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West Long Branch, NJ - Wagner clinched the No. 2 seed for the upcoming Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament with a hard-fought 67-57 victory over Monmouth in the regular season finale for both teams at the MAC. WIth the win, the Seahawks finish up at 18-11 and 12-6 in the NEC and will host No. 7 Central Connecticut in an opening round game at the Spiro Sports Center on Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 pm.

Tickets prices are $10 for adults and $5 for children with VIP Courtside Seats (limited availability) slated for $30. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking HERE or by calling the Wagner ticket office at 718-420-4039.

The ticket office will be open Sunday afternoon from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm and from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday. Additionally, the ticket office opens up on Wednesday at 9:00 am.

Williams led all players with 21 points and 10 rebounds while recording his second double-double of the year and the fourth of his career. The Golden State native also notched his sixth 20-point game of the year and the 10th of his career while finishing up 8-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the line.

Thanks to Williams' performance Wagner shot a solid 43.8 percent (21-of-48) from the floor and 76.7 percent (23-of-30) from the line while posting a 36-33 advantage on the glass and a 32-20 differential on points in the paint.

Monmouth, meanwhile, was harassed into 33.3 percent (18-of-54) from the floor, including 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from long range.

Both teams handed out just five assists with 16 turnovers as the defensive intensity was the story of the game.

In defeat, the Hawks end their final NEC season with a 10-21 mark (5-13) as the school will join the MAAC on July 1, 2013.

Monmouth jumped out to the early 9-4 lead, before Wagner responded with nine-straight points, highlighted by six markers from Williams en route to opening up a 14-9 lead with just over nine minutes to play. The pesky Hawks, however, would continue to fight and reclaim the lead at 25-22 with 3:18 to play before halftime thanks to a 6-2 spurt. 

The Seahawks answered with a pair of Burton free throws, before Ortiz stole the ball on the ensuing possession and went in for the uncontested layup to give the Green & White a 26-25 lead. After Monmouth reclaimed the lead with a jumper, Wagner took command of the game with a half-ending 9-1 run in claiming what would turn out to be an insurmountable 35-28 lead at the half.

The Seahawks ended the stanza on a 13-3 run thanks to converting four-straight field goals and four-straight free throws over the final 3:12 before halftime. Wagner's half-ending spurt helped put some distance between MU in a first half that was marred by 22 fouls and 19 turnovers.

After halftime, the Hawks cut the deficit to 42-37 with 12:39 remaining and had a chance to further dent the lead, but could not convert on a fast break attempt. Moody then hit a layup for the first Wagner field goal of the second half, before Anderson followed with a three pointer that extended lead out to 47-37 with just over 10 minutes remaining.

The Seahawk lead would grow to 12 points on a pair of occasions before the Hawks put drew to within six points at 56-50 with 2:22 to play following a pair of Ed Waite dunks. However, Williams responded on the ensuing possession with an old-fashioned three-point play after junior Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Science Park / Southern Mississippi) broke the press with a long pass as the Seahawks would hold on for the 67-57 victory.

Ortiz added 15 points with three steals while Burton notched double-figures for the fifth time in six games with 14 points to round out the double-digit scorers for the Green & White.

Jalen Palm scored a team-best 12 points in just six minutes to lead Monmouth while Jesse Steele (11 points) and Waite (10 points, 10 rebounds) rounded out the top-performers for the Hawks.

Notes
* Wagner is the No. 2 seed for the second year in a row and the fifth time in program history.

* All-time, the Seahawks and are 4-4, all-time, when playing at No. 2.

* It is also the third time in the last six years that the Green & White is the No. 2 seed. The last two times, Wagner lost in the semifinal round to the No. 3 seed.

* This year also marks the second time that Robert Morris and Wagner were the top-two seeds with both teams losing in the semifinals in 2007-2008.

* The Seahawks will host Central Connecticut in their quarterfinal match-up for the second-straight year. Last season, the Green & White defeated the Blue Devils by an 87-77 count. It is also the only time the teams have met in the NEC Tournament.

* In the other quarterfinal games, also to be played on Wednesday night, No. 1 Robert Morris will host No. 8 St. Francis Brooklyn, No. 3 LIU Brooklyn will host No. 6 Quinnipiac and No. 4 Bryant will host No. 5 Quinnipiac. The NEC Turnament reseeds after each round so the highest remaining seed will face off with the lowest remaining.

* Wagner is 16-24, all-time, in 25 trips to the NEC Tournament, winning it once before in 2003.  

* The Seahawks are 11-12, all-time, in quarterfinal games and 9-6, all-time, when playing on Staten Island.

* The Green & White is 9-6, all-time, in NEC Playoff games in Staten Island, including posting a 5-5 record in the renovated Spiro Sports Center (since 1998-1999).

* Since not qualifying for the NEC Tournament in its first year of league membership, CCSU has now been a part of 15-straight league tournaments, going 15-11 during that time, including 7-7 in quarterfinal play.

* The Blue Devils are 2-3, all-time, as the No. 7 seed and has gone 6-3 during tournament play in the Spiro Sports Center but has never won a true road game during tournament play (0-7).

* In the preseason poll, Robert Morris was picked second, Wagner third and LIU Brooklyn first.

* With its victory over Monmouth, Wagner defeated the Hawks for the fifth-straight time with all five wins coming by 10 points or less.

* The Seahawks are now 22-11 in games decided by 10 points or less over the last two years.

* Burton averaged 14.5 points per game over both Green & White wins against the Hawks.

* He has now notched double-digits in scoring in five of his last six games, averaging 13.8 points per game during that time while handing out 19 assists, against just four turnovers.

* The Green & White have also now won 12-straight games against teams from New Jersey.

* Wagner has won seven of its last 10 games in West Long Branch in improving to 9-19, all-time, at Monmouth.

* Williams turned in second-straight 20-point game and has now paced the Seahawks in scoring 15 times in 25 games this season and 26 times (out of 55 games) over his two seasons.

* The Seahawks improved to a perfect 9-0 this season when limiting teams to less than 60 points and are 19-0 since last year.

* Wagner also won for the 34th-straight time when leading with five minute to play and is 41-1 over the last two years (16-0 this season).

* Bashir Mason's 18 overall and 12 NEC wins are the most-ever by a first-year coach in school history.

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