Staten Island, NY – Sophomore guard Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ/Apex Academies) scored 18 points to lead three players in double figures but it was not enough as Wagner dropped a 65-56 decision to NJIT.

In losing its second game of the season to the Highlanders, Wagner falls to 2-11 on the season while NJIT improves to 4-8.

Chris Flores led NJIT with 25 points while Isaiah Wilkerson added 19 points.

The Seahawks built an early 24-18 lead but the Highlanders closed the first half with an 8-0 run to seize a 26-24 lead at halftime. The second half was a nip-and-tuck affair as Wagner trailed by just a 47-43 count with 6:32 to play following a layup by freshman guard Danny Mundweiler (Overland Park, KS/Olathe East).

NJIT then put together an 8-0 burst, capped by a Flores layup with 4:29 to play in running out to a 55-43 lead. Wagner clawed back to within five points at 59-54 on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Tyler Murray (Toronto, CA/ Eastern Commerce) with 1:49 left but that is as close as the Seahawks would get.

Senior center Michael Orock (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) has his second consecutive double-double vs. NJIT this season, totaling 11 points while pulling down 10 rebounds. In this first game played between these teams in Newark back on Nov. 24, won by the Highlanders 56-51, Orock posted career highs in points with 22 and rebounds with 14. Freshman forward Josh Thompson (Richland, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) was the third Seahawk in double figures tonight, adding 10 points for the Seahawks.

For the game, Wagner shot 34% from the field (21-61) and just 17% (4-24) from three-point range. The Seahawks also struggled at the free throw line, making just 10-of-19 (53%) from the charity stripe. NJIT was 43% (23-53) from the field and 21% (3-14) from beyond the arc.

Wagner begins a four-game road stretch with a game at Princeton on Wednesday, Dec. 30 in a 7:00 pm tip-off at Jadwin Gymnasium.