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NEC Quarterfinal Recap | Postgame Press Conference (Part 1) | Postgame Press Conference (Part 2)

Staten Island, NY - No. 2 Wagner used a big second half to break open what was a close game en route to an easy 83-59 win over No. 7 Central Connecticut in quarterfinal action of the 2014 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament at the Spiro Sports Center. The Seahawks will next face No. 4 Mount St. Mary's at home on Saturday, March 8 at 12:00 pm in game that will be televised by MSG+ and FCS.

With its ninth straight victory, the Green & White improves to 19-10 as the Blue Devils end their season with a record of 11-19.

In each of the nine wins, Wagner has limited the opposition to less than 70 points while moving to a perfect 17-0 while hitting the standard this season.

The Seahawks turned the ball over a season-low matching four times while pulling down 56 rebounds, including 24 on the offensive end, to fuel decisive advantages of 20-4 in points off turnovers and 23-10 in second chance points.

Senior Kenneth Ortiz (Newark, NJ / Southern Mississippi) scored a game-high 21 points, fueled by a career-high three triples, while notching at least 20 points for the fourth time this season and the seventh in his career. Classmate Orlando Parker (Orlando, FL / Orlando Christian Prep) notched his second double-double of the year and the fifth of his career with 13 points and 12 rebounds to lead the frontcourt.

In the opening stanza, both teams started out slowly as Wagner held a slim 7-6 lead over CCSU with just over 13 minutes remaining following a Khalen Cumberlander layup. The Seahawks then responded with six-straight points in opening up a 13-6 lead with 9:59 to play.

The advantage would grow to a half-high 11 on two occasions before the Green & White entered halftime up 37-29.

Central Connecticut scored the first two buckets of the second half to cut the deficit to four and had a pair of chances to further dent the lead but came up short each time.

The team would trade buckets over the next six minutes before Kyle Vinales hit a three pointer to make it a 49-44 game with 12:24 to play. After failing to capitalize on a defensive stop, the Blue Devils were unable to pull down the defensive rebound on the subsequent possession and junior Marcus Burton (Charlotte, NC / David W. Butler) made the visitors pay with a deep three pointer. The North Carolina native then canned a second one 41 seconds later following a CCSU turnover in extending the lead out to 55-44 with 10:29 remaining.

Central Connecticut wouldn't get any closer then nine the rest of the way as Wagner put the game away with a 10-0 spurt in opening up an insurmountable 71-52 lead with 2:55 to play. This sparked a game-ending 22-7 run to provide the final 83-59 tally.

For the game, the Blue Devils were limited to just 33.9 percent (21-of-62) shooting, including a paltry 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from long range.

Wagner shot just 35.5 percent (27-of-76), including 27.3 percent (6-of-22) from long distance.

The Seahawks also got a jolt out of their bench with Burton scoring all 13 of his points after halftime while freshman Greg Senat (Elmont, NY / Marianapolis Prep (CT)) added a career-high 10 points.

Vinales paced Central Connecticut with 20 points while Brandon Peel narrowly missed a triple-double with 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven blocks.

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