Nov. 14, 2007
Box Score
Staten Island, NY - Wagner built a 31-26 halftime lead and led 41-36 with 12:47 left before Manhattan got hot from the perimeter, nailing five three-point jumpers during a decisive 24-0 run that lifted the Jaspers to a 69-56 victory over Wagner in the home opener for the Seahawks.
With the win, Manhattan improved to 2-0 on the season while Wagner fell to 1-1. The Jaspers, who were coming off a 70-28 vanquishing of NJIT, received a game-high 20 points from sophomore guard Patrick Bouli. Sophomore guards Darryl Crawford and Antoine Pearson added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Manhattan shot a blistering 57.1% in the second half to finish the game at 50%. Wagner shot 40% and was edged in the rebounding department, 32-31.
Three of the five treys that came in that game-changing run came from junior forward Devon Austin. For Austin, it was his only points of the evening but they came at a critical time. Wagner was hampered during this key run when reigning NEC Player of the Week Durell Vinson (Vineland, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep) picked up his third personal foul on a charge with 13:26 left in the game. He then went to the bench with his fourth foul at the 7:40 mark of the second half. Without Vinson's inside presence, the Seahawks were held scoreless for a span of 8:38 of the second half.
A lay up by junior forward Lew Radford (Newport News, VA/ Heritage) had given the Seahawks a 41-36 lead with 12:47 left. But Wagner did not score again until junior swingman Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD/ Towson Catholic) hit a three-pointer with 4:54 remaining in the game to cut the deficit to 60-41. Wagner would draw as close as 12 points on a pair of free throws by senior guard Mark Porter (Atlantic City, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) at 63-51 with 2:03 left to play.
Manhattan had the momentum early in the game as the Jaspers ran out to an early 19-12 lead. Wagner then went on a 19-7 tear over the final 8:20 of the first half to seize a 31-26 halftime lead. Smith scored eight of his team-high 16 points in the first half. Vinson and Porter chipped in with 12 points apiece.
The Seahawks are next in action on Saturday when they travel to Jersey City to take on their second consecutive MAAC opponent in Saint Peter's. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm.
