Staten Island, NY – Wagner turned in its best offensive shooting performance of of the season, but Central Connecticut was able to break open a tie game in the final five minutes in outlasting the Seahawks by an 83-71 count in a high-tempo, back-and-forth contest that featured 12 lead changes and five ties tonight at the Spiro Sports Center.
 
The Seahawks' two-game winning streak, which came over St. Francis Brooklyn (55-43) and at Fairleigh Dickinson (74-66), came to an end despite recording season highs in shooting (59.2%), and field goals made (29). With the win, CCSU improves to 9-14 on the season, 8-4 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play while Wagner falls to 3-20 overall and 2-10 in league.
 
Wagner was led by a trio of freshmen as Corinn Baggs (Staten Island, NY / Staten Island Academy) and five-time NEC Rookie of the Week Kerstie Phills (Charlotte, NC / Charlotte Christian) scored 18 points apiece while classmate Kellie Crouch (North Brunswick, NJ / St. John VIanney) added 17 in accounting for 53 of the Seahawks' 71 points.
 
For Baggs, the 18-point outing set a career high while Crouch's 17-point effort tied her career best. With her 18 points tonight, Phills has now hit for double digits in 13 straight games, including all 12 NEC contests, and 15 of her last 16 overall. Sophomore guard Julia McClure (Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus) helped key the efficient offensive execution by distributing a career-high nine assists on the evening.
 
Wagner shot a sizzling 80 percent from the floor in each of the first (12-of-15) and third quarters (8-of-10). The Blue Devils, however, were hot throughout from both three-point range (11-of-23, 47.8%) and the free throw line where they shot 28-of-34 (82.4%) overall, including 94.4% marksmanship from the charity stripe in the second half, sinking 17 of 18.
 
Conversely, Wagner went to the line just 14 times on the evening of which the Seahawks made eight for a 57.1% showing while going 5-of-14 (35.7%) from beyond the arc.
 
The Seahawks scored their highest point total in a quarter this season in getting out to a 30-25 lead after the opening 10 minutes and trailed 44-41 at the intermission with those 41 points marking a season-high output for a half.
 
The Green & White opened the third quarter on a 16-8 binge en route to taking a 59-58 lead into the final quarter. Wagner then opened the fourth quarter on a 5-0 spurt in taking its biggest lead of the game of six, at 64-58, following a pair of free throws by junior guard Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ / Vineland) with 8:14 left to play.
 
The visitors then went on an 8-0 run, capped by an Aleah Epps jumper with 5:03 left, as the Blue Devils jumped back into the lead at 66-64. Phills answered with a driving, left-handed layup with 4:45 left in forging a 66-66 tie. Kiana Patterson then sank a pair of free throws with 4:28 to go, giving CCSU the lead for good at 68-66, triggering a game-ending 13-5 run to seal it.
 
In addition to the freshmen trio's 53 points, Wagner received a 12-point outing from Russell while McClure and senior forward Jackie Dluhi (Middletown, NJ / Middletown South) added four and two points, respectively. Baggs, Phills and senior forward Taylor Butigian (Rockaway Park, NY / Christ the King) tied for game-high honors in the rebounding department with six boards apiece. 
 
Central was sled by Patterson's game-high 22 points while Aleah Epps and Andi Lydon contributed 16 and 15 points, respectively. CCSU held a 21-9 edge in points off turnovers and a 9-0 margin in second-chance points while Seahawks enjoyed an overwhelming 38-18 advantage in points in the paint and a 19-17 lead in bench scoring.
 
With the win, Central sweeps the season series as the Blue Devils earned a 66-53 home win over Wagner in the NEC opener for both teams back on December 29.
 
Wagner, which is within two games of the top eight in the NEC standings, look to keep their league tourney hopes alive this weekend when they make the western Pennsylvania trip to play Robert Morris on Saturday, followed by a meeting at Saint Francis U on Monday.

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