BOX SCORE

Smithfield, RI - Freshman Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) scored six of his team-best 16 points in overtime while pacing five student-athletes in double-figures as Wagner topped Bryant 80-75 in overtime at the Chace Athletic Center. With the victory, the Seahawks have now doubled last year's overall and Northeast Conference (NEC) win totals while improving to 10-10 and 6-3 in the NEC as the Bulldogs fall to 6-15 and 4-6 in the league.

With the victory, Wagner improves to a league-best 7-3 in games decided by five points or less, including 4-1 in conference games. The Seahawks are now 3-0 in overtime games - all of which have come during league play - while winning each match-up by five points.

In a game that featured multiple runs, momentum swings and a malfunctioning 35-second clock it was the Green & White that prevailed thanks to an outstanding effort by its reserves, highlighted by Danny Mundweiler's (Overland Park, KS / Olathe East) three second-half three pointers. The second unit of Mundweiler, senior Cliff Spiller (Pleasantville, NJ / Holy Spirit) and sophomore Josh Thompson (Richland, NJ / St. Augustine Prep) hit all eight of their shot attempts after halftime while combining for 20 of Wagner's 44 points after intermission.

Bryant won the opening tip in overtime but squandered two opportunities to strike first and would not get a third as Rivers drilled a three pointer from the top of the key, putting the Seahawks  in front 70-67 with just 3:46 to play. Frankie Dobbs cut the deficit to one with a pair of free throws before Thompson hit a jumper off a pass from junior Tyler Murray (Toronto, Ontario / Eastern Commerce). After stopping the Bulldogs at the other end, Murray found Thompson for a fast break lay-up, extending the league out to five 74-69 with 2:23 to play.

However, Bryant would not go quietly into the cold night as Corey Maynard converted a lay-up off a steal. After Rivers split a pair at the line, making it a four-point game with 1:31 remaining Alex Francis cut the deficit to two at 75-73 with 1:28 to go. Rivers then turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, but Maynard's three-point attempt from the left corner went in and out and junior Chris Martin (Sicklerville, NJ / Apex Academies) corralled the rebound. Thompson split a pair from the line, again extending the lead out to three with just 36 seconds to play.

On the ensuing possession, Cecil Gresham, who sent the game to overtime with a three pointer with just over 10 seconds to play in the second, missed a game-tying three pointer and Murray grabbed the rebound. The Canadian native then made it a two-possession game with a pair from the line, making it 78-73 with 15 seconds to go. Dobbs would take it the length of the court for a lay-up before Rivers provided the final 80-75 tally with two free throws.

For the game, Wagner converted on 49.1 percent (26-53) from the floor, 47.6 percent (10-21) from beyond the arc and 81.8 percent (18-22) from the charity stripe while winning the battle of the boards by a 40-27 count. Rivers added five rebounds and four assists to his team-best 16 points. Freshman Orlando Parker (Orland, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) was next up with 12 points and a game-high nine caroms while notching double-figures in scoring for the fifth-straight game. Martin (11 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds), Mundweiler (11 points) and Murray (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Seahawks.

Bryant made good on 43.1 percent (25-58) from the floor, 32.0 percent (8-25) from long range and 73.9 percent (17-23) from the charity stripe while forcing 17 turnovers and committing just eight miscues leading to a 22-8 margin in points off turnovers. Greshem (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) and Francis (16 points, 8 rebounds) led five double-figure scorers for the Bulldogs.

With the score tied at the half, Bryant opened up a four-point lead after intermission before the Wagner offense woke up hitting eight-straight shots while fueling a 20-4 run over the next 4:39. Parker got things rolling with a jumper before Mundweiler drilled his first three pointer in four games, giving the Seahawks a 41-40 lead. With the Green & White still up one at 45-44, Wagner ripped off 11-straight points on a Martin lay-up, two Mundweiler three pointers and a Martin three pointer - making it 56-44 with 12:41 to go in the half.

Bryant answered with seven-straight points - cutting the deficit to 56-51 at the 10:19 mark. Rivers and Thompson extended the lead back out to nine with a pair of baskets before the Bulldogs ripped off nine-straight points in just 2:44, tying the game up at 60-60 with 5:52 to play. Bryant appeared to take the lead when Alex Francis appeared to scoring a driving lay-up, only to have the basket waved off when Martin took the charge with just over five minutes to play.

Rivers put the Green & White back in front with a three pointer before Thompson made it a five-point game at 65-60 with 3:37 to play. Bryant rallied to cut the deficit to one at 65-64 with 1:57 to go. Murray pushed the lead back out to three with running jumper off the glass with just 27 seconds to go before Gresham tied it up at 67-67 with 19 seconds to play. The game would go to overtime when Murray's final shot didn't drop.

Wagner is next in action at Central Connecticut State on Saturday, January 29 at 3:30 pm. The teams are currently tied for second place in the NEC at 6-3, behind only Long Island (7-2 NEC).

NOTES: Wagner improves to 5-0 in games in which the Seahawks hit for at least 10 three pointers and when Rivers paces the squad in scoring ... The Green & White won the battle of the boards for first time in the last seven games while recording a season-best  +13 advantage ... Wagner committed a season-low 17 fouls while committing fewer transgressions than the opposition for the first time all year ... The Seahawks placed five players in double-figures for the second time in the last three games after previously not doing since late in the 2007-2008 season ... Over three overtime sessions this year, the Green & White have outscored the opposition 46-31 while shooting 62.5 percent (10-16) from the floor and 82.1 percent (23-28) from the line ... Rivers has led the way scoring 18 points during extra time while going 3-of-3 from the floor and 11-of-12 from the line ... The victory avenges last year's two-point setback to Bryant, which ended up being the Bulldogs only win of the season ... Wagner leads the all-time series by a 2-1 count and are now 2-0 all-time in Smithfield after besting Bryant by a 72-60 count on February 12, 2009 ... The Seahawks improve to 5-0 when scoring at least 80 points ... The three OT victories are the most in a season since the Green & White went 5-0 (4-0 NEC) in 2007-2008 ... The game was delayed with just over seven minutes to play in the second when one of the shot clocks went out ... The final 12-plus minutes of action was played with no visable shot clocks ... The public address announcer would count down in multiple of five ... There was also a single instance in which the clock didn't start ... The scoreboard was restarted and there were no more clock issues the rest of the way.