dropped in 16 points while Dye posted her fifth double-double of the year with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Collins rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Green & White with 10 second-half points.

In the first half, Dye's game-opening lay-up gave the Green & White their first lead in four games. However not soon after that CCSU would break an early 6-6 tie with a 10-2 run on their way to a 21-10 lead with 7:19 to go. However the Seahawks would counter with an off-balance lay-up from Poole, a three-pointer from Poole and then a jumper from the top of the key by Bunyer cut the lead to 21-17 while stopping the CCSU-momentum, a trend that continued throughout the game. The Blue Devils would then answer Wagner's spurt with a 9-2 to end the half, entering intermission up 33-21.

The Seahawks return home to the Spiro Sports Center when they host Quinnipiac on Saturday starting at 4 pm.