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Brooklyn Heights, NY – Junior guard Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum) poured in 52 points to lead Wagner to a thrilling 82-78 overtime victory at St. Francis Brooklyn while becoming the NCAA Division I women's basketball scoring leading scorer, in the process.
 
With the win, which was the Seahawks' second over the Terriers in the last six days, Wagner improved to 4-17 on the season, 2-8 in the NEC while St. Francis Brooklyn falls to 4-17, 1-9 in league play.
 
Nwajei, who added eight assist and seven rebounds while playing the entire 45 minutes, entered tonight's game needing 40 points to pass Kelsey Plum of Washington for the nation's top scoring average. A step-back three-pointer by Nwajei with 1:41 left in regulation, that drew Wagner within 70-68, gave her 40 points on the night and allowed her to move past Plum.Following tonight's game, Nwajei is averaging 27.7 ppg. (581 points in 21 games), while Plum is at 27.1 ppg. (567 points in 21 games). In NEC play, Nwajei is up to 34.5 ppg.

Nwajei's 52-point outing came on 19-of-50 shooting from the field, both of which topped her own previous school records, and was one point shy of the NEC and school-record 53-point game she had at home vs. Sacred Heart on January 24.
 
In a wild back and forth game that wound up featuring 10 ties and 13 lead changes, the Seahawks appeared to have wrested control after a 15-3 which bridged the third and fourth quarter that turned a 49-47 deficit into a 62-50 lead. The run was capped by a pair of free throws from sophomore forward Sofia Roma (Richmond Hill, NY/Nazareth Regional) that gave Wagner a 62-50 lead with 7:13 left in regulation. It was another productive effort for the 6-2 Roma as the NEC's No. 1 rebounder followed her 13-point, 22-rebound game at the Mount on Sunday with eight points and nine rebounds tonight before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
 
Nwajei scored seven points in the Wagner run while freshman guard Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) added six of her career-high 15 points in the run.
 
Undaunted, the Terriers fought back with a 15-2 run, capped by an Alex Delaney three-pointer with 3:09 to go in regulation, which put St. Francis Brooklyn on top 65-64. The Terriers opened a 70-65 lead with 1:54 left in regulation before Wagner closed with a 7-2 run. Nwajei scored five of the seven points in this spurt on a three-pointer at 1:41 that made it 70-68, and a layup at the 22-second mark, which tied it at 72-72. The Seahawks had a chance to win it at the end of regulation but a Nwajei 35-footer rimmed out, as the teams headed to overtime.
 
With the game tied at 76-76 after Delaney made 1-of-2 from the line with 2:15 left in OT, Nwajei put Wagner on top 78-76 with a layup at the 1:18 mark. A pair of free throws by Maria Palarino tied it again, at 78-78, before Nwajei was fouled on the perimeter with two seconds left. Following a Terrier time out, the junior calmly made both free throws to make it 80-78 and give her 50 points on the night. St. Francis Brooklyn then threw the inbounds pass out of bounds and was forced to foul Nwajei who made two more to fashion to the final score at 82-78 and give her 52 points for the game.
 
Leah Fechko was the lone Terrier in double digits, finishing with 17 points.
 
The Seahawks return to action on Saturday, February 6 when they host Fairleigh Dickinson at 1:00 p.m. in the first game of a doubleheader with the Seahawks' and Knights' men's teams set to tip at 4:00 p.m.








Wagner Career Points
1. Stephanie Samuels     1,835 (1982-86)
2. Jasmine Nwajei           1,816 (2013-pres.)














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