Box Score (PDF) I Box Score (HTML)

Fairfield, CT – Junior guard Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum) had her full arsenal on display, finishing with 39 points, nine rebounds, and five steals, but Sacred Heart was able to hold off a valiant effort by the undermanned Seahawks in posting a 73-62 win tonight at Coach Bike Court.
 
Hannah Kimmel led four players in double figures with 24 for the Pioneers, Adaysha Williams added 14 while Kelcy Castro and Alissa Tarsi supplied 13 and 12 points, respectively. Kimmel (10 rebounds) and Tarsi (15 rebounds) were also major factors on the boards, as each notched a double-double.
 
In winning their third straight, SHU improves to 3-1 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play and 5-10 overall. Wagner, which has dropped eight straight, is now 2-13 on the season, 0-4 in league. 
 
For the game, Nwajei shot 14-of-33 from the field, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, while going a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. She narrowly missed a double-double, as her nine rebounds paced the team, as did her five steals.
 
Tonight's outburst marked the fifth time this season, and 15th time in her career, that Nwajei has hit for 30 or more points in a game. Entering tonight ranked seventh nationally in scoring, her 39-point splurge ups her season average to 24.5 ppg. In Wagner's four NEC games, she is averaging a staggering 32.8 ppg. Last season, the New York City guard finished No. 2 nationally in scoring at 24.8 ppg.
 
Sacred Heart appeared to be in control as the Pioneers entered the fourth quarter with a seemingly comfortable 59-46 lead. But a pair of free throws by Nwajei began an 11-5 Wagner run over a span of 4:08. Junior guard Lyndsay Rowe (South River, NJ/St. John Vianney) capped the run with a deep three-pointer from the left corner to make it a 64-58 game with 4:08 remaining in the game.
 
The Pioneers managed to score just one more basket the rest of the way with seven of their final nine points coming from the free throw line, taking advantage of 10 fouls called on Wagner in the fourth while being whistled for just two fouls themselves. In pulling away for the win, SHU sank 10-of-12 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter while the Seahawks were 2-of-2 from the line.
 
In the first half, Wagner dug its way out of an early 27-11 hole, outscoring the Pioneers 20-12 over the final 6:25 of the second quarter in slicing that 16-point deficit in half, as the Seahawks trailed 39-31 at the intermission. Nwajei keyed the surge to finish the half with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, while adding six rebounds and two steals.
 
Rowe delivered her second straight solid performance in following her eight-point effort vs. Bryant on Saturda with 10 points tonight on 4-of-10 shooting, along with three assists, two rebounds and two steals. On the heels of a career-high 20-point outing against Bryant, sophomore guard Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ/Vineland), finished with seven points off the bench, all coming in the opening half. Kimmel paced SHU in the opening stanza with 11 while Williams and Tarsi added nine and eight points, respectively.
 
For the game, Sacred Heart outshot Wagner 43.4 percent to 36.9 percent and held a 42-34 advantage in the rebounding department. The Seahawks held a slim 28-26 edge on points in the paint and led in points off turnovers (21-11), fast-break points (13-6) and bench scoring (7-4), while the Pioneers led 14-11 in second-chance points.
 
Both teams were efficient on the offensive end as Wagner dished out 10 assists while turning the ball over a season-low 10 times. Sacred Heart was also credited with 10 assists and the Pioneers had 15 turnovers on the night.
 
Wagner now heads home for four consecutive games at the Spiro Sports Center, beginning with a 1:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, January 16 vs. Central Connecticut. This is the opening game of a doubleheader with the Seahawk and Blue Devil men's teams set to square off at 4:00 p.m.
 
NOTES
Nwajei moved into fourth place on the Wagner career scoring list. With her 39 points tonight, the junior guard passed 2015 Hall of Fame inductee Nia Ryan (1999-2000) who scored 1,565 career points, as Nwajei is now up to 1,602. Next on the list, in third place, is Maureen (Moe) Coughlin-Hannafin. In a career that spanned from 1986-1989, and culminated in her leading the Seahawks to the program's only NEC women's basketball championship in 1989, Coughlin-Hannafin tossed in 1,612 points.
 
Wagner Career Scoring List
1. Stephanie Samuels, 1982-1986           1,835
2. Mary Gormley, 1977-1981                   1,734
3. Maureen Coughlin, 1985-1989             1,612
4. Jasmine Nwajei (2013 – pres.)            1,602
5. Nia Ryan, 1996-2000                          1,565
 
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.