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Wagner MBB In The News | Non-Conference Breakdown
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Estero, FL - Wagner (4-3) will be looking to close out the Gulf Coast Classic (GCS) with a winning record against UIC (2-4) at 6:00 pm. The game can be watched for $10 by clicking on the watch link at the top of the page. As always Joey Wahler will have all the action for you for free through
Red Zone Media starting at 5:50 pm.
Today's Top Storylines
#1 - Wagner will take on UIC in the third-place game of the inaugural GCS in the first-ever match-up between the teams.
#2 - Today's game also marks the first-ever meeting betwen the Seahawks and a Horizon League team.
#3 - Senior Orlando Parker is averaging 9.0 points & 7.0 rebounds thus far in his home state.
Quick Hits
* Today's contest will be the third of three-straight neutral site games as the GCS marks the first time in the Wagner's Division I history that the Seahawks have played on three-straight days.
* The Wagner spotted St. Bonaventure 14-straight points to start the game, before dropping a hard-fought 70-67 decision in yesterday's second semifinal.
* Over the last three years, the Seahawks are 14-3 following a loss.
* In the first semifinal, Louisiana Tech exploded for 60 points in the opening stana en route to posting an easy 103-78 victory over UIC.
* The Flames defeated previously unbeaten San Diego 74-70 in their first game of the tourney while the Green & White bested Stetson 81-64.
* At the GCS, Wagner has eight players averaging between 5.0 and junior
Jay Harris' team-leading 12.5 points per game.
* While a member of the Valparaiso basketball team, Harris averaged 7.8 points per game over four career match-ups with UIC.
* Against the Bonnies, junior
Mario Moody registered a career-high matching 19 points while notching double-figures in scoring for the 13th time in his career.
* Moody's game-high matching 19-point outing marked the third double-digit performance in his last four games, during which time the Garden State native is averaging 10.5 points each time out on 58.6 percent (17-of-29) shooting.
* Harris (14) and Parker (12) also added double-figures in scoring against SBU with the latter pulling down a game-high nine rebounds.
* Moody and Parker's scoring performances against St. Bonaventure also mark just the third and fourth times that a member of the Seahawk frontcourt have hit for double-figures. This season, the Wagner backcourt has accounted for 67.8 percent (347-of-512) of the team's offense.
* Additionally, the Seahawk senior class has accounted for 61 wins since descending on Grymes Hill and has accounted for 50.8 percent (260-of-512) of the team's offense.
* Since moving up to Division I for the 1976-1977 season, Wagner is 27-42 when playing on a neutral court.
* The Seahawks picked up their first win in almost 20 years in the Sunshine State against Steson in the first round of the GCS. Previously, the Green & White bested the University of Miami by a 57-55 score on December 29, 1993.
* Wagner advanced to the semifinal round with a rousing 81-64 against the Hatters as senior
Latif Rivers paced four players in double-figures with 17 points while sophomore
Dwaun Anderson and junior
Marcus Burton each notched 12 points to lead the Seahawk reserves, which outscored their counterparts by a 37-18 count.
* Rivers has now notched double-figures in scoring in six of his seven games this and ranks among the league leaders in scoring (15.0 ppg, t-9th), field goal percentage (.493, 8th) and 3-point percentage (.444, 5th). Additionally, the Green & White is 19-9, all-time, when Rivers paces the squad in scoring.
* Defensively,
Naofall Folahan turned in one of the finest performances of his career. The senior pivot blocked a personal-best matching seven shots, just one off of
Miladin Mutavdzic's single-game school record of eight (2/29/92), to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds and six points.
* Folahan, who has ranked among the top-two in blocks in the NEC in each of his first three years, leads the circuit with 2.1 rejections per game while also pulling down a team-best 6.9 rebounds (5th NEC) per game and with 156 blocks is just 20 off of
Frantz Pierre-Louis' school-record total of 176.
* Rivers (1,233) is just five points behind
Howard "Bones" Thompkins for 21st on the all-time Wagner scoring list while his three triples give him 168 for his career and place him in a tie with
Matt Vitale for ninth all-time.
*Â The Seahawks are now 3-1, all-time, since moving to Division I (1976-1977) against teams from Florida, previously besting Florida International 84-71 on December 1, 1996 in the consolation game of the St. Peter's Tournament.
* Second-year head coach
Bashir Mason reached the 20-win plateau for his career in just his 33rd game against Chestnut Hill on Tuesday, November 12, matching
Chester Sellitto's 47-year school record.
* For the second season in a row, Mason, who is 29 years and 289 days old, is the youngest Division I head coach as well as the lone head man under the age of 30. He is 23-15 in his short time on Grymes Hill
* In 2012-2013, Mason led Wagner to a 19-12 record (12-6 NEC) in 2012-2013. Both his overall and NEC win totals represented school-records for a rookie coach. Mason was also a finalist for the
CollegeInsider.com Joe B. Hall First-Year and Ben Jobe Minority Coach of the Year awards.
* The Seahawks are off to a fantastic start on the defensive end of the court, leading the NEC in rebounding offense (38.9/game), rebounding margin (+1.1), blocked shots (5.1/game), scoring margin (+2.3) and defensive rebounds (27.7/game).
* Since Mason took over as coach last season, the Green & White has limited its opposition to 40 percent or less shooting in 22 of its 39 games.
* Two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year
Kenneth Ortiz was recently named as the NEC Player of the Week after averaging 13.5 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in leading Wagner to wins over Vermont and Coppin State. Ortiz ranks among the NEC leaders in scoring (12.1 ppg) (15th NEC), rebounding (4.0 rpg) (t-19th), assists (4.6 apg) (4th) and steals (1.3 spg) (12th).
* Against St. Bonaventure, Ortiz handed out six assists with eight points and has now notched over 700 points, 300 rebounds and 300 assists in three years with the Seahawks.
* Over the last three years, Wagner is 18-1 when scoring 80 or more points, 29-3 when shooting 45 percent of higher and 45-1 when leading with five minutes to play - including capturing 38-straight.
* The Seahawks are also now 36-2 during that time when limiting teams to less than 70 points.
* Wagner is 24-12 over the last three years in games decided by 10 points or less or in overtime.
* By The Numbers (40) ... Also, the Seahawks are 38-7 when shooting 40 percent or higher and 29-8 when limiting opposing teams to 40 percent or less shooting.
* Since the start of the 2011-2012 season, Wagner, which was picked to win the 2014 NEC Championship by the league's coaches, is 48-21, including 27-9 during conference play and 19-10 in non-conference action.
* Also during that time, the Seahawks are 27-1 when scoring 80 points or more and 27-3 when shooting higher than 45 percent.
* Wagner will next be in action against Lafayette on Tuesday, December 3 at 7:00 pm.
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
