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Highlights / Williams Post-Game Interview

Staten Island, NY -Senior Jonathon Williams (Richmond, CA / Kennedy / City College of San Francisco) notched a career-high 33 points and 17 rebounds in leading Wagner to a thrilling 77-65 overtime win against Coppin State in non-conference action at the Spiro Sports Center.

In overtime, Williams opened the scoring with this thunderous dunk off the tip to set the tone for the extra session. Sophomore Mario Moody (East Orange, NJ / East Orange Campus) extended the lead to three, before sophomore Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) canned a pair of three pointers as the Seahawks ripped off 13-straight points and never looked back en route to improving to 4-4 on the year.

Williams' 33 points are the most scored by a Green & White player since Chris Martin notched 34 against Columbia on December 8, 2009, while his 17 rebounds are the most since Durell Vinson pulled down 17 against Saint Francis (PA) on February 21, 2008. 

In overtime, Wagner converted all four of its field goal attempts en route to outscoring Coppin State by a 15-3 margin. Additionally, the Seahawks have scored 21-straight overtime points over their two home games, before Taariq Cephas canned a three pointer with 31 seconds to play.

Wagner won the rebounding battle for the seventh time in eight games by a 42-32 count, including 16-10 on the offensive end, which led to a 38-18 advantage on points in the paint. The Seahawks also shot 46.8 percent (29-for-62) from the floor and 37.5 percent (6-for-16) from long range. Coppin State, meanwhile, converted just 36.2 percent (17-for-47) from the field while turning the ball over 20 times, but was able to stay in the game thanks to posting a 24-13 advantage at the line.

Early in the second half the Eagles appeared to be in total control, leading 37-30 with 15:25 to play following a Charles Ieans layup. The Green & White then changed the complexity of the game with a 15-0 run over the next 4:30 while turning a seven-point deficit into a 45-37 lead with 10:33 to play following a Moody layup All told, six different Wagner players scored during the game-changing spurt.

Down but not out, Coppin State would manage to hang around before tying the game up at 52-52 with 3:59 to play in regulation. After Williams reclaimed the lead for Wagner with a layup, Andre Armstrong sank three of his 11 second-half free throws to give the Eagles a 55-54 lead at the 3:18 mark of the second half. Armstrong then extended the lead to 58-54 on the ensuing possession with a three pointer.

With Coppin State still up four, Williams converted a layup off an offensive rebound to cut the deficit to 62-60 with 1:16 to play. Moody then blocked an Armstrong layup on the other end, before tying the game up at 62-62 with a pair of free throws with 26 seconds to play. The Eagles had a chance to win the game, but the Seahawk defense rose to the challenge while not allowing the visitors to get a shot off.

Coppin State had assumed a 28-23 halftime lead, thanks to a half-ending 6-0 run.

Joining Williams in double-figures was Burton, who scored a career-high 17 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes off the bench. Moody narrowly missed double-figures, finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals. Junior Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Science Park / Southern Mississippi) added a career-high eight assists with seven points to round out the top performers for the Green & White.

Coppin State (2-9) was led by Armstrong, who scored all of his team-high 14 points after halftime.

Wagner returns to action with a game against SMU on Friday, December 21 at 9:00 pm (EST) in the opening round of the Cable Car Championship in Santa Clara, CA.

Notes:
* This was the first-ever match-up between the teams.

* Wagner has now won six-of-seven against Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) competition since the 2006-2007 season.

* The Seahawks improved to 3-0 this year when leading with five minutes to play and are 28-1 since the start of last season.

* Williams' double-double is the first this year by a Green & White player and the third of his two-year career ... On the year, he has scored at least 20 points three times and seven times over his career.

* Williams was also an impressive 13-for-18 from the field over a career-best 41 minutes.

* His 17 rebounds are the most by a Northeast Conference (NEC) player this year.

* Williams' performance comes on the heels of a season-low two points in a win over Hofstra. He is now averaging 17.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the floor and 83.3 percent from the line.

* Over five career games against the MEAC, Williams is averaging 24.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting 60.9 percent (42-for-69).

* Moody was forced to switch from No. 33 to No. 35 at the end of the second half after getting blood on his jersey.

* Wagner closed out the second half and began overtime with a 17-0 run, after ripping off its aforementioned 15-0 run in the second half.

* The Seahawks set season-highs with 77 points, 29 field goals and 17 assists while forcing a season-best 20 turnovers.

* Wagner improves to 14-3 in the Spiro Sports Center since the start of last season.

* In three overtime games this season, the Seahawks have outscored the opposition by a 26-12 count while limiting opposing shooters to just 19.0 percent (4-for-21) shooting during that time.

* Senior Josh Thompson started for the first time since December 11, 2010 against Saint Peter's. The fifth-year senior finished four assists and three points over 24 minutes.

* Head Coach Bashir Mason coached Coppin State forward Michael Murray at St. Benedict's Prep. Murray finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

* 2009 graduate Jamal Smith was in attendance today.

* The game was delayed for 23 minutes in overtime following a light malfunction.

Follow Wagner Athletics on Twitter (@wagnerathletics) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department, @WagnerHoops for news and updates on the men's basketball program and @bashirmason to follow the Seahawks' first-year head coach.

Photography by Dave Saffran