BOX SCORE



Staten Island, NY - Freshman Latif Rivers' (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) career-high 30 points led five double-figure scorers as Wagner shot a season-high 57.9 percent from the floor, including a sizzling 66.7 percent from long range, en route to a decisive 90-80 win over Northeast Conference (NEC) preseason favorite Quinnipiac at the Spiro Sports Center. The Seahawks even their record at 9-9 while improving to 5-2 in the NEC with the season sweep of the defending regular season champions as the Bobcats fall to 12-6 and 4-3 in the NEC while losing back-to-back games for the first time all year.



After scoring just four points, on 2-of-18 shooting, over the last two games, Rivers responded with a vengeance while becoming the first Wagner freshman to hit for 30 points since Courtney Pritchard did so back on February 15, 2001 in a 91-75 loss to St. Francis (NY)). The rookie guard went 7-of-12 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from long range, while converting all 12 of his free throw attempts and is now shooting a NEC-best 94.7 percent (72-76) from the line.

Rivers' performance highlighted the finest offensive output by the Green & White on the year as Wagner converted on 22-of-38 (57.9 %) from the floor, including 10-of-15 (66.7 %) from beyond the arc. Over the two games against Quinnipiac, the Seahawks drained 21-of-39 (53.8 %) from long range.

Junior Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ / Apex Academies), like RIvers, converted 4-of-6 from beyond the arc en route to 16 points. Classmate Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario / Eastern Commerce), who entered the game as the NEC's leading scorer, hit for 13 points on just six shots. Rounding out the double-digit scorers were senior Cliff Spiller (Pleasantville, NJ / Holy Spirit) and freshman Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep). Spiller notched a career-best 10 points, on 3-of-4 shooting, while hitting for double-digits for the first time in his collegiate career while Parker scored nine of his 10 points after halftime.

In the first half, Murray opened the scoring with a lay-up before Rivers followed suit with this  up-and-under lay-up before Quinnipiac responded with 11-straight points, opening up an 11-4 lead at the first media timeout. The Bobcats extended the Wagner deficit out to eight at 15-7 following a James Johnson three pointer and had a pair of chances to add to the lead before Martin drilled the first of his four three pointers on the night. Spiller followed with a lay-up before Rivers capped the 8-0 spurt with his first three pointer, tying the game up at 15-15 with 10:33 to go until halftime.

Quinnipiac responded with six-straight points to reclaim the lead only to have Spiller briefly answer with this lay-up. Deontay Twyman pushed the lead back out to six before Rivers sliced the lead in half with this three pointer. Tevin Baskin then made it a five-point lead with a pair from the line before Wagner reclaimed the lead with a big 9-1 run. As would be theme of the night, the Seahawks sank six free throws during the run while assuming a 29-26 lead with 5:23 to go until halftime. The lead would be shortlived as the Bobcats hit a jumper and a lay-up before sophomore Ryan Schrotenboer (Fort Myers, FL / Bishop Verot) tied it up for the third and final time of the night with a free throw.

On the ensuing Wagner possession, senior #T.J. Czeski# (Amsterdam, NY / Amsterdam) gave the Green & White the lead for good at 33-30 at the 3:08 mark of the first with this three pointer, his first of the year. The Seahawks would head into halftime up 36-34 thanks to converting 55.6 percent (10-18) from the floor, including 83.3 percent (5-6) from long range.

In the second half, Wagner blew the game wide-open with an offensive display that would make the New York Knicks proud by hitting for a season-best 54 points, on 60.0 percent (12-20) shooting, including 55.6 percent (5-9) from beyond the arc, while converting on 89.3 percent (25-28) from the line.

After Jamee Jackson opened the second half by splitting a pair from the line, the Seahawks ripped off eight-straight points - highlighted by triples from Rivers and Martin in opening up an insurmountable nine-point lead at 44-35 with just over 16 minutes to play.

Quinnipiac would make it a one-possession game at 59-56 with 10:27 to play before sophomore Danny Mundweiler (Overland Park, KS / Olathe East) answered with his only field goal of the night, this jumper from the corner, before Martin drilled this three pointer, extending the lead back out to eight with 9:07 to play.

Quinnipiac would continue to battle getting to within six twice more, the last time at 77-71 with 4:32 to play. Rivers quelled the threat with this lay-up for his 29th and 30th points of the night as the shot clock was winding down before Parker hit a jumper and Martin a pair of free throws, making it an 83-71 Wagner lead with 2:49 to play. The Seahawks' lead would grow to a game-high 13 on a pair of occasions before the Green & White closed out the 90-80 win.

Johnson led Quinnipiac with 24 points while Dominique Langston (15 points) and Twyman (14 points) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Bobcats, who shot 45.5 percent (25-55) from the floor, but just 16.7 percent (2-12) from outside the arc and 66.7 percent (28-42) from the line. Quinnipiac won the battle of the glass by a +11 margin but grabbed a season-low 32 rebounds.

Wagner closes out its mini two-game homestand with a game against Sacred Heart on Saturday, January 22 at 7:00 pm.

NOTES: Wagner is now 15-12, all-time, against Quinnipiac while sweeping the season-series from the Bobcats ... Last year, the Seahawks lost both match-ups as Quinnipiac went 15-3 during league play ... The Green & White had five double-figure scorers for the first time since an 82-70 win over the Bobcats in Hamden, CT on February 11, 2008 ... Assistant coach Luke Murray was on that Quinnipiac staff ... Wagner won tonight's game before a Time Warner Cable audience while improving improves to 5-3 on TV this year, including 3-1 on its local affiliate ... The 36 Seahawk free throws represent the most by an NEC team this year ... The Green & White notched a season-best 90 points while going 10-of-15 from beyond the arc after going 3-21 over the last two games, both losses ... Wagner was 12-of-20 (60.0 %) from the floor in the second half tonight after going 12-of-21 (57.1 %) from the field in the first meeting with Quinnipiac ... The Bobcats were handed their second loss on the road after opening up the year with six-straight wins away from home ... Quinnipiac was picked to the win the NEC by the league's coaches with Wagner tabbed 11th ... Tonight's game featured a combined 60 fouls with Wagner being whistled for 31, marking the third-straight game and the fourth on the year that the Seahawks committed at least 30 transgressions.