Pictured Above: The 2015-2016 Seahawks: "Dressed for Success" (photo by Dave Saffran)Staten Island, NY - After opening the 2015-16 season with three straight road games, the Wagner women's basketball team (0-3) , under the direction of fourth-year head coach
Lisa Cermignano and led by junior guard
Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum), the nation's No. 2 scorer from a year ago at 24.8 ppg., make their long-awaited home debut today when the Seahawks host the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels (2-3) of the SEC in a 1:00 p.m. tip at the Spiro Sports Center.
After kicking off the season with road tilts at ACC member Pittsburgh, Old Dominion of Conference USA, and No. 7 Ohio State of the Big Ten, the Seahawks will be facing an SEC team in its home opener for the second time in the last three years.
Two years ago, the Green & White opened the 2013-14 season by hosting No. 7 Kentucky.
"I believe the best way to prepare our team for NEC play is to compete against elite programs and this year's non-conference schedule certainly fits that bill once again," Cermignano said. "Our goal is to win a conference title and facing top competition excites our players and serves our program well."
In addition to the five "name" teams mentioned previously, since her first season on Grymes Hill in 2012-13, Cermignano and her Seahawks have also faced such national luminaries as Rutgers, which came to the Spiro Center last season, along with Penn State, Maryland, Louisville, Seton Hall, Syracuse, St. John's and VCU.
Fourth All-Time Meeting vs. SEC TeamWhen Wagner and Ole Miss square off, it will mark the fourth time that Wagner has faced a team that hails from the SEC. Previously, the Seahawks have met Kentucky, Mississippi State and Vanderbilt and the Seahawks are 0-3 in these contests.
About Ole Miss
The Rebels, who were picked sixth inthe 14-team SEC Preseason Poll, will be completing a two-game New York City metropolitan area swing on Sunday after earning a 72-57 victory at America East member Stony Brook on Friday. The win improved their record tp 2-3 on the season. Shandricka
Sessom ran her double-figure scoring streak to five straight with a team-best16 points as the Ole Miss women's basketball team (2-3) picked up a 72-57 win over Stony Brook in New York on Friday afternoon. Sessom, who scored nine of her team-best 16 points, in the first half, was cold in the second half, but found a way late in the game and nailed a three-pointer at the 5:07 mark of the half which proved to be the difference. A' Queen Hayes
picked up her second career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds including going 5-of-6 from the stripe in the final minute of action.
Ohio State Game Marked Homecoming For PeckPlaying within two hours of her hometown, 5-6 senior guard
Jordyn Peck (Shaker Heights, OH/Shaker Heights) tossed in a team and season-high 22 points, including six three-pointers, but the No. 7/14 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big 10 Conference placed four players in double figures en route to a 106-47 win over Wagner at St. John Arena on Sunday. Playing in front of a gathering of more than 60 family members and friends who made the 145-miles trek from the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, Peck shot 8-of-21 from the field, including 6-of-13 from three-point range, to pace the Seahawks.
"While I do believe in playing the best as preparation for our Northeast Conference schedule, this game was specifically scheduled so that Jordyn (Peck) could return home to play in front of her family and friends," said Cermignano, no stranger to the Big 10 herself, having served as an assistant at the University of Illinois from 2009-2012. "I'm happy that Jordyn will always have this special memory."
Nwajei and PeckIn addition to Peck's 22-point output at Ohio State, junior guard
Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum) added 15. Nwajei and Peck, the number 12 and 15 scorers in Wagner history with 1,280 and 1,238 points, respectively, accounted for 37 of the Seahawks' 47 points on the afternoon.
Roma on the GlassWagner was led in rebounding by ever-improving forward
Sofia Roma (Richmond Hill, NY/Nazareth Regional) as the sophomore pulled down seven rebounds. Over the of the Seahawks' first three games, all against top competition, the 6-2 Roma is averaging a team-best 8.0 caroms per game, to go with a 4.7 scoring average and 2.0 blocked shots per game.
No. 1 vs. No. 2In matchup of last season's number one and two scorers in the nation in Buckeye sophomore guard Kelsey Mitchell and Nwajei, who averaged 24.9 and 24.8 ppg., respectively, Mitchell wound up with 24 today but it was her backcourt mate Ameryst Alson who led the way with 26. Asia Doss and Shayla Cooper added 18 and 15 points, respectively, for Ohio State.
Buckeyes First Team Ever to Open Season vs. Nation's Top Two Teams Back to BackWith the win over Wagner, Ohio State, which entered the game ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Poll and No. 14 in the USA Today Poll, are 2-2 on the season. After becoming the first team in NCAA history to open the season vs. the No. 1 (100-56 loss to UConn) and No. 2 teams in the country (88-80 loss to South Carolina), Ohio State has now posted consecutive wins over Belmont (84-56) and Wagner.
Follow Wagner Athletics on Facebook (facebook.com/WagnerAthletics), Twitter (@wagnerathletics), Instagram (@wagnerathletics) and YouTube (@WagnerSeahawks) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department. Follow the women's basketball team on Twitter @WagSwagg_WBB for news and updates on the women's basketball program and @CERMIGNANO for news on the fourth-year coach.
