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Staten Island, NY – Sophomore guard Jordyn Peck (Shaker Heights, OH/Shaker Heights) poured in a career-high 30 points, which came on the heels of a previous career-high 29-point outing vs. Bryant last time out on Monday, but Central Connecticut was able to hold off Wagner in posting an 80-71 Northeast Conference (NEC) win at the Spiro Sports Center.

With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 2-12 on the season, 1-2 in the NEC, while the Blue Devils improve to 7-6 on the season and are also 1-2 in league play.

Freshman point guard Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum) added 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists while redshirt sophomore center Ugo Nwaigwe (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South) added 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field. Central Connecticut was paced by versatile guard Jessica Babe who had 19 points, seven rebounds and six boards, while Kaley Watras and Lauren Arbogast added 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Peck's 30-point outburst marked the first time a Seahawk has hit for 30 or more points in a game since Kelly Clark tossed in 30 vs. NJIT on December 7, 2010. It also marked the eighth time this season, and 11th time in her career, that Peck has hit for 20 or more points in a game.  The sophomore had three outings of 20 or more points last season en route to earning NEC All-Rookie Team honors while averaging 10.1 points per game for the Seahawks.

The 5-6 lefthander has now hit for 20 or more points in three consecutive games for the first time in her career. She tallied 20 points in helping lead Wagner past LIU Brooklyn 71-65 in the NEC opener on January 4 before totaling a then career-high 29 vs. Bryant on January 6, which was followed by today's 30-point outing.
 
The Blue Devils galloped out to a 41-30 halftime lead with Babe and Watras leading the way with 13 points apiece. Both teams shot 36 percent from the field in the opening stanza but Central Connecticut enjoyed a decided edge at the free throw line, making 12-of-15 from the charity stripe while Wagner was 2-of-5.
 
Peck was the lone Seahawk in double figures in the opening half with 15, which came on 6-of-12 shooting.
 
The Seahawks came out with great energy in the second half as a Peck three-pointer at the 19:43 mark kick-started an 11-2 run that closed the deficit to two at 43-41. Nwajei scored six points in the second-half opening run and it was her layup at 16:22 that made it a two-point game.
 
Following a timeout called by CCSU head coach Beryl Piper, the Blue Devils went on a 12-4 run. Babe had four points in the surge, including a pair of free throws at the 12:19 juncture, that made it a double-digit game at 55-45. From this point forward, Wagner was unable to get within striking distance as the closest the Seahawks got the rest of the way was nine at 67-58 following a Peck three-ball at 4:22 that made it a 67-58 game.
 
A major reason why Wagner was unable to dent the CCSU lead was its failings at the free throw line as the Seahawks converted just 5-of-16 foul shots in the second half, a 31 percent clip. For the game, the Green & White finished at 33 percent shooting from the charity stripe on 7-of-21 accuracy.

The Blue Devils enjoyed a sizeable 58-37 advantage on the boards while Wagner held a 38-28 edge in points in the paint and led in points off turnovers by a 12-11 count. CCSU led in second-chance points at 16-13, fast-break points by an 8-0 margin and held a commanding 24-8 edge in points off the bench.

The Seahawks conclude their four-game homestand on Monday when Wagner plays host to the Pioneers of Sacred Heart in a 7:00 pm tussle before hitting the road for four consecutive contests.

NOTES
 
Peck in Last Two Games
In her last two games, a 29-point outing vs. Bryant (Jan. 6), followed by a 30-point effort vs. Centrall Connecticut, Jordyn Peck has hit 21-of-47(.447) from the floor, 7-of-20 (.350) from three-point range, averaging 4.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds while playing 79 out of a possible 80 minutes.
 
Date       Opponent             Min         FG-FGA   3FG-3FGA     FT-FTA    Reb       A          T          Points
1/6          Bryant                  40           10-22       2-9                  7-7          5          6          1            29
1/11       Central Conn.        38           11-25       5-11                 3-3          5          2          0            30
                                           39.0        21-47       7-20                10-10     5.0        4.0      0.5           29.5
 
Peck's Eight 20-Point Plus Games
Nov. 10                 at Monmouth                    21
Nov. 20                 at Iona                               24
Nov. 26                 Vermont                             27
Dec. 12                at Rutgers                         24
Dec. 21                vs. Eastern Michigan      20
Jan. 4                   LIU Brooklyn                     20
Jan. 6                   Bryant                                 29
Jan. 11                 Central Connecticut        30
 
Peck In Three NEC Games
While playing 118 out of a possible 120 minutes In Wagner's three NEC games – vs. LIU Brooklyn (1/4), Bryant (1/6) and CCSU (1/11), Jordyn Peck is averaging 26.3 points on 41.9 percent shooting (26-of-62), 39.3 (11-of-28) percent from beyond the arc, and 4.7 rebounds while dishing out 8 assists and committing just 3 turnovers.

Peck Now Third in NEC Scoring
Following her career-high 30-point performance vs. CCSU, Jordyn Peck has moved into third place on the NEC scoring list at 18.6 points per game.

NEC Scoring Leaders (Through Games of Jan. 11, 2014)
      Rank Name                           School                  Average   Total Points
        1.      Ali Williams                   Saint Francis U      22.6           317 (14 games)
        2.      Cleandra Roberts         LIU Brooklyn          18.8           263 (14 games)
        3.      Jordyn Peck              Wagner                18.6           261 (14 games)
        4.      Sydney Henderson      Mount St. Mary's   18.2           273 (15 games)

Peck Has Made 20 Straight Free Throws
Jordyn Peck will enter Monday night's game vs. Sacred Heart having converted 20 consecutive free throws. Her last miss came back on Dec. 21 vs. Eastern Michigan in the opening game of the Seawolves Holiday Classic at Stony Brook University. After making her first four free throws of that game, she missed the second of a two-shot foul with 2:21 left in the first half. After making her last four free throws of the EMU game to finish 7-of-8 from the line that afternoon, she did not attempt any free throws in Wagner's next two games – at Stony Brook (12/22) and at NJIT (12/30). Since NEC play began on Jan. 4 vs. LIU Brooklyn, Peck has gone a perfect 16-of-16 from the foul line. Her 29 straight made free throws has upped her season average to 83.6 percent.
 
Excluding 11-of-17 Night vs. Vermont, Peck 50-of-56 From FT Line on Season
By her lofty standards, Jordyn Peck has had one sub-par shooting night from the free throw line this season, an 11-of-17 (.647) effort vs. Vermont (11/26) in a then career-high 27-point outing. Excluding this contest, Peck has converted 50-of-56 free throws on the year, an 89.3 percent clip, and enters Monday night's tilt vs. Sacred Heart having made 20 straight from the charity stripe, including a perfect 16-of-16 in Wagner's three NEC games.
 
Nwaigwe Finding Consistency
Redshirt sophomore center Ugo Nwaigwe (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South) is starting to together consistent performances while providing Wagner with a true post presence on both ends of the floor. The 6-3 Nwaigwe, who entered the Jan. 11 CCSU game ranked No. 15 nationally and No. 1 in the NEC with 3.15 blocks per game, has averaged 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in Wagner's last three games and has hit 12-of-13 shots from the floor in these three contests, a blistering 92.3 percent average. For the season, she is averaging 6.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
 
Nwaigwe's Last Three Games
Date       Opponent             Min        FG-FGA   Reb      BL         Points
1/4          LIU Brooklyn        21          3-4            7           4             7
1/6          Bryant                  27         4-4            6           6             9
1/11       Central Conn.        16         5-5            4           1            10
                                            21.3     12-13        5.7        3.6         9.3