Staten Island, NY - After opening the Northeast Conference (NEC) schedule with back-to-back road games, at Central Connecticut and at Mount St. Mary's, the Wagner women's basketball returns to the friendly confines of the Spiro Sports Center to meet the Fairleigh Dickinson University Knights in the Seahawks' league home opener at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday.
In the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Wagner men's team will host Sacred Heart in a 4:00 p.m. tip.
About the Seahawks
Wagner (1-12) is under the direction of first-year head coach
Heather Jacobs, who arrived on Grymes Hill in April after building championship programs at Division III Daniel Webster College, and most recently, Division II Adelphi College. The Seahawks are led in scoring by 5-8 junior guard
Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) who averages 11.6 points per game and in rebounding by 5-8 sophomore guard
Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus), who averages 6.4 caroms per game, who recently had a career-high 12-rebound effort at CCSU (12/29). Freshman
Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian) has been named the NEC Rookie of the Week two straight times, having earned her most recent honor on Monday after averaging 16.0 points and 10. 0 rebounds in games at CCSU (12/29) and at the Mount (12/31), highlighted by a career-high 20-point vs. effort vs. CCSU. Freshman
Kellie Crouch (North Brunswick, NJ / St. John Vianney) and McClure check in at 7.9 and 7.2 ppg., respectively, while freshman
Corinn Baggs (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Academy) averages 3.7 ppg., and 5.4 rpg., and is coming off a career-high 10-point game at the Mount (12/31).
About the FDU Knights
Like Wagner, FDU has one player averaging in double figures with redshirt senior 5-7 forward Brianna Thomas checking in at 13.0 points per game, in addition to a team-high 5.2 rebounds per game. Senior 5-7 guard Kiana Brown is next in scoring for the Knights at 9.6 ppg., followed by the trio of 6-1 junior forward Amina Markovic (7.7), 5-9 sophomore guard Madelynn Comly (6.9) and 6-2 freshman forward Lauren Francillon who chips in 6.3 points per outing. FDU's wins come in consecutive games early in the season when the Knights knocked off Longwood, 75-59 (11/18), before earning a 66-61 victory at NJIT (11/21). FDU posted a +6.50 per game turnover margin during NEC opening weekend in home losses to Saint Francis U and Robert Morris. The league-high margin was fueled by 26 steals in two games. For the season, the Knights rank second amongst NEC steals team leaders (9.54 spg). The Knights' last three games have been decided by a total of eight points and through two NEC games, FDU is ranked second in scoring at 71.5 points per contest.
Something in Common
Wagner and Fairleigh Dickinson played two common opponents during the non-conference portion of their respective schedules in NJIT and Army West Point. The Seahawks were 0-2 in these meetings while the Knights were 1-1 in these contests.
Wagner vs. NJIT/Army West Point
11/12: NJIT 68, Wagner 45 (Newark, NJ)
12/5: Army West Point 85, Wagner 40 (West Point, NY)
FDU vs. NJIT/Army West Point
11/21: FDU 66, NJIT 61 (Newark, NJ)
11/26: Army West Point 86, FDU 58 (Teaneck, NJ)
Something's Gotta Give
Both teams will be looking to snap long losing streaks as the injury-plagued Seahawks have dropped 11 straight while the Knights enter Saturday's play with a 10-game losing streak.
Wagner Last Time Out
The Wagner women's basketball team was crisp early in building a nine-point first-half lead but Mount St. Mary's rallied to forge a 31-31 tie at the half and went on to post a 66-47 Northeast Conference (NEC) win over the Seahawks last Saturday at Knott Arena. The Mount outscored Wagner 23-7 in a decisive third quarter in building a comfortable 54-38 lead entering the final frame. Kayla Agentowicz led three Mountaineers in double figures with a game-high 15 points while Ashlee White and Juliette Lawaless tallied 14 and 10 points, respectively. Freshman
Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian) continued her fine play for the Seahawks. Despite being hampered by foul trouble, Phills narrowly missed her third double-double of the season and second straight, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, and nine rebounds. In addition to her 12-point, nine-rebound effort, which came in 31 minutes of action, the 5-9 Phills added two steals, one assist and one blocked shot. In her last three games – at Princeton (12/21), at CCSU (12/29) and at the Mount (12/31) – the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week is averaging a robust 16.0 points and 9.3 rebounds. This productive three-game stretch has upped her season averages to 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Tying for team-high scoring honors for the Green & White was another freshman,
Kellie Crouch (North Brunswick, NJ / St. John Vianney). The 5-6 guard recorded her 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, with all of the made and attempted field goals coming from three-point range. Crouch, who is shooting a team-best 36.0 percent (27-of-75) from beyond the arc on the season, matched her career-high output as she also delivered a 12-point effort vs. Albany back on December 10. Freshman guard
Corinn Baggs (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Academy) made her presence felt this afternoon as well, tossing in a career-high 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting while pulling down six rebounds. The 5-10 Baggs' previous career best was a seven-point outing at St. John's (12/17).
Wagner All-Time vs. FDUToday's game marks the 71st all-time meeting between the schools and Fairleigh Dickinson holds a 37-33 edge in the all-time series. In games played on Staten Island, the Seahawks are 16-15 vs. the Knights. On the road all-time vs. FDU, the Seahawks are 15-19. The teams are 1-1 in neutral site games.
Up Next
On Monday, January 9, Wagner will entertain Sacred Heart in a 7:00 p.m. start before rounding out the three-game home stretch against Robert Morris in a 1:00 p.m. affair on Saturday, January 14.
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