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Staten Island, NY - Wagner (12-3; 3-1 NEC) will look for its sixth-straight win against Bryant (2-13; 1-3 NEC) in its first home game since early December tonight at 7:00 pm in the Spiro Sports Center. Fans can follow today's action through for a nominal fee through the athletic deparment's video stream or watch live via
Time Warner Cable (channel 76 Staten Island / channel 199 Manhattan). The twitter hash tag for tonight's game will be WAGBRY or can by accessed by clicking on the above link.
QUICK HITS
* Wagner (12-3; 3-1 NEC) returns to the Spiro Sports Center for the first time since December 10 when the Seahawks host Bryant (2-13; 1-3 NEC) tonight at 7:00 pm.
* Since losing to Lehigh (12/10) by one point, the Green & White have ripped off five-straight away from Staten Island - highlighted by a victory at #15 Pitt and the 45th annual Cable Car Championship in Santa Clara.
* Wagner's seven true road wins are tied with Cleveland State, Iona and #15 Murray State for the most in the nation.
* The Seahawks moved up to #22 in the most recent
Mid-Major Top-25 rankings and received a vote in the
Associated Press (AP) Top-25 poll for the third-straight week.
* The Green & White are 69th in the latest NCAA RPI rankings, which were released on Monday. Wagner tumbled 20 spots from last week's rankings, despite posting road wins against Fairleigh Dickinson (1/5) and Monmouth (1/7).
* Tonight's game is the Seahawks' ninth appearance on TV, having gone 7-1 in the first eight. The game can be watched on Time Warner via channel 76 on Staten Island or on channel 199 in Manhattan.
* After besting the Knights (1/5) by 24 , the Seahawks won a dogfight with the Hawks (1/7) before a regionally televised audience on
MSG+. Monmouth had its chances to tie or take the lead on two occasions over the final six minutes but would be denied each time with Wagner going on to win by 10.
* One of the defining moments from the game was when with 8:37 to play, junior
Jonathon Williams drew a charge on a fast-break attempt, keeping the Seahawk lead at two.
* Sophomore
Latif Rivers paced the team in scoring for a team-leading seventh time on the year with a season-high 28 points. However, the most telling stat was that when Monmouth (1/7) cut the deficit to two on back-to-back possessions with under six minutes to play, it was Rivers that answered each time while putting Wagner on his back. The Garden State native scored 17 of his game-high 28 points after halftime and is averaging 9.0 of his team-high 15.5 points per game in the second half while converting on 91.3 percent (42-46) from the line.
* Last week, Rivers led the team in scoring at 23.5 points per game while shooting a blistering 60.0 percent (15-25) from the floor, 46.7 percent (7-15) from long range and 90.9 percent (10-11) from the line, helping the Seahawks to wins over Garden State rivals FDU (1/5) and Monmouth (1/7).
* Rivers now has eight career 20-point games with the Green & White going 7-1 in those games.
* During Wagner's current five-game winning streak, Rivers is averaging a team-best 20.6 points per game while shooting 54.1 percent (33-61) from the floor, 47.2 percent (17-36) and 95.2 percent (20-21) from the line.
* On the year, Rivers leads the team and ranks ninth in the NEC in scoring at 15.5 points per game and is 18th nationally in free throw percentage (.905) (57-63).
* Lost amid the shuffle of Rivers' outstanding performance has been the play of sophomore
Kenneth Ortiz. The 6-0 point guard has paced the Seahawks in rebounding in each of the last three games, and put together a stat line of 10 points and seven rebounds in the win over Monmouth (1/7). Over the last five games, he is averaging 10.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game while posting an impressive + 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
* During the current five-game winning streak, the Green & White has outscored the opposition by 10.4 points per game while shooting 35.8 percent from long range and 81.5 percent from the line. Additionally, Wagner has posted a +3.8 turnover margin and a +2.0 advantage on the glass. Joining Rivers and Ortiz in double-figures during the streak has been Williams (13.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg).
* In the most recent win over Monmouth (1/7), the Seahawks sank 80.8 percent (21-26) from the line in the second half to help seal its 10-point win. Over the five minutes of 10-point games, the Green & White is converting 78.5 percent (51-65) from the line - including 88.6 percent (31-35) in the final minute of those games. Wagner are 6-2 in 10-point games.
* On the year, the Seahawks are shooting a NEC-best 75.8 percent from the line while ranking 14th in the NCAA rankings. Davidson leads all team with a 81.1 percent conversion rate.
* Despite losing the turnover battle in the win at Monmouth (1/7) for the first time in 11 games, the Green & White still leads the NEC and ranks 13th in the nation with a +4.4 turnover margin. #1 Syracuse paces the nation with a + 7.0 turnover margin. All told, Wagner has won the turnover battle in 13-of-15 this year.
* In the victory at FDU (1/5), the Seahawks pressured the Knights into 21 turnovers, marking the fifth time this season that the Green & White has forced at least 20 turnovers in a game. Additionally, Wagner did not allow a three point field goal for the second time after yielding one in every game from 1993-1994 until the 2010-2011 season.
* Besides leading the NEC in free throw percentage and turnover margin, the Seahawks also pace the league in scoring margin (+9.6) (63rd NCAA), blocked shots (4.1) (97th NCAA) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.03) (103rd NCAA).
* Wagner is also second in the league in scoring offense (74.7 ppg) (69th NCAA), scoring defense (65.1 ppg) (129th NCAA), field goal percentage defense (.408) (97th NCAA) and three-point field goal percentage (.366) (87th NCAA).
* The Seahawks have won five games outside of the Spiro Sports Center (4 road, 1 neutral) for the first time since their NEC Championship season of 2002-2003.
* The Green & White's 12 wins are the most by a NEC team this season and would match last year's total of 13 with one more victory.
* Wagner is also 7-2 on the road after going a combined 7-26 over the last two seasons.
* The Seahawks' 12-3 start is its best since moving to Division I in the 1976-1977 season as the Green & White last started 12-3 in 1968-1969.
* With a win tonight, Wagner would also have its first six-game winning streak since the 2002-2003 campaign.
* The Seahawks hold a 2-1 record, all-time, against Bryant after winning last year by an 80-75 count in overtime.
* This will be just the second time the teams have played in the Spiro Sports Center with Bulldogs pulling out a 53-51 victory for their only win of the 2009-2010 season.
* Tonight's game pits last year's top two NEC rookies in Rivers and Alex Francis from Bryant. Last year the pair combined for 12
Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week citations. In year two, each leads their respective squads in scoring with Rivers checking in at 15.5 points per game (9th NEC) and Francis, who was the 2010-2011 NEC Rookie of the Year, at 16.5 points per game (6th NEC) to go along with a team-best 7.1 rebounds per game (7th NEC).
* During non-conference play, Wagner posted a school and NEC-record nine wins while becoming just the fifth league school to ever record that many non-league victories.
* The Seahawks have led the entire second half in nine of their 12 victories and are 12-1 when leading with five minutes to play.
* Additionally, the Green & White is 9-0 when limiting the opposition to under 70 points and 9-1 when scoring at least 70.
* Senior
Tyler Murray became the 38th member of the Wagner 1,000-point club with his three pointer at the 8:42 mark of the first half against Santa Clara (12/30). He is now 36th on the all-time scoring list with 1,027 points after passing
James Ulrich with his markers points at Monmouth (1/7). He also needs just 37 to hit 1,000 point since the start of his sophomore year.
* Classmate
Chris Martin will most likely be the next member of the elusive club as he has 940 career points.
* Wagner's Cable Car Classic Title was the first in-season championship won by the Seahawks since capturing the 1997 Pepsi Marist Classic.
* At least one team from 31 of the 44 Cable Car Classics has advanced to the NCAA Tournament - including five times in the last eight years
* Rivers earned up with Tourney MVP honors after averaging 19.0 points per game, on 54.2 percent (13-24) shooting - including 50.0 percent (8-16) from long range. In the title game win over Santa Clara (12/30), he scored 12 of his team-high 17 points after halftime after notching a season-best 21 points in the victory vs. Air Force (12/29).
* Also garnering inclusion on the All-Tournament Team was Williams (11.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and sophomore
Naofall Folahan (5.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 bpg).
* Despite standing just 6-0, freshman
Marcus Burton blocked the first three shots of his collegiate career in the win at Monmouth (1/7) to go along with a career-best eight points.
*
Support the Troops ... Against Central Connecticut State on Saturday there will be a donation box at both games for items to send to the US troops overseas. Click
HERE for more information from Project Homefront as all donations greatly appreciated.
SETTING THE SCENE
Wagner (12-3; 3-1 NEC) returns to home for the first time in over a month tonight when the Seahawks host Bryant (2-13; 1-3) tonight at 7:00 pm.
TODAY'S ...
Game will be broadcast on
Time Warner Cable with Wayne Fidelman calling the game and Tim Gannon and Joe Nugent providing the color. That channel can be accessed by Time Warner customer by tuning to channel 76 in Staten Island or channel 199 in Manhattan.
THE REST OF THE WAY
The final eight Wagner home games and 12 of the last 14 overall will begin at 7:00 pm. On the year, the Seahawks are 5-1 in 7:00 pm tips this year.
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG PERFORMANCES
Wagner is an impressive 7-1 in television games this year - including having won six-straight - and will play on TV in seven of its final eight home games - highlighted by games on
ESPNU (LIU - 1/21) and
MSG (Robert Morris - 2/2).
LUCKY NUMBER 70
The Green & White is an outstanding 9-0 when holding the opposition to under 70 points and are 9-1 when scoring at least 70 points.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Wagner has a solid 7-2 record on the road following its win at FDU (1/5), one season after going just 5-12 away from the friendly confines of the Spiro Sports Center.
12-3
The last time the Seahawks started 12-3 in a season was during the 1968-1969 season. Lyndon Baines Johnson was in the Oval Office and the New York Jets would go on to win the Super Bowl and the New York Mets the World Series.
A WIN TONIGHT
Would give the Green & White their best mark after 16 games since Wagner began 14-2 en route to a 20-3 record in the 1955-1956 season.
LONG TIME COMING
The Seahawks posted five victories in December, which is the most in the month since the 1986-1987 season when the Green & White won six.
NEXT
With Murray notching his 1,000th point against Santa Clara (12/30), the next member of Wagner to hit for 1,000 will most likely be senior
Chris Martin, who has 940 career points.
CLOSING IT OUT
The Seahawks are 12-1 when leading with five minutes to play thanks to shooting an impressive 86.0 percent (37-43) from the line in the final minute of games.
CLOSING IT OUT PART 2
Wagner is 6-2 in games decided by 10 points or less while shooting 78.5 percent (51-65) from the line in those games.
FIRST TIME
Despite holding the Northeast Conference's best overall record, the Seahawks hadn't won a Player of the Week citation until Rivers averaged 18.7 points per game while pacing the team in scoring in victories over #15 Pitt (12/23), Air Force (12/29) and Santa Clara (12/30). The reason? Balance. The Green & White routinely go 10-deep and have three players - Rivers (15.5) (9th NEC), Williams (13.8) (13th NEC) and Murray (12.2) (20th NEC) averaging double-figures in scoring.
TODAY'S OPPONENT: BRYANT
Bryant (2-13; 1-3 NEC) enters today's game fresh off a 59-56 victory over Saint Francis (PA). Reigning NEC Rookie of the Year sophomore Alex Francis notched a game-high 23 points with eight rebounds off the bench in that game and leads the team in scoring (16.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 rpg). Also averaging in double-figures in sophomore Corey Maynard (13.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and junior Frankie Dobbs (11.9 ppg, 4.7 apg).
STAT COMPARISON
Wagner: Scoring Offense (74.7 ppg) / Scoring Defense (65.1 ppg) / FG% (.441) / FG%D (.408)
Bryant: Scoring Offense (61.5 ppg) / Scoring Defense (76.9 ppg) / FG% (.409) / FG%D (.471)
LAST MEETING
Rivers scored six of Seahawks' 13 points in overtime en route to a team-best 16 markers, leading five double-figure scorers, in the Green & White's 80-75 victory over Bryant on January 27 in Smithfield, RI. Wagner led by as many as 12 points early in the second half before the Bulldogs rallied to tie the game and send it to overtime. In the extra session, The Seahawks converted 3-of-5 from the floor and 6-of-8 from the line.
GOOD PEDIGREE
Wagner head coach
Dan Hurley (Seton Hall) and Bryant head coach Tim O'Shea (Boston College) each helped their respective alma maters to a pair of BIG EAST Regular Season Championships during their playing days. Hurley was a member of three NCAA Tournament teams with the Pirates - highlighted by a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1991 - while O'Shea was a member of two teams that advanced to the Sweet 16 - highlighted by a berth in the 1982 Elite 8.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bryant Athletic Director Bill Smith served as an assistant coach under
Walt Hameline and was the Wagner's Coordinator of Academic Advisement for Athletics.
DON'T FORGET TO STRETCH
The Green & White will stream tonight's game thru Stretch Internet for free. Check the live events tab on the Wagner Athletics website beginning at 6:50 pm (EST).
JUST LIKE ON THE GRIDIRON
In Wagner's 44-29 win over Monmouth in football, the Seahawks outscored the Hawks 23-7 after halftime before Monmouth tacked on eight-late points. On the hardwood, Wagner erased a six-point deficit at intermission with nine-straight points, and would not trail again en route to a half-opening 19-5 run vs. the Hawks (1/7).
SECOND-HALF SUCCESS
Since early December, the Seahawks have opened the second half with some impressive scoring runs:
St. Francis (NY) (12/3) - 22-4 ~ Hofstra (12/6) - 6-0 ~ Lehigh (12/10) - 8-2 ~
#15 Pitt (12/23) - 15 -8 ~ Air Force (12/29) - 13-4 ~ Santa Clara (12/30) - 9-0 ~
Monmouth (1/7) - 9-0.
HOME SWEET HOME
At home this season, Wagner has been outscoring its opposition by an average of 16.2 points per game at home. No one player has contributed to that number more than Williams. The Junior College transfer has led the Seahawks in all four of his home games while posting team-best averages of 20.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 63.5 percent (33-52) from the floor.
MILESTONE WATCH
Murray is just two points off of
Charlie Harreus (1,029 points) for 35th on the all-time Green & White list. Martin is four behind
Bobby Hopson (192) for fourth on the all-time three-point list.
DOUBLE-DOWN
Murray has recorded double-figures 13 times this year and in 48-of-52 games since the end of his sophomore year. Rivers, meanwhile, has also notched double-figures a team-best 13 times this year and 34 times in his 45 career games.
ORTIZ MAKING WAVES ON THE ISLAND
In his first season on Staten Island, Ortiz has filled up the stat sheets, averaging 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds (18th NEC), 4.1 assists (4th NEC) and 1.9 steals (3rd NEC) per game while pacing a defense that has posted a NEC-leading +4.4 turnover margin. In the 59-54 win over Pitt (12/23), Ortiz put his talent on display with 12 points and a game and career-high seven assists over 35 minutes while converting 6-of-9 from the floor, including draining all five first-half attempts. At the Cable Car Classic he averaged 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in winning the event's Most Inspirational Award, before capping the event with his game-winning shot at Santa Clara (12/30), which has been watched by more than 1.3 million people on
YouTube while also appearing on
ESPN's Sportscenter.
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
The senior duo of Martin and Murray has been a big factor in the revival of Seahawk basketball. Over the last three-plus years, the twosome has combined for 1,967 points while converting on 40.4 percent (336-832) from long range and 76.5 percent (349-456) from the line. Murray ranks first in three point shooting on the Green & White's all-time rankings (.425) while Martin is ninth (.388).
BIG THREE
Rivers (15.5 ppg), Williams (13.8 ppg) and Murray (12.2 ppg) have accounted for 54.3 percent (608-1120) of Wagner's offense while giving the Seahawks an array of offensive options.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite standing just 6-0, Ortiz has the top two individual rebounding performances for the Green & White this season and has led the way over the last three games en route to averaging 5.1 on the year (18th NEC). The Wagner starting point guard grabbed a career-best 12 in the win over Santa Clara (12/30) - including seven on the offensive end, surpassing his previous best of 11 notched in the win over North Carolina Central (11/16).
BLOCK PARTY
Folahan leads the NEC and ranks 50th nationally with 2.0 blocks per game. The 6-11 center swatted a season-best six at Long Island (12/1) and is also averaging 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. The Republic of Benin native has helped to challenge opposing players in the lane, blocking at least two shots on eight occasions.
20/20
The Seahawks has forced five opponents into at least 20 turnovers this season. The Green & White pressured Princeton (11/12) into 28, which are the most caused by Wagner since December 4, 2001 when Iona turned it over 28 times. In the win over Lafayette (11/19), the Leopards turned it over 20 times before SFNY (12/3) committed 21 miscues in a 40-point setback. Most recently, the Seahawks forced 21 FDU (1/5) turnovers in a 24-point win.
LIVE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM
Time Warner Cable has announced the addition of four more games to its previously-announced five-game home slate, bringing the total of Wagner's televised home games to 11, meaning that just two home contests will not be on TV. Included is the Seahawks' first-ever ESPN home regular season telecast against Long Island on Saturday, January 21 at 7:00 pm on
ESPNU. All told at least 15 of the 29 Green & White contests will be on television.
ALL OVER THE PLACE
The Green & White recorded non-league wins over teams from seven different conferences (BIG EAST, CAA, Ivy, MEAC, MWC, Patriot, WCC) and against teams from seven different states (CA, CO, DE, NC, NJ, NY, PA).
PRIOR TO THIS SEASON
The Seahawks had never won 10 games before January and their nine non-conference wins broke the 2005-2006 team's previous record of seven.
