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Staten Island, NY - Lafayette broke open a close game with an 18-2 run early in the first half and never trailed the rest of the way en route to posting a 77-65 victory over Wagner in non-conference action at the Spiro Sports Center. In defeat, Jay Harris (Jr., Aurora, IL / Valparaiso) scored a personal-best 23 points with a team-best five rebounds. The Valparaiso transfer notched at least 20 points for the third time in his career thanks to making good on 7-of-11 from long range. Click HERE to see all of Harris' three pointers.

The Leopards claimed their second-straight win in improving to 2-5 thanks while the Green & White falls to 4-5 with its third-straight setback.

Harris opened the game with a pair of threes in helping stake Wagner to a 10-5 lead at the first media timeout (15:38). Lafayette then answered with an 18-2 run that took 4:24 off the clock in opening a 23-12 lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half. The lead would grow to a half-high 14 on a pair of occasions, before the Seahawks used a half-ending 11-4 spurt to make it a 40-33 game at the break

Both teams shot over 50.0 percent in the opening stanza, but the visitors were able to assume a seven-point halftime advantage thanks to turning 10 Green & White miscues into a 19-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Harris led all scorers with 14 points in the opening half while converting all four of his triple attempts.

Senior Kenneth Ortiz(Newark, NJ / Southern Mississippi) quickly opened the second half with an old-fashioned three-point play to cut the Lafayette lead to four at 40-36. After the Leopards answered with five quick points, Ortiz hit another layup and Harris a three pointer to again trim the Lafayette lead to four at 45-41 with just under 17 minutes to play. Unfortunately, that would as close as Wagner would get the rest of the way.

Bryce Scott immediately answered with a layup to spark a 9-0 run while extending the lead out to 54-41 with 11:43 to play. The Leopard advantage would grow to a game-high 16 at 62-46 with 6:13 remaining, before the Seahawks made another push. Harris canned a three pointer, before senior Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) converted a free throw and a pair of layups to slice the deficit in half at 62-54 with 4:20 remaining. As was the case all night, the visitors answered with a pair of free throws.

Wagner would again get within striking distance when Ortiz split a pair from the line, before hitting a layup to make it a two-possession game at 66-60 with 1:26 to play. Lafayette, however, put the game away from the line with nine-straight free throws en route to posting the aforementioned 77-62 victory.

For the game, the Seahawks 40.4 percent (23-of-57), including 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from long range. The Leopards, meanwhile, didn't dominate offensively, converting on 43.6 percent (24-of-55) from the field, including just 31.6 percent (6-of-19) from deep. However, the visitors were able to post the double-digit victory thanks to converting on 82.1 percent (23-of-28) from the line, including 17-of-18 after halftime from the charity stripe, while also recording a decisive 38-30 advantage on the glass.

Rivers scored 13 points while Ortiz added 12 points, three assists and two steals to round out the top performers for the Seahawks.

Scott scored 18 points and Nick Linder added 17 points to pace four double-figure performers for the Leopards. Seth Hinrichs added 12 points with a game-high seven rebounds while Dan Trist matched him with 12 markers.

Wagner will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, December 7 against Penn at the legendary Palestra with tip time slated for 7:00 pm.

Notes:
* Harris' career-high 23 points represent the most scored by a Seahawk this season.

* Thanks to his solid performance from long range, the Chicago native is now converting on a blistering 42.6 percent (20-of-47) from long range.

* Wagner's backcourt scored 61 of the Seahawks' 65 points.

* Rivers equalled 2009 graduate Jamal Smith (1,260 points) for 20th place on the all-time Green & White scoring list.

* Lafayette leads the all-time series by a 6-3 count, including 4-3 since Wagner ascended to Division I era for the 1976-1977 season.

* The Seahawks have led for a total of 6:06 in their five losses.

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.