BOX SCORE

Staten Island, NY – Central Connecticut jumped out to a 14-point halftime lead on the way to an 81-61 victory over Wagner in Northeast Conference (NEC) action at Detrick Gym. With the their fifth-straight victory, the Blue Devils improve to 9-5 and a perfect 5-0 in the NEC for the time in program history while the Seahawks fall to 5-10 and 1-4 in the NEC.

Despite the loss, the Green & White, shot 42.6 percent (26-61) from the floor but were unable to stop the Blue Devil shooters, with CCSU hitting on a blistering 58.8 percent (30-51), including 58.3 percent (7-12) from beyond the arc. Wagner, in comparison was just 3-18 (16.7 %).

CCSU stormed out of the gates, scoring the first six points of the game on the way to an early 8-2 lead. Wagner answered immediately with a lay-up from Kelly Clark (Fr., Neptune, NJ / St. Rose) and a three pointer from Casey Stokes (Hummelstown, PA / Lower Dauphin) to cut it to 8-7 at the first media timeout. After exchanging a pair of buckets, the Blue Devils scored six-straight points to go out in front 16-9 with 11:37 to go. The Seahawks kept the game close but could not keep up with the red-hot Blue Devils. With the Blue Devils up 20-15 at the 10:18 mark, CCSU went on a 9-2 spurt to extend the lead out to 29-17 with 6:59 to play in the first. Junior Andrea Reed (Pocomoke City, MD / Pocomoke) briefly quelled the run with a lay-up, only to see the Blue Devils respond with five-straight points. CCSU would push the lead out to 16 points before entering intermission up 43-29.

The Blue Devils shot a blistering 62.5 percent (15-24) and had six players score at least five points in the opening stanza. CCSU also hit on 90.0 percent (9-10) from the free throw line. Wagner, meanwhile, shot a stellar 44.4 percent (12-27), but was just 1-10 from beyond the arc and got to the line just four times, converting all four. Stokes led the Green & White in the opening stanza with nine points while Reed chipped in with eight and Clark six.

After a Reed jumper to start the second half, CCSU put together a game-changing 14-0 run over the next 5:53 while pressuring the Seahawks into eight missed shots and four turnovers to make it 57-31 with 14:00 to go. Wagner would cut it to 16 but were unable to get any closer as the Blue Devils claimed the win 81-61.

Reed led all scorers for the Green & White with 16 points, on 7-11 shooting, with five assists, against just two turnovers, and three steals. Stokes finished with 12 points, four assists and two steals. Junior John'a Poole (Middle River, MD / Eastern Tech) also hit for double-figures, scoring all 10 of markers in the second-stanza while going 5-5 from the floor.

Gabrielle Oglesby paced CCSU with 16 points, on 5-6 shooting, in 22 minutes off the bench. Shontice Simmons added 15 points with six rebounds and four assists while Kerrianne Dugan rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Blue Devils with 12 points and eight rebounds. Leanne Crockett led all rebounders with 11 caroms with nine points.

The Seahawks will now embark on their annual Keystone State trip, heading to Robert Morris on Saturday, January 17 at 4:00 pm.