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Staten Island, NY - Central Connecticut scored 11-straight points to turn what was a five-point deficit into a four-point lead with 30 seconds to play en route to posting an 87-83 come-from-behind win over Wagner at the Spiro Sports Center.

After taking the lead, the Blue Devils put the game away thanks to converting eight-straight free throws while withstanding numerous Seahawks rallies over the final 26 seconds.

CCSU improves to 5-13 and 1-4 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) with the win as the Green & White falls to 9-9 and 3-2 in the league.

With Central Connecticut holding a 63-58 lead with 7:56 to play in the game, senior Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Southern Mississippi) hit a pair of free throws, before converting an old-fashioned three-point play to tie things up at 63-63 while setting the stages for a frentic final seven-plus minutes of action.

With the score still tied at 70-70 at the final media timeout (3:58), Ortiz broke the deadlock with a jumper from left side, before stealing the ball on the ensuing possession. The Garden State native split a pair from the line and sophomore Dwaun Anderson (Suttons Bay, MI / Michigan State) drained a jumper in staking Wagner to a 75-70 advantage with 2:38 to play.

However, the lead would be short-lived as the Blue Devils answered with a Brandon Peel jumper. Faronte Drakeford then backed his way into the paint for a layup before CCSU stole an errant pass on the opposite end and Malcolm McMillan found Peel for an easy dunk in reclaiming the lead for the visitors at 76-75 lead with 1:10 to play. After Wagner misfired on the ensuing possession, Matt Mobley hit a three pointer to push the lead out to 79-75 with just 30 seconds remaining. Ortiz was then whistled for an offensive foul and Mobley drained a pair to make it 81-75 while capping the game-changing 11-point spurt.

Junior Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) finally snapped the Seahawk drought with a three pointer to make it a one-possession game at 81-78 with 20 seconds remaining. After almost forcing a turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass, Mobley hit a pair from the line to stretch the Central Connecticut advantage out to five. After trading points on the next two possessions, Burton canned another three pointer to make it an 85-83 game with seven seconds remaining. Unfortunately, Peel converted a pair from the line to put the game on ice and snap the Blue Devils' five-game losing streak.

After misfiring on their first five shots of the second half, Central Connecticut connected on 68.0 percent (17-of-25) from the field to cement the victory. For the game, the Blue Devils shot 54.1 percent (33-of-61) from the field, including 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from deep, and 86.7 percent (13-of-15) from the line.

The Seahawks, which placed five players in double-figures, shot a solid 42.9 percent (33-of-77) from the floor, including a paltry 22.2 percent (4-of-18) from deep.

Ortiz scored 14 of his 16 points after halftime while adding four rebounds, three assists and three steals to lead the way for the Green & White. Burton matched Ortiz with 16 points off the bench while Rivers rounded out the top performers from the backcourt with 14 points, a career-high eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Leading a frontcourt effort that produced a 42-32 advantage on the glass was junior Mario Moody (Jersey City, NJ / East Orange Campus), who notched 15 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. Senior Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) added a season-best matching 12 points and six caroms.

Mobley scored 22 points with seven rebounds while McMillan added 19 points, six assists and five rebounds to pace four double-figures scorers for CCSU.

Central Connecticut took a slim 39-36 lead at the break thanks to converting on 51.6 percent (16-31) from the floor in the first 20 minutes of action.

Wagner returns to action at Robert Morris on Saturday, January 25 at 4:00 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 Bashir Mason">@BashirMason for news on the second-year coach.