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West Long Branch, NJ - Senior Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin / Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA)) blocked a school-record 10 shots to help Wagner defeat Monmouth for the sixth-straight time by a 59-52 count in front of 1,645 fans at The MAC.

The Seahawks (6-7) also limited the Hawks (6-7) to season-lows in points (52) and field goal percentage (.290) while rejecting a season-high 15 shots. Both Folahan's 10 rejections and the Green & White's 15 blocks are also tied for the most in the Division I ranks this season. 

Senior Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Southern Mississippi) led all players with 20 points, thanks to converting on 7-of-14 from the floor and 5-of-7 from the line. Junior Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) added 14 while classmate Mario Moody (Jersey City, NJ / East Orange Campus) notched his fourth career double-double with 12 points and a personal-best matching 14 rebounds. Folahan also grabbed eight rebounds over a game and career-high 33 minutes.

Monmouth jumped out to a quick 9-5 lead at the first media timeout (16:14), only to have Wagner respond with a 10-3 spurt en route to opening up a 15-12 advantage at the next media stoppage (10:50). The Hawks would rally to take a 21-20 lead on an Andrew Nicholas free throw with 5:13 to play until intermission. However, that would be the last time that MU would be on top the rest of the day as the Seahawks ripped off a half-ending 6-2 run in assuming a 26-23 advantage.

The opening stanza was a defensive battle with Wagner limiting Monmouth to 25.8 percent (8-of-31) shooting, including just 17.4 percent (4-of-23) over the final 16-plus minutes, and 22.2 percent (2-of-9) from deep. The Seahawks, meanwhile, made good on 37.5 percent (9-of-24), including 42.9 percent (3-of-7) from deep, but turned the ball over 11 times. Ortiz (9), Burton (8) and Moody (8) led all scorers in the opening half while Folahan broke the Green & White single game block record of eight with nine rejections.

Neither team could get into any rhythm on offense after halftime until Monmouth scored on back-to-back possessions to draw within one at 41-40 with 10:49 remaining in the game. Wagner would immediately answer the Hawks with an 8-0 run that was fueled by Burton, who had a hand in all eight markers.

Following Deon Jones' layup, Burton began the game-clinching spurt with a jumper before the Seahawks quickly called timeout. After the stoppage, Wagner held held firm on defense with Burton then grabbing an offensive rebound and finding senior Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) for a jumper on the left side. Following another empty Hawk possession, Burton converted a jumper from just inside the three-point line. The North Carolina native then stole an errant Nicholas pass before laying it in on the other end to make it a 49-40 game with just over seven minutes to play.

The lead would grow to 11 on a pair of occasions, before the Seahawks posted the aforementioned 59-52 victory.

Wagner shot a solid 44.0 percent (22-for-50) while limiting Monmouth to just 29.0 percent (18-for-62) and posted a decisive 44-37 advantage on the glass. The Seahawks also outscored the Hawks 12-6 in points off turnovers, despite committing 17 miscues. compared to just 10 for MU.

Jones notched a team-high 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the way for Monmouth.

Wagner will look to make it two in a row against North Carolina Central on Saturday, January 4 at 1:00 pm at the Spiro Sports Center.

Notes:
* Wagner's 15 blocks and Folahan's 10 rejections are tied for the most in a NCAA game this season with four others in each category.

* The 15 blocks are the most by a NEC team since Fairleigh Dickinson had 17 against Hartford on November 22, 1997 while Folahan's 10 rejections are the most by a league player since Monmouth's John Bunch had 10 vs. St. Francis Brooklyn on February 3, 2007.

* Folahan's 10 blocks also leave him one shy of the Seahawk career record of 176 held by Frantz Pierre Louis and break Miladin Mutavdzic's previous single-game school mark of eight set against Fairleigh Dickinson on February 29, 1992.

* Folahan has now blocked at least four shots in a game 12 times in his career with the Green & White going 10-2 during that time.

* Ortiz's second 20-point game of the season give him five for his career while Moody notched his fourth career double-double with a personal-best matching 14 rebounds.

* Moody also blocked three shots and now has 81 for his career while joining Folahan in the Wagner career top-10 list.

* The Seahawks have now won six-straight games against Monmouth by an average of just 5.8 points per game with each coming by 10 points or less.

* Wagner collected its first win against a MAAC opponent since besting Saint Peter's 59-58 on December 12, 2009 and is now 15-26 against the league.

* All-time, the Seahawks also improved to 26-32, all-time, against the Hawks - including a perfect 3-0 as non-conference foes.

* The Green & White defense limited Nicholas to just six points and just 2-for-10 shooting - including eight-straight to end the game - after the high-scoring guard notched 30 the last time out against Fordham.

* Wagner improved to 16-6 following a loss over the last three years.

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