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Staten Island, NY - Wagner (12-9; 6-4 NEC) concludes its three-game homestand against Mount St. Mary's (9-12; 4-6) on Wednesday, February 6 at 7:00 pm in a game that will be televised by
Fox College Sports (FCS) and streamed online through
ESPN3. For more information on how to obtain the video stream please click
HERE.
QUICK HITS
* This will be the fourth time that the Seahawks have played on television this season and is the first of two appearances through the NEC's television package.
* In the teams' first meeting on January 24, Wagner rallied for a thrilling 52-50 win at Knott Arena. Junior
Kenneth Ortiz broke a 50-50 deadlock with
this fastbreak layup off a steal with just 27.4 seconds to play, providing the difference.
* None of the 10 starters in the teams' first meeting managed to hit for double-figures as junior
Orlando Parker and freshman
Eric Fanning led both teams with 12 points apiece.
* Junior
Latif Rivers became the 40th member of the Seahawk 1,000-point club in a loss to Quinnipiac, finishing with a season-high 29 points, including 14 in the final 51 seconds.
* Head coach
Bashir Mason will be aiming to improve to 4-0 this season against fellow first-year NEC coaches when he again locks horns with Mountaineer head man Jamion Christian.
* Mason is the nation's youngest head coach at 28 years and 359 days while Christian is the fifth-youngest at 30 years and 294 days.
* Four of the nation's youngest coaches reside in the NEC with Robert Morris' Andy Toole (6th, 31 years, 148 days) and Saint Francis U's Rob Krimmel (15th, 35 years, 133 days) slightly older then Mason and Christian.
* Rivers, who has 1,009 career points, is also just the 25th player in the school's Division I history (since 1976-1977) to join the exclusive 1,000-point club and reached it against the Bobcats while converting a career-best matching 10 field goals and six three-point field goals.
* Thanks to Rivers, the Green & White won the three-point battle (7-2) for just the second time this year after doing so 21 times a year ago.
* With his 29-point performance, Rivers is averaging 20.3 points per game over four games against QU while shooting a blistering 65.2 percent (15-for-23) from long range.
* It is possible that Rivers could leapfrog four most past
Marty Ansa, Jr. (1,014),
James Ulrich (1,023),
Chris Martin (1,024) and
Charlie Harreus (1,029) on the school's all-time scoring list with a big game against the Mount.
* Wagner is now 10-2, all-time, when the Garden State native hits for at least 20 points while also pacing the Seahawks in scoring 23 times (16-7) and has notched double-figures on 53 occasions (34-19).
* In the last meeting with Mount St. Mary's, both Rivers and senior
Jonathon Williams each failed to hit for double-figures in the same game for the first time as teammates.
* The pair combined for 28.0 points per game a year ago and are the top two scorers on the team this season with Williams checking in at 14.4 ppg (9th NEC) and Rivers 11.8 ppg. Williams also leads the team in rebounding (6.9 rpg) (8th NEC). Over three career games against the Mount, he is averaging 13.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 59.3 percent (16-for-27).
* Williams has paced the squad in scoring 21 times, including 10 times this year, and in rebounding on 23 occasions, including 11 times this season.
* In their aforementioned 52-50 win over the Mountaineers, 38 of Seahawks' 52 points came in the paint on either on layups, tips and dunks as the Green & White also posted a 37-24 advantage on the glass, including 13-7 on the offensive end.
* Additionally, Wagner held the Mount's high-powered guard trio of Shivaughn Wiggins, Rashad Whack and Julian Norfleet to just 15 points, on 6-of-20 (.300) shooting, including 3-for-11 (.272) from long range, and six turnovers. On the year, the threesome is averaging 31.2 points per game, while shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and 35.6 percent from long range.
* Ortiz's game-winning layup against Mount St. Mary's was his third game-winning shot of his career in one-possession games and is now averaging 6.0 points, 6.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game over three career games against the Mount. On the year, Ortiz ranks among the league leaders in scoring (11.7 ppg) (20th NEC), assists (4.8 apg) (4th NEC) and steals (1.9 spg) (3rd NEC). During NEC-play, his number rise to 12.9 points (17th NEC), 5.5 assists (3rd NEC) and 2.0 steals (2nd NEC) per game
* The Seahawk reserves also outscored the starters by a 28-24 margin in the previous match-up for the first time in 86 games thanks to the aforementioned 12 points apiece from Parker and Fanning ... Coincidentally, the last time was also against the Mountaineers with the Mount posting a 69-44 victory over the Seahawks on February 4, 2010.
* Parker's 12 points represented the first time this season that the Orlando Christian Prep product recorded double-figures in scoring after failing to so the first 17 times outs. He followed that up with 16 points against SFU and is averaging 9.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game on 53.6 percent shooting over his last four games.
* Parker was high school teammates with Mount St. Mary's guard Josh Castellanos. The duo also was joined by Central Connecticut's Adonis Burbage, who was named as the NEC Co-Player of the Week on Monday.
* Wagner is 18-9 in games decided by 10 points or less, including 8-5 in games decided by five points or less over the last two years.
* The Seahawks are also now 8-0 this year and 18-0 over the last two seasons when limiting teams to 60 points or less and 11-1 and 22-5 in the same time frames when holding teams to less than 40 percent shooting.
* Wagner, which was tied with Mount St. Mary's with five minutes to play in the last meeting, is 11-0 when either leading or tied with five minutes to play and 36-1 over the last two years.
* Mason is one win away from matching the school's Division I school-record total of 13 victories by a first-year Seahawk coach, held by
Dan Hurley and
Mike Deane.
* Despite the loss to Quinnipiac, Wagner is 6-2 at home this season and 18-5 over the last two years while posting a 12-4 mark against NEC opposition. All-time, the Seahawks are 117-66 (.639) at the renovated Spiro Sports Center, which opened in February of 1999.
* The Green & White is also 9-3 over the last two years following a loss.
* Christian is just 1-7 against Wagner as a player and a coach, including having lost six-of-seven as a player for Mount from 2000-2004.
* Both Mason and Christian bested Sacred Heart's Dave Bike last week. Bike (35 years) is the nation's second longest tenured coach. Earlier this season, Mason squared off with the longest tenured coach in Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (37 years).
* The Seahawks have won each of the last four meetings with the Mountaineers and hold an all-time record of 30-17 against the Emmitsburg-based institution, including going 14-8 on Staten Island. Additionally, the Green & White is 8-4 against the Mount in the renovated Spiro Sports Center.
* Wagner is the third-ranked NEC team in the most recent NCAA rankings at 159 while the Mount is fourth at 184.
* The Seahawks rank among the NCAA leaders and pace the NEC in scoring defense (63.8 ppg) (109th), field goal percentage defense (.396) (51st) and blocks (5.1) (34th) ... The Green & White also rank among the top-100 in steals (8.2) (58th) and rebounding margin (+4.1) (75th).
* Wagner dropped its first February game of the year after going 7-1 a year ago.
* The game will be just the third of the season played on a Wednesday. Since the start of last year, the Seahawks are 3-1 on Wednesdays.
* The Green & White is 0-3 on television this year and will look to snap a four-game losing streak in televised games dating back to last year.
* 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.
TIGHT AT THE TOP
More than halfway through conference play, there are six teams within two games of each other in the ultra-competitive NEC. Bryant is in first place with an 8-2 record while Robert Morris is second at 7-3. Wagner is one of four teams tied for third at 6-4. Additionally, St. Francis Brooklyn and Quinnipiac are lurking in seventh place at 5-5.
OVERTIME EXCITEMENT
The Seahawks have won four-straight overtime games for the first time since the 2007-2008 team captured five in a row. In those four games, the Green & White is outscoring the opposition 50-21 in extra time.
DID YOU KNOW??
That all four of the aforementioned OT wins have come at the Spiro Sports Center and that Wagner is 12-4 in overtime since the 2007-2008 season.
INTERESTING ...
Entering this year, the Seahawks had played just six overtime games in the renovated Spiro Sports Center, which opened in 1999. By virtue of their four OT victories this year, the Green & White is 8-2, all-time, in overtime games at the Spiro.
THREE'S COMPANY
Wagner will be looking to break a troubling trend tonight against Mount St. Mary's. The Seahawks won their first three NEC games, before dropping the next three. After rallying for three-more victories, the Green & White dropped a 74-69 decision to Quinnipiac.
ORTIZ SHUTS DOWN SACRED HEART
Ortiz was a main reason that Wagner disposed of Sacred Heart by an 84-78 count in overtime. The reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year paced the Seahawks in scoring for the sixth time this year with 17 points to go along with eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. He was also one of four Green & White players to record three steals and while helping force Phil Gaetano, the NEC leader in assist/turnover ratio, into nine miscues.
SEASON-HIGHS
Wagner also recorded a season-high 16 assists while forcing a season-best 22 turnovers on defense in the win over SHU.
70-POINT CLUB
The Seahawks improved to a perfect 4-0 this season when scoring 70 points and are 23-1 over the last two years when hitting the number.
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
This season, 14 of the Green & White's 21 games have been decided by 10 points or less or in overtime with Wagner going 9-5 during that time.
BURTON RETURNS
Sophomore
Marcus Burton returned to the line-up against Sacred Heart after missing the previous six games due to injury and scored five points in seven minutes of action. With Burton's return, the Seahawks had the services of all 12 eligible players for the first time since playing at Syracuse (11/18) - a span of 17 games.
THE CLOSER
Williams is shooting 59.4 percent (19-for-32) from the field and 87.5 percent (21-for-24) from the line over the last five minutes of games.
DOMINATING THE GLASS
Thanks to the play of Williams (6.9 rpg) (8th NEC), sophmore
Mario Moody (6.0 rpg) (12th NEC) and Parker (4.6 rpg) (18th NEC), Wagner ranks second in the NEC with a +4.1 rebounding margin and is 11-4 when winning the battle of the boards this season. During league play, the Seahawks have posted a season-best +13 rebounding margin in three of its conference games, including at the Mount.
BUCKING THE TREND
Wagner won for the first time when losing the rebounding battle against Sacred Heart (1-4) and lost for the first time when outshooting the opposition against Quinnipiac (10-1). The Seahawks are 29-4 over the last two years when winning the field goal percentage battle.
MOVING ON UP
Junior
Naofall Folahan recorded his 130th career block against the Pioneers, leaving him just five behind
Miladin Mutavdzic for second place on the all-time Green & White rankings.
LEADING THE WAY
Folahan continues to lead the NEC in blocks with 1.7 per game while Moody is third with 1.5.
INTERESTING
Mount St. Mary's enters today's game with 31 blocks while Folahan has 33 and Moody 30.
NOTES FROM SAINT FRANCIS U
Wagner's 25-point margin of victory over Saint Francis U was its biggest since posting a 90-50 win against St. Francis Brooklyn on December 3, 2011 ... The Seahawks also placed five different players in double-figures for the first time all year ... Parker became the 10th different member of the Green & White to start a game this season.
FANNING NAMED CHOICE HOTELS/NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Freshman
Eric Fanning garnered NEC Rookie of the Week honors on for the week of January 21-27, after averaging 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 63.2 percent over wins against Mount St. Mary's and Saint Francis U. Fanning began his week with a game-high 12 points against the Mountaineers, before recording a career-high 15 against the Red Flash.
TALE OF TWO HALVES
Wagner is averaging 33.9 points per game in the second half on 45.1 percent shooting from the floor, compared to just 26.4 points per game in the first half on 37.7 percent shooting. Leading the way after halftime has been the duo of Ortiz and Williams, as the pair is averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting 52.0 percent (91-for-175) from the floor and 71.6 percent (83-for-116) from the line.
BROOKLYN STATE OF MIND
Former Wagner head coach
P.J. Carlesimo is currently 14-5 since being named as the interim coach of the Brooklyn Nets. Carlesimo ushered the Seahawk program to the Division I level in 1976-1977 and was the head coach for six seasons.
STATE OF MIND
The Seahawks have defeated teams from seven different states (CT, MD, NC, NJ, NY, PA, TX) this year.
ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY
Wagner is 5-7 when playing on February 6th in the D-1 era (since 1976-1977) and most recently played on the date in 2010, losing 66-50 to Mount St. Mary's
SENAT SIGNS
Mason has announced the signing of Marianapolis Prep forward Greg Senat to a National Letter of Intent for the 2013-2014 season. The 6-8, 225-pound Senat is Mason's first recruit for next season.
WAGNER GARNERS NATIONAL EXPOSURE ... AGAIN
For the second-straight year Wagner will host LIU Brooklyn on
ESPNU, as the teams will tangle on “The U” on February 24 at 8:00 pm. Last year, the Seahawks went 14-4 when playing on television, including a perfect 10-0 on Time Warner.
WAGNER TABBED THIRD IN NEC PRESEASON POLL
Wagner was selected to finish third in the annual NEC men's basketball preseason poll, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches, the league office announced at the inaugural NEC “Social” Media Day. Last year, the Seahawks finished second in the regular season and won a school-record 25 games, including a 59-54 victory over No. 15 Pitt. LIU Brooklyn, which earned nine first place votes, was selected to win its third-straight league title after claiming each of the last two titles. Robert Morris, which has appeared in each of the last four NEC Championship Games, was tabbed to finish second, followed by the Seahawks in third. Quinnipiac was selected fourth, followed by St. Francis Brooklyn in fifth. Sacred Heart was picked sixth, followed by Monmouth in seventh and Central Connecticut in eighth. Rounding out the poll was Mount St. Mary's, Bryant, Fairleigh Dickinson and Saint Francis U.
2003 TEAM TO BE HONORED
The 2012-2013 season also marks the 10th anniversary of Wagner's only NEC Basketball Championship. The history-making squad will be honored when Seahawks host LIU Brooklyn.
UP NEXT
Wagner heads to Robert Morris on Saturday, February 9 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 @bashirmason to follow the Seahawks' first-year head coach.
Photography by Dave Saffran
