BOX SCORE

Staten Island, NY – Despite a 19-point effort by senior center Michael Orock (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) and a career-high 11-rebound performance from junior center Clifton Spiller (Pleasantville, NJ/Holy Spirit), Wagner came out on the short end of a 79-64 decision to Long Island University (LIU).

With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 2-16 on the season, 0-5 in the Northeast Conference play while the Blackbirds improve to 7-9, and a perfect 5-0 in the NEC.

Wagner' leading scorer on the season, Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ/Apex Academies), who came into the game averaging 13.1 points per game, was limited to just 11 minutes due to an ankle injury sustained early in the second half and wound up with six points on the evening.

LIU guard Jaytornah Wisseh hit two free throws with 2:12 to go in the first half before Wagner closed the half with an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 33-29 at intermission. The run was keyed by three-point jumpers from Martin and fellow sophomore guard Tyler Murray (Toronto, CA/Eastern Commerce). Orock paced the Seahawks with 10 first-half points to go with four rebounds. Clifton Spiller corralled nine of his 11rebounds in the opening half. Wagner held a commanding 25-24 edge in rebounding in the opening stanza.

The first nine minutes of the second half was a nip-and-tuck affair as a jumper by freshman forward Josh Thompson (Richland, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) drew Wagner to within two points at 49-47 with 11:05 to play in the game. The Blackbirds then countered with a decisive 11-2 spurt, capped by a Kyle Johnson layup that staked LIU to a 60-49 lead with 8:03 left.

Wagner would get as close as nine points on three separate occasions but the Blackbirds had an answer each time in posting the 15-point victory.

Murray finished with nine points while senior forward Doug Elwell (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) and junior guard #T.J. Czeski# (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) added eight and seven points, respectively, for the Seahawks.

LIU was led in scoring by Hicks who had 19 points while Wisseh and Kyle Johnson added 16 points apiece. The Blackbirds outshot Wagner 50 percent to 39 percent while the Seahawks, who shot 9-of-17 from three-point range (53 percent), won the battle of the boards, 43-30.

Wagner is next in action on Saturday, Jan. 16 when the Seahawks play host to St. Francis (NY) in a 7:00 pm tip.

NOTES – Orock has now scored in double figures in seven straight games and is averaging 18.6 points over his last five games. Wagner has now lost seven straight games.