Box Score | Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Bashir Mason Press Conference | Highlights | Photo Gallery

University Park, PA - Penn State held off a feisty Wagner team by a 74-62 score in the season opener for both teams before 4,752 fans at the Bryce Jordan Center. Senior Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Southern Mississippi) notched his fourth career 20-point game, finishing with an even 20 to lead the way for the Seahawks.

Tim Frazier (25 points, 10 rebounds) and D.J. Newbill (18 points, 11 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles to pace a Nittany Lion team that scored just over 40 percent of its points from the line, converting at a 69.8 percent (30-for-43) clip.

Both teams struggled from the floor with Wagner checking in at 29.9 percent (20-for-67), including just 8.7 percent (2-for-23) from long range, and Penn State 35.8 percent (19-for-53).

Down 32-20 at intermission, the Seahawks came roaring out of the locker room with a 10-1 run to cut the deficit to just three at 33-30 with 15:57 remaining. On defense, PSU was pressured into eight-straight missed shots to begin the period.

Senior Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin) got the comeback started with a pair from the line, before classmate Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) sank the Green & White's first triple of the game. After a Ross Travis free throw, Folahan hit a layup and junior Jay Harris (Aurora, IL / Valparaiso) recorded an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a one-possession game for the first time since midway through the first half. 

Penn State answered the Wagner spurt with a Newbill free throw, a Frazier layup and a free throw in extending the lead to 37-30 with 14:42 remaining. The Seahawks would cut the deficit to five on two more occasions only to have the Nittany Lions answer both times while keeping Wagner at bay.

The PSU lead would grow to a game-high 14 as the Nittany Lions came away with a wire-to-wire 74-62 victory.

Ortiz scored 13 of his 20 points after halftime, and handed out a pair of assists over 34 minutes. Rivers notched double-figures for the 62nd time in his career with 12 markers while moving into 28th place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,140 points. Rounding out the top performers in the backcourt was Harris, who finished with a team-high five assists, against no turnovers, five rebounds and five points over a team-best 36 minutes.

In the frontcourt, senior Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) recorded nine points and nine rebounds off the bench while junior Mario Moody (Jersey City, NJ / East Orange Campus) had eight points and 11 rebounds as the Seahawks posted a 32-24 advantage in the paint.

The first half was mired by poor shooting as neither offense could get going. Penn State shot just 33.3 percent (9-for-27), but was able to make good on 38.5 percent (5-for-13) from long range. Wagner, meanwhile, shot a chilly 25.0 percent (8-for-32), including misfiring on all 13 three-point attempts.

With the score tied at 2-2 in the early going, the Nittany Lions grabbed control of the game with nine-straight points to open up an 11-2 advantage. The Seahawks would trim the deficit to six on a pair of occasions but get in closer and entered the break on the short end of a 32-20 score.

Wagner returns to action against Chestnut Hill on Tuesday, November 12 at 7:00 pm in the Seahawks' home opener. Fans can bring a kid to the game for free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

NOTES:
* Wagner's five turnovers represent its fewest in a game since committing just four miscues in a 63-60 victory over Monmouth in the semifinals of the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament on March 6, 2005.

* The Seahawks are now 0-3, all-time, against the Nittany Lions and 0-4 against the Big Ten.

* Folahan, Ortiz, Parker and Rivers - the four Wagner Seniors - combined to account for 72.6 percent of the Seahawks' scoring (45/62).

* Moody's team-high 11 rebounds represent the fifth time in his career that he has notched double-figures on the glass.

* Freshman Nolan Long (Waterford, CT / South Kent Prep) scored four points with four rebounds over 12 minutes in his collegiate debut.

* Wagner is now 53-40, all-time, in openers (21-17 since moving to Division I) while Penn State improves to 88-30 in lidlifters.

* Ortiz's two assists give him 301 for his Seahawk career.

* The Green & White converted on 88.9 percent (16-for-18) from the line in the second half after making good on just 44.4 percent (4-for-9) in the opening stanza.

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.