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(Photo by: TJ Root)

Bangor, ME – After leading by three with 1:06 to go in overtime, Wagner's chance at its first road victory of the season slipped away on Zarko Valjarevic's buzzer-beater from the left baseline as the Seahawks fell to the Maine Black Bears, 82-81, on Tuesday evening at the Cross Insurance Center.

Three Seahawks finished in double-figures, led by senior guard Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC/David W. Butler), who poured in a career-high 25 points. Junior Forward Mike Aaman (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan), a rugged 6-8 transfer from Rhode Island who was playing his second game as a Seahawk, recorded Wagner's first double-double of the season, with  15 points and a team-leading 11 rebounds in 33 minutes of action.  Freshman guard Corey Henson (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha Catholic) added 10 points and four assists. 

Four Black Bears finished in double-figures, led by Till Gloger's 21-point performance on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting from the floor. Shawn Lawton chipped in 18 points and six assists while Valjarevic ended up with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting, to go along with six rebounds. Aaron Calixte contributed 10 points and a game-high nine assists.     

The weather in Bangor but might be freezing but the Seahawks' offense started the game on fire. Wagner knocked down five of its firtst eight shots, jumping ahead 12-10 on  a three-pointer by freshman guard Aaren Edmead (Deer Park, NY / Deer Park),  who dialed up the trey from the left wing over the outstretched arms of a Maine defender.  Leading 16-14, the Seahawks went on a quick 11-2 run to increase their lead to nine, 27-18, after Burton, who connected on a 5-of-7 in the opening stanza, drained a long-range, contested three-pointer.

Trailing by eight after freshman guard Corey Henson (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha Catholic) nailed a runner in the paint, Maine erupted on a 17-4 run of its own to take a 38-37 lead following a Calixte layup. The Black Bears took a 40-39 halftime lead after Gloger sank a runner in the lane. 

Maine opened the second half on a 8-0 run, jumping out to a 47-39 lead after Gloger recorded a two in the paint on a layup conversion. The visitors then found instant offense from Aaman, as the 6-8 lefty forward recorded Wagner's first nine points of the second half, including an old-fashioned three-point play as Aaman was able to convert a layup despite being fouled, with his ensuing free throw trimming the deficit to four. With momentum swinging back in Wagner's favor,  Edmead made it a one-point game, 53-52, with 10:16 left in regulation.  After Burton was able to deflect an entry pass, Edmead raced up the court and found 6-7 freshman forward Japhet Kadji (Douala, Cameroon/IMG Academy ((FL) open on the perimeter, and the first-year forward calmly drilled the three-pointer, giving Wagner a two point lead, 55-53. 

Maine once again regained control, with a 6-0 spurt, extending its lead back up to four, 59-55, as Valjarevic again was able to find his shot. Wagner then drew up a play for Burton, and the veteran guard responded by sinking a clutch three-pointer in front of the Wagner bench, again bringing the Seahawks to within one at 59-58. Burton's trifecta ignited a Seahawk run that saw Henson convert back-to-back treys, giving the Green & White a five-point edge, 64-59 with 6:30 left in regulation.

Both teams began to trade baskets as the contest was ultimately tied at 72 after Maine's Lawton rang in a three-pointer off a screen.  After Burton put Wagner ahead, 74-72, with 41 seconds left, Aaman was assessed a foul, his third of the contest, sending Lawton to the charity stripe, where he converted on both attempts, knotting the score at 74-74. With the game on the line, Burton had a chance to win it at the end of regulation but his three-point chance rimmed out, as time expired, forcing overtime.

Maine scored the first six points of OT before Wagner answered with a 4-0 spurt, making it a 78-76 game with 1:56 to go. On the ensuing Seahawk possession, freshman guard JoJo Cooper (Wilmington, DE/Concord, the reigning Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week, (8 points, 8 assists) connected on a well executed stop-and-pop mid-range jumper that tied the game at 78-78.

On the next Maine possession, Cooper swiped the ball away from Valjarevic and found Burton, who was fouled on a three-point opportunity by Lawton.  The Charlotte, NC product calmly sank all three attempts, putting the Seahawks up three, 81-78, with just 1:06 remaining.

Maine was able to hoist up a three-point chance of its own by Valjarevic but it didn't fall. The loose ball was corralled by Gloger who kicked the ball to Calixte for a driving layup, cutting the visitors; advantage to just one, 81-80, with 33 seconds left. Sophomore forwad' Greg Senat (Elmont, NY/Elmont) was fouled on the ensuing possession but the 6-8 second-year forward missed on the front end, as Maine's Marko Provic pulled down the rebound.  On the first chance to close out the game, Valjarevic's shot was off the mark but the ball bounded off a Wagner player and out bounds with 1.7 seconds to go.

After the Black Bears took their final timeout, Valjarevic curled toward the left corner, received a feed along the left baseline and nailed the game-winner, narrowly beating the final buzzer.

After starting the contest shooting 60.7 percent from the field, Wagner finished at 50.8 percent for the contest while connecting on 52.6 percent from the outside (10-of-19). The Seahawks outrebounded the Black Bears, 34-31, while outscoring Maine's bench, 36-to-7. Maine shot 53.6 percent for the game and converted on 4-of-7 in the extra session. The Black Bears forced 20 Seahawk turnovers while scoring 22 points off those chances. 

The Seahawks will travel to Easton, PA as they will tangle with Patriot League members, Lafayette, on Saturday, December 6.  Tip-off from the Kirby Sports Center is slated for 2:00 p.m.

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 head coach Bashir Mason (@BashirMason) for news on the third-year head coach.