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Staten Island, NY - Junior Kenneth Ortiz's (Newark, NJ / Science Park / Southern Mississippi) layup with 0.8 seconds remaining lifted Wagner to a thrilling 94-92 victory over LIU Brooklyn while sending the 2,276 fans in attendance into a frenzy.

Ortiz's shot came after the visitors erased a 10-point deficit in just under two minutes with a 14-4 run, capped by a Jason Brickman three pointer with just 13 seconds to play.

With the win, the Seahawks become the first team to sweep the season series from the Blackbirds since the 2008-2009 season while improving to 16-11 and 10-6 in the Northeast Conference (NEC). LIU Brooklyn, meanwhile, falls to 15-13 and 10-6 in the league.

Senior Jonathon Williams (Richmond, CA / Kennedy / City College of San Francisco) celebrated senior night with a team-best 20 points and has now hit for that number four time this season and eight time in his career. Classmate Josh Thompson (Bridgeton, NJ / St. Augustine Prep) added six points and three blocks over 23 minutes while helping making the night a memorable one.

Playing before a nationally televised ESPNU audience, which included former coach Dereck Whittenburg as the color analyst, the Green & White started out red-hot while making good on 8-of-10 from the floor en route to building up a 16-12 lead with 14:56 to play in the opening half.

The Blackbirds then went on a 17-1 run over the next 6:16 in claiming the lead at 29-17 following a Booker Hucks tip-in at the 8:40 mark of the first. The lead would grow to a game-high 13 at 38-25 with 5:07 to play following an E.J. Reed dunk. Then after a Wagner turnover, LIU Brooklyn appeared poised to add to the lead only to have Jamal Olasewere, who had a game-high 12 points at the time, whistled for his second foul while being forced to the bench.

Immediately, the Seahawks took advantage as Williams converted a three-point play before Mario Moody (So., East Orange, NJ / East Orange Campus) scored five-straight points to trim the deficit to 38-33 with 3:15 to play in the half. The Blackbirds would extend the lead back out to 10, only to see junior Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) can a three pointer to trim the deficit to 45-38 at the break.

In the opening period, LIU Brooklyn shot 50.0 percent (16-of-32) from the floor, including 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from long range, in grabbing the halftime lead while Wagner made good on 53.3 percent (16-of-30). 

With the Blackbirds' lead still at seven at 52-45 just over three minutes into the the second half, Rivers cut the deficit to four with a three pointer, before Moody tied the game up at 52-52 with 15:47 remaining on a jumper and a dunk. After LIU Brooklyn momentarily reclaimed the lead at 56-52, the Seahawks ripped off a game-changing 17-3 run that took just under four minutes to make it a 69-59 game with 10:41 to play.

In the spurt, the final 15 points were scored by the Green & White bench, including seven from sophomore Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) and six from freshman Dwaun Anderson (Suttons Bay, MI / Suttons Bay / Michigan State) as the Green & White made good on 7-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-4 from long range.

The teams would continue to jostle over the next eight-plus minutes with LIU Brooklyn cutting the lead to four with 3:10 remaining, only to have Wagner push its advantage back out to 10 points with 2:06 remaining while appearing to be in total control.

However, the Blackbirds had other ideas as Booker Hucks canned a three pointer and Olasewere a triple after stealing the inbounds pass to make it a four-point game. After both teams then squandered multiple scoring opportunities, Brickman drained a three pointer to make it a one-point game with just 34 seconds to play.  The Seahawks would push the lead back out to three with four Rivers free throws only to have Brickman tie it up at 92-92 while setting up Ortiz's dramatics.

Wagner shot a blistering 57.6 percent (19-of-33) from the field after halftime en route to converting 55.6 percent (35-for-63) for the game. The Seahawks also converted 50.0 percent (8-of-16) from long range while handing out 18 assists, against just 11 turnover, and recording 12 steals that led to a 16-6 advantage on fast break points.

LIU Brooklyn made good on an even 50.0 percent (29-for-58) for the game, including 52.4 percent (11-for-21) from deep, while posting a 36-26 advantage on the glass, but was unable to overcome 17 turnovers that led to a 23-16 Wagner advantage in points off turnovers.

Moody matched his previous career-high of 19 points set in the first match-up against the Blackbirds thanks to going 7-of-10 from the field, highlighed by a career-high five dunks and his first-ever three pointer, in just 22 minutes off the bench. Rounding out the double-figures scorers was Rivers, who notched 12 points with four assists in 39 minutes.

Ortiz had another outstanding all-around game, recording nine assists, eight points, six rebounds and three steals over 31 minutes. Anderson matched his career-high with nine points while draining a career-high three three pointers and was matched by Burton's nine points off the bench.

C.J. Garner led all players with 22 points while adding six assists and five rebounds. Olasewere added 21 points while Brickman scored 19 points with seven assists to round out the top performers for LIU Brooklyn (15-13; 10-6 NEC).

Wagner (16-11; 10-6 NEC) returns to action at Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday, February 28 at 7:00 pm.

NOTES:
* By virtue of Saturday's results, the Seahawks had already clinched a postseason berth but now have the upper hand in regards to hosting an opening round game on Wednesday, March 6 thanks to sweeping the season series from the Blackbirds.

* The winners of the annual baseball raffle were Frank Previte (1st), Larry Picarello (2nd) and Anne Falcone (3rd).

* Wagner swept the season-series from LIU Brooklyn for the first time since the 2006-2007 season.

* Moody is now averaging 16.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game over three match-ups with the Blackbirds while shooting 59.4 percent (19-for-32).

* Rookie coach Bashir Mason improved to a perfect 5-0 on the year against first-year NEC coaches.

* The Seahawks finish up the home portion of their schedule with a 10-2 record, including going 7-2 during league play.

* Wagner improves to 21-11 over the last two years in games decided by 10 points or less.

* Williams has now paced the team in scoring a team-best 13 times.

* The 2003 NEC Men's Basketball Championship team was honored during the game while Whittenburg, who worked the game for ESPNU, addressed the men's basketball alumni in attendance for the program's annual alumni day.

* Rivers now has 1,104 career points while moving past Greg Clay and Tony Rice into 30th place on the all-time Seahawk scoring list.

* Junior Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin / Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA)) blocked a pair of shots while moving into a tie with Miladin Mutavdzic for second place in school history with 135 career blocks.

* Ortiz's game-winning shot was his second of the year and the fourth of his Seahawk career.

* Wagner is now 2-1, all-time, when playing on ESPNU.

* The victory also snapped a four-game losing streak to the LIU Brooklyn at home.

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 @bashirmason to follow the Seahawks' first-year head coach.

Photography by Dave Saffran Photography