Staten Island, NY -  The final non-conference matchup of the 2016-17 season for the Wagner College men's basketball team pits the Seahawks against their nearby rival, the College of Staten Island Dolphins.  The Green & White will look for its fourth win of the season after suffering a 76-54 setback at BIG EAST member Providence this past Saturday at the Dunkin' Donuts Center.  The Dolphins are riding a three-game winning streak after earning an 84-71 victory over Lehman on December 9.  

Series History:  Thursday's contest is the 16th all-time meeting between the  schools with Wagner leading the head-to-head series, 12-3. The Seahawks have won four straight against the Dolphins, which includes last season's 83-59 decision at the Spiro Sports Center back on November 28.  The win against the Dolphins marked the 50th in the career of Wagner fifth-year head coach, Bashir Mason. The fifth-year head coach will have a chance to reach another milestone as the Green & White's next victory will mark the 75th all-time win for Mason. CSI was last victorious over Wagner back on February 13, 1989, when they left Grymes Hill with an 81-78 triumph.

These programs first squared off back on December 23, 1978, in which Wagner, who was entering its third season as a Division I program, was coached by 3x NBA Champion and former athletic director, PJ Carlesimo. The Dolphins was coached by Evan Pickman, who led the team to a 19-9 record that season which included an 8-1 in CUNY play.  

Scouting The College of Staten Island (CSI) Dolphins: The College of Staten Island (CSI) Dolphins currently hold a 19-33 overall record against current Division I members. Wagner is the lone Division I school the Dolphins scheduled for the 2016-17 season.  The Dolphins are the following against Division I teams: Albany (4-5); Binghamton (2-0); Buffalo (1-1); Monmouth (0-1); St. Francis Brooklyn (0-1); Stony Brook (9-13); and Wagner (3-12).  Predicted to finish second in the 2016-17 CUNYAC Preseason Poll, the College of Staten Island (CSI) Dolphins  is currently the top team in the league with a 4-0 mark in conference games. The Dolphins are riding a three-game winning streak after defeating Lehman, 84-71, in The Bronx back on December 9. In that contest, four Dolphins finished in double-figures, led by Frank Schettino's game-high 27 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the floor which included 3-of-7 from three-point range. Kahleeq Baum netted 15 points, Kevon Murphy posted a double-double with 14 points and team-leading ten rebounds in the victory. Robert Rossiter contributed 13 points in 29 minutes of play. 

Schettino is the team's leading scorer at 16.8 ppg, which is good for sixth among all-CUNYAC players and is tied for first in the circuit in steals per contest, swipping 2.9 per contest. Baum, who is the Dolphins' second-leading scorer at 13.3 ppg, is ninth in the CUNYAC in rebounding at 7.3 caroms a contest while pacing the league in field-goal percentage  at 56.8 percent (46-for-81). As a whole, the College of Staten Island is outscoring its opponents by nearly 4.0 ppg (77.6 to 73.7) while holding a 5.1 edge on the boards (40.8 to 35.7). 

Last Time Against CSI: In the first All-Staten Island matchup in 16 years, the Wagner College Seahawks ran past their intra-borough rivals, the College of Staten Island Dolphins, 83-59. Wagner head coach Bashir Mason picked up career win No. 50 in the process, becoming the eighth head coach in Wagner men's basketball history to have at least 50 career victories. Wagner had a season-best four players score in double figures, led by redshirt senior forward Mike Aaman (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan [Rhode Island]), who tossed in 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor, and of 8-of-10 accuracy from the free-throw line. Dwaun Anderson (Suttons Bay, MI/Suttons Bay[Michigan State]) posted his fourth straight double-digit scoring performance of the season, setting a career high with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting while connecting on 7-of-8 from the free throw line. Michael Carey (Nassau, Bahamas/Lamar Consolidated [San Jacinto College]) netted 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, to go with a team-high eight caroms, which ties his career high set at Seton Hall (11/15).  Romone Saunders (Temple Hills, MD/Potomac [Mt. Zion Prep]) added a season-best 11 points while also corralling eight rebounds in the victory.  The Dolphins, who hung tough for much of the contest, were paced by reigning CUNYAC Player of the Year Will Fonseca's team-high 17 points. Guard Edin Bracic added 12 while forward Thomas Delahanty contributed 10 points and a team-leading eight rebounds before fouling out. 

Three Quarters Of The Way To 100 Wins For Mason: Fifth-year Wagner head men's basketball coach Bashir Mason is one victory shy of recording his 75th career win.  The Seahawks earned win No. 74 back on December 10 when the Green & White escaped Baltimore, MD with a gritty, 68-66 triumph over the Morgan State Bears. Mason had already posted one landmark coaching win against the Dolphins as he recorded win No. 50 last season in which the Seahawks were victorious, 83-59.  

Henson Zeroing In On 1,000 Career Points: Junior guard Corey Henson (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha Catholic) is closing in on becoming the 43rd member of the 1,000 career points club as he enters the Monmouth contest with 837 career points. After averaging 9.1 ppg in his freshman year (273), Henson has netted a total 564 points between his sophomore and eight games of his junior campaign, which translates to 13.4 ppg over that span.  The last member to join the Wagner 1,000 point club was guard Marcus Burton ['14].

500 Rebounds And Beyond For Aaman: Against the Providence College Friars at the Dunkin' Donuts Center this past Saturday, Wagner big man Mike Aaman (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan [URI] recorded his 500 and 501 collegiate rebound. As a member of the Green & White, the 6-8 left-handed forward needs just three caroms for 400 as a Seahawk.