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Staten Island, NY - Wagner outscored Vermont 13-5 over the final five-plus minutes en route to posting a 68-61 come-from-behind victory in front of 1,810 fans at the Spiro Sports Center.

With the win, the Seahawks improve to 3-2 with their second-straight victory while the Catamounts fall to 1-4.

Trailing by 13 at the half, Vermont rallied to take its first lead of the game at 56-55 with 5:21 to play on a Candon Rusin three-point play. Down but not out, senior Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) converted a fast break layup off a steal to reclaim the lead for the Green & White at 57-56 with 3:34 remaining. Brian Voelkel quickly tied the game up at 57-57 with a free throw on the other end. Parker hit the first of two free throws, before senior Kenneth Ortiz (Sr., Newark, NJ / Science Park) grabbed the carom on the second attempt and threw the ball off a Catamount player while falling out of bounds to retain possession. Junior Jay Harris (Aurora, IL / Valparaiso) capitalized with a pair at the line to extend the lead out to 60-57 with 2:54 remaining.

As was the story for the entire game, Vermont continue to fight and trimmed the deficit to one at 62-61 with 1:01 to play on a Luke Apfeld layup. Following a timeout, junior Mario Moody (Jersey City, NJ / East Orange Campus) drew a foul on a perfectly executed play. After converting on both attempts from the line, senior Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) forced a turnover before hitting a pair of his own from the line. Ortiz then swiped the ball on the ensuing possession and found a streaking Parker for the game-clinching dunk, setting off an ebullient celebration on Grymes Hill in the process.

Ortiz led the way on offense with 15 points and three assists while also recording five rebounds and two steals to pace a defensive unit that held the Catamounts without a three pointer. Despite going just 1-for-6 from the floor, Rivers made good on all eight of his free throws to finish with 11 points while Moody and Harris each added 10 points. Parker fell just short of double-figures with nine second-half points and a team-best seven rebounds over 20 minutes.

Vermont was led by Clancy Rugg, who notched game-highs 18 points and nine rebounds in just 23 foul-plagued minutes while Hector Harold added 11 and Candon Rusin 10 to round out the double-figure scorers for the Catamounts.

Wagner assumed a seemingly insurmountable 35-22 halftime lead thanks to an 11-1 run midway through the first half and a defensive effort that limited the Catamounts to just 32.0 percent (8-of-25) shooting. After Rusin hit a layup to trim the deficit to 14-13 at the 12:42 mark of the first, junior Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) canned a three, before Rivers hit a pair from the line following a steal. Ortiz and Rivers then each delivered triples sandwiched between a a Harold free throw to cap the aforementioned 11-1 run and make it a 25-14 game with 7:50 to go before halftime. The Seahawks would extend the lead out to a game-high 14, before heading into the break up 13.

All told, the Green & White outscored Vermont 21-9 over the final 12:42 while limiting the Catamounts to just 2-for-12 shoting during that time.

Vermont ourebounded Wagner 37-29, which led to a 32-28 advantage on points in the paint,  and made good on 71.9 percent (23-of-32) from the line.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, shot 45.8 percent (22-of-48) from the field, including 50.0 percent (5-of-10) from long range, while using a 14-0 advantage in fast break points and a 21-11 edge from the bench to pick up its first win over the Catamounts since December 29. 1987.

Wagner will now head to the Sunshine State, where the Green & White will do battle with Stetson on Monday, November 25 in the first of three games at the inaugural Gulf Coast Showcase at Germain Arena.

Notes:
* The win was the 60th for the Seahawk senior class.

* Wagner has now outscored the opposition by a remarkable 35-4 margin on fast break points over the last two games.

* The Seahawks also won for just the second time in 18 games over the last three years when trailing with five minutes to play.

* Wagner also improved to 24-11 over the last three years in games decided by 10 points or less or in overtime.

* The Seahawks have held the opposition without a three pointer in two of its last three games.

* Ortiz and Rivers have each notched double-figures in scoring in all five games to start the season.

* Wagner improves to 2-3, all-time, against Vermont.

* The Seahawks placed four players in double-figures for the second-straight game.

* Moody notched double-figures for the second time this season and now has 12 dunks in five games and 60 for his career (58 games).

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 Bashir Mason">@BashirMason for news on the second-year coach.

Photography by Dave Saffran