Game 30 
Wagner College Seahawks
(20-9; 13-5 NEC)
vs.
Robert Morris University Colonials
(10-21; 8-10 NEC) |
| Game Details | Wednesday, March 2, 2016 | Staten Island, NY
7:00 p.m. | Spiro Sports Center (2,100) |
| Game Coverage | Live Stream: NEC Front Row
Play-by-Play: Joey Wahler
TV: None
Radio: None
Twitter: @WagnerAthletics
Twitter: @Wagner_MBB
Twitter Hashtag: #CHAOSonthehill |
| Wagner Links | Media Guide | Game Notes | Roster | Schedule |
Staten Island Advance Preview (Cormac Gordon) |
| Robert Morris Links | Game Notes | Roster | Schedule
|
Staten Island, NY - The Wagner men's basketball team, the overall No. 1 seed, begins its quest for its second-ever Northeast Conference Tournament championship Wednesday with a 7:00 p.m. tip against the defending league champions and No. 8 seed Robert Morris University Colonials.
As the top seed, Wagner, led by newly-named NEC Coach of the Year
Bashir Mason, will host games as long as it remains alive in the tournament. That's a good thing for the Seahawks, who are 11-3 within the friendly environs of the Spiro Sports Center this season while boasting a 52-17 home mark over the last five years. The Green & White are making their fourth appearance in the NEC Tournament as a No. 1 seed and hold a 3-0 record as the top overall seed.
The last time the Green & White were the No. 1 team entering the tournament was back during the 2002-03 campaign, in which the Seahawks ultimately won its first-ever league championship. The Seahawks and the Colonials will be squaring off in the NEC Tournament quarterfinals for the second straight year. Last season, RMU defeated the Seahawks, 91-68, at the Sewall Center (3/4/15).
- On the eve of the 2016 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament in which the Wagner men's basketball team will be the No. 1 seed, the league office has announced that fourth-year head coach Bashir Mason has been named the 2015-16 Jim Phelan Coach of the Year.
- Additionally, junior guard Michael Carey (Nassau, Bahamas/Lamar Consolidated [San Jacinto College]) and sophomore wing Corey Henson (Upper Marlboro, MD/DeMatha Catholic) were named to the All-NEC Second Team.
INSIDE THE SERIES:
- Wednesday evening's contest is the 69th all-time meeting between Wagner and Robert Morris with the Colonials holding a 41-27 edge in the head-to-head series.
- These teams are meeting for the second time in a five-day span as Wagner and RMU concluded the 2016 NEC regular season with the Green & White earning a 62-54 victory at the Spiro Sports Center.
- All-time in the NEC Tournament, the Seahawks are 2-4 against the Colonials, dropping the last three meetings.
- The last time the Seahawks defeated RMU in the NEC Tournament was back on March 3, 2005, a 69-65 victory with Wagner being the No. 6 seed that season. The Colonials were the No. 3 seed.
NIT BERTH IN BACK POCKET:
- When Wagner won its second NEC regular season title last Thursday, the Seahawks assured themselves of a berth to the Postseason NIT berth if they fail to go on to win the tournament title.
- The Seahawks have appeared in three previous NIT appearances, the most recent back in 2001-02 season when Wagner finished 19-10; 15-5 NEC.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME:
- Sophomore guard Corey Henson is pouring in 15.1 ppg in 14 games at the Spiro Sports Center this season while shooting 44.7 percent from the floor and 37.0 percent from three-point range in 31.4 minutes a contest.
- Junior guard Michael Carey is averaging a double-double at home this season, recording 13.4 ppg and 10.8 rpg in 14 games, ten of which he has started. The Nassau, Bahamas native is shooting 50.4 percent from the field.
- Under fourth-year head coach, Bashir Mason, the Seahawks are 40-14 at the Spiro Sports Center.
- In home NEC games this season, Wagner is 6-3 while outscoring its opponents by a +7.2 margin.
- All-time, Wagner is 151-79 since the Spiro Sports Center opened on February 20, 1999, when the Seahawks earned a 78-56 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.
UP NEXT FOR WAGNER:
- A win over RMU in Wednesday's quarterfinal match will allow Wagner to host one of the two semifinal contests, which will air on MSG and FCS at a time to be announced by the league office.
- Two wins for Wagner will place the Seahawks in the NEC championship game, to be televised by ESPN2, and contested on Tuesday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m.
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 Wagner MBasketball on Twitter (@Wagner_MBB) for the latest news and updates on the 2015-16 Wagner Men's Basketball team and head coach Bashir Mason (@BashirMason) for news on the fourth-year head coach.
