Feb. 18, 2007
Box Score
Loretto, PA -The Wagner College men's basketball team narrowly defeated host Saint Francis (PA) University by a final of 57-54 at DeGol Arena tonight. The Northeast Conference win for the Seahawks improved them to 7-7 in the league and into a tie for sixth place with Robert Morris. The Red Flash slipped to 2-13 in the NEC and 5-21 overall.
Sophomores Justin Drummond (Baltimore, MD / McDonogh) and Joey Mundweiler (Olathe, KS / Olathe East) had 10 points each to lead a balanced scoring attack in which six players scored at least eight points for the Seahawks.
Wagner (10-15) came out firing in the first half going up 14-4 after hitting four of their first five shots from the field. Sophomore Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD / Towson Catholic) led the scoring with six points in the six minute stretch.
The Seahawks extended the lead to 28-11 at the six minute mark using a 10-0 run, including five points from junior Mark Porter (Atlantic City, NJ / St. Augustine's Prep). Porter became the 33rd player in school history to score 1,000 career points after hitting a three from the right wing at 7:18.
An offensive drought would ensue for Wagner as the Red Flash held a 10-3 edge in the final six minutes of the half. Mundweiler accounted for the only Seahawk field goal during the cold spell hitting a three with 2:26 left as the team went into the locker up 31-21 at the break.
Another three form Mundweiler extended the margin to 16 (44-28) at the 13:12 mark of the second half. The lead was then at 14 (52-38) with 7:36 to play when Cale Nelson hit three trifecta's in a 13-0 Red Flash run that closed the gap to 52-51 with 2:33 remaining.
After trading misses, Porter put Wagner back in control with a turnaround from the left base line for a three point advantage with 1:22 on the clock. Saint Francis (PA) turned the ball over on the next possession and Drummond gave the Seahawks a five point lead with an offensive put-back with 40 seconds left.
The Seahawks would let the Red Flash hang around missing the front end of three straight one-and-one free throw attempts. With Wagner miss firing from the line, Saint Francis came within two before sophomore Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD / Towson Catholic) hit the first of two foul shots with 13 seconds still to play. A deep three from Marquis Ford was off the mark with five seconds left as Wagner held on the victory.
Porter led the team with eight rebounds and five assists to go with his nine points. Wagner shot 44.4 percent for the game, including a 50 percent showing in the first half. The defense held the Red Flash to 36.7 percent shooting and 25 percent (5-20) from three. Devin Sweetney had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds for SFPA which was led in scoring by Nelson and Jelani Lawrence with 14 points each.
Wagner continues the Western Pennsylvania road swing tomorrow night at Robert Morris.
~wagnerathletics.com ~
