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Staten Island, NY - St. Francis Brooklyn scored 15-straight points late in the first half en route to posting a 71-52 victory over Wagner in Northeast Conference (NEC) action at the Spiro Sports Center. The Seahawks would trim the deficit to six in the second half, but get no closer in falling to 9-6 and 3-1 in the NEC as the Terriers improve to 7-8 and 3-1 in the league.
The Green & White came roaring out of the gates, building an 8-3 advantage over the first three-plus minutes of the game, thanks to six points from sophomore
Mario Moody (East Orange, NJ / East Orange Campus) and a jumper from junior
Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)). Later in the half with Wagner lead now at 14-10, St. Francis Brooklyn rattled off an 8-1 run in reclaiming the lead at 18-15 with 9:38 to play until halftime.
The Seahawks immediately responded with layups from junior
Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) and freshman
Dwaun Anderson (Suttons Bay, MI / Suttons Bay / Michigan State) while staking Wagner to a one-point advantage. Unfortunately, that would be the last lead of the game for the Seahawks as the Terriers went on a 15-0 run over the next 7:16 in assuming a 33-19 advantage with just over a minute remaining in the half. During the spurt, the Green & White misfired on 12 shots, before Parker quelled the run with a free throw. Then following a St. Francis Brooklyn turnover, senior
Josh Thompson (Bridgeton, NJ / St. Augustine Prep) canned a three-pointer to snap an eight-plus minute field goal drought.
The visitors opened up a 12-point lead at the break thanks to converting on 40.0 percent (10-of-25) from the floor, including 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from long range, while Wagner made good on 33.3 percent (10-for-30), including just 16.7 percent (1-for-6) from deep.
In the second half with the Terrier lead at 16, the Seahawk offense came to life as Thompson hit a layup and Moody a pair of shots, before Anderson delivered
this monster dunk to cap off an 8-0 run that sliced the deficit in half at 43-35 with 12:42 to play. After a timeout, the Terriers briefly answered before freshman
Eric Fanning (Trenton, NJ / Perkiomen (PA)) hit a layup and Moody another jumper to trim the deficit to 45-39 with 10:27 remaining. However, that would be as close as Wagner would get as St. Francis Brooklyn answered with a pair of three pointers on on offense to extend the lead back out to double-digits at 51-39 with 9:47 remaining.
The Seahawks would get to within nine on two more occasions, before seeing its four-game winning streak snapped by a 71-52 count.
Moody paced the Green & White in scoring for the first time in his career with 15 points to go along with six rebounds while Thompson added seven points. Fanning led all players with seven rebounds while Ortiz added a game-high seven assists.
Nichols led the way for the Terriers with a game-high 20 points while Jalen Cannon chipped in with 15 points and Brent Jones 10.
Wagner lost the battle of the boards for just the third time this season by a 39-37 count, and was done in by 38.3 percent (23-for-60) shooting. The Seahawks also went just 2-for-11 from long range and 4-for-9 from the line. St. Francis Brooklyn, meanwhile, shot 41.8 percent (23-for-55) from the field, 42.1 percent (8-for-19) from long range and 81.0 percent (17-for-21) from the line.
Wagner returns to action at Central Connecticut on Thursday, January 17 at 7:00 pm.