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Loretto, PA - Junior Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) scored 14 points off the bench to help Wagner overcome 13-point deficit in a gritty 56-50 victory over Saint Francis University in Northeast Conference (NEC) action at DeGol Arena.

The Seahawks, which defeated the Red Flash for the 11th time in 13 meetings, improve to 9-8 and 3-1 in league while SFU falls to 3-14 and the 1-3 in the NEC.

After allowing SFU to convert eight of its first 14 shots and take an early a 19-6 lead, the Green & White defense locked in and allowed Saint Francis U to shoot just 25.0 percent (11-for-44) over the final 30-plus minutes of the game.

Down but not out, Wagner answered with an 8-2 spurt to cut the Red Flash lead to 19-12 with 7:28 to play until halftime. The Seahawks continued to chip away and used a 9-3 half-ending run – highlighted by a Jay Harris (Jr., Aurora, IL / Valparaiso) triple with time running down - to trim what was twice a 13-point deficit to 29-28 at intermission.

After halftime, Wagner quickly snatched its first lead with a 14-3 run and led 42-34 with 10:14 to play.

After Saint Francis U scored the first two points of the half on free throws, senior Latif Rivers (Elizabeth, NJ / Avon Old Farms (CT)) hit a layup, before classmate Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Southern Mississippi) gave the Seahawks their first lead of the game at 32-31. Rivers extended lead out to three before Ollie Jackson briefly quelled the momentum with a triple to tie the score at 34-34 with just over 15 minutes remaining.

Sophomore Dwaun Anderson (Suttons Bay, MI / Michigan State) quickly answered with a jumper while starting an 8-0 Green & White spurt. Senior Naofall Folahan (Cotonou, Republic of Benin / Wilbraham & Monson Academy (MA)) followed with a free throw, before Burton canned a three pointer and a jumper in the paint to give Wagner the aforementioned insurmountable 42-34 lead halfway through the second half.

Despite squandering a 13-point lead, the Red Flash would not wilt and scored five-straight points to make it a one-possession game. SFU then forced three-straight missed shots but was unable to corral the rebound each time, and the fourth time was the charm for the Seahawks as Burton made the hosts pay with a deep triple in extending the lead to 45-39 with 7:39 to play.

Saint Francis U would continue to fight and trimmed the deficit to two at 50-48 with 2:01 to play following a Stephon Wyatt three pointer. With the shot clock winding down on the ensuing possession, Ortiz found senior Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) for an easy layup while for all intents and purposes squelching any hopes for a Red Flash rally.

Burton would follow with four free throws in the final 20 seconds while putting the finishing touches on a hard-fought, come-from-behind 56-50 victory.

Burton paced the Wagner in scoring for the fourth time this season, notching 12 of his 14 points after halftime to go along with four rebounds and a pair of steals. Despite coming off the bench, he is now averaging a team-leading 15.5 points per game during NEC play.

Earl Brown led all players with 25 points and eight rebounds while the rest of his teammates were held to just 25 points, on 23.7 percent shooting (9-of-38).

For the game, Wagner made good on 34.5 percent (19-of-55), including 33.3 percent (4-of-12)  from deep, but posted a 43-34 edge on the glass that led to a 12-9 advantage in second-chance points. Saint Francis U, meanwhile, count not take advantage of a poor shooting effort by the Seahawks and made good on just 32.8 percent (19-of-58), including a paltry 20.8 percent (5-of-24) from deep.

The Green & White put the game away thanks to converting on 77.8 percent (14-of-18) from the line, including 80.0 percent (8-of-10) in the decisive second half.

Rivers joined Burton in double-figures with 12 points while Parker narrowly missed double-figures with nine points and a team-best eight rebounds. Ortiz had another solid game with eight points, five rebounds, a game-high five assists and just one turnover.

After playing seven of eight on the road, Wagner will host Central Connecticut on Thursday, January 23 at 7:00 pm.

Notes:
* The Seahawks, which entered today's game 327th in the NCAA with 22.9 fouls per game, committed just nine, including two in the second half. The nine penalties are the fewest by the Green & White since registering eight at Princeton on December 30, 2009.

* Wagner is now 5-2 in games decided by 10 points or less or in overtime this year and 27-13 since the start of the 2011-2012 season.

* The Seahawks also improved to a perfect 7-0 when leading with five minutes to play and are 48-1 over the last three years while posting 42-straight victories.

* Additionally, Wagner moved to 17-6 following a loss over the last three seasons.

* Led by Burton, the Seahawk reserves outscored the starters (31-25) for the second time this season and are averaging 37.2 points per game while shooting 52.4 percent (54-for-103) from the field and 45.2 percent (14-for-31) from deep during league play.

* Burton, who helped close out the game with four free throws, is now a perfect 8-for-8 in the last five minutes of games decided by 10 points or less or in overtime. As a unit, the Green & White has made good on 77.8 percent (42-of-54) during that time.

* Wagner limited the opposition to less than 60 points for the third time this season and has won 25-straight games when holding teams to the threshold.

* Ortiz five assists give him 371 for his three-year career on Grymes Hill while moving past Seahawk Hall of Famers Quincy Lewis and Terrance Bailey into eighth place in the Green & White career annals.

* During NEC play, Ortiz is averaging 6.0 assists per game while posting a 2.7 assist/turnover ratio.

* Wagner evened the all-time record between the teams at 30-30 since the Seahawks moved to Division I for the 1976-1977 season. The Green & White also were victorious in Loretto for just the 10th time in school history.

* Parker blocked a career-high matching four shots, previously doing so last season at Hofstra.

* Rivers returned to the starting line-up for the first time in five games. Harris, meanwhile, scored eight points with five rebounds in his first game as a reserve this season.

* Head Coach Bashir Mason improved to 28-20 (15-7 NEC) at Wagner, including a perfect 11-0  when his teams limit the opposition to less than 35 percent shooting.

* Since the start of the 2011-2012 season, the Seahawks are 53-26, including going 30-10 during league play and 24-17 on the road.

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