South Orange, NJ – The Wagner College men's basketball team begins its 99th season of basketball and 43rd as a Division I program when the Seahawks travel to South Orange, NJ to meet the Seton Hall University Pirates of the Big East Conference at Walsh Gymnasium in a contest that will be televised nationally on FS2 (FoxSports2).
About the Seahawks
- The 2018-19 Wagner men's basketball team features seven returners from last season's Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season championship team that compiled a 23-10 record and a 14-4 league mark and earned a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
- The Seahawks also welcome six newcomers, which includes a pair of players who sat out the season but will benefit from having competed in practice throughout last season.
- Led by two-time and reigning NEC Coach of the Year, Bashir Mason, the Green & White have earned NEC regular season titles and subsequent NIT berths in two of the last three seasons.
- After falling in the NEC title game in both 2016 and 2018, the Seahawks have established themselves as one of the NEC's marquee teams during Mason's six seasons at the helm, having reached the league tournament in each of Mason's six previous seasons.
- The Seahawks are 2-4 in season openers under seventh-year head coach, Bashir Mason and have won their last two lid-lifters
- Two years ago, the Green & White shocked then No. 18 ranked UConn, 67-58, before opening the 2017-18 campaign with a 60-49 victory at NJIT.
Wagner All-Time Series vs. Seton Hall
- This marks the 30th all-time meeting between the programs with Seton Hall leading 23-6 in the head-to-head series.
- Last season, these teams met at the Prudential Center in Newark and the Pirates came in ranked No. 23 nationally. After playing a tight first half, SHU pulled away for an 89-68 win.
- The Pirates are riding a nine-game win streak over the Seahawks, which includes a 69-59 victory on November 15, 2015, which marked the last time these two met at Walsh Gymnasium.
Wagner-Seton Hall Connections Abound
- The last time Wagner was victorious over the Pirates was back on January 31,1979, when the Seahawks edged Seton Hall, 95-90, in double overtime, one season before the Pirates joined the Big East.
- Wagner's coach at the time was eventual three-time NBA Champion, Wagner Hall of Famer and former SHU coach, PJ Carlesimo.
- P.J. Carlesimo, who went on to coach the Pirates to six NCAA Tournament appearances, two BIG EAST Tournament championships, and to the 1989 NCAA Champonship.
- Current Wagner head coach is Bashir Mason, who replaced none other than current UConn head coach Dan Hurley, the former Pirates' point guard, who scored over 1,000 points and played in two NCAA Tournaments at The Hall.
- Current Wagner assistant coach Donald Copeland, played for Seton Hall from 2002-06, scoring 754 career points and helping the Pirates reach the NCAA Tournaments in both 2004 and 2006.
Wagner All-Time vs. the Big East Conference.
- Against the current members of the Big East Conference, the Green & White are 8-53 all-time against the 10-team conference.
- Seton Hall is the first of two Big East foes the Seahawks will meet this season as Wagner travels to St. John's on December 16 in a game that will be televised on FS1 (FoxSports1).
Wagner Picked Fourth in NEC Preseason Poll
The Northeast Conference (NEC) preseason coaches' poll was announced on October 24 at the league's Social Media Day at Barclays Center, and the defending regular season champion Wagner men's basketball team was predicted to finish fourth by the coaches for the upcoming 2018-19 season. Saint Francis U was tabbed the preseason favorite, securing eight first-place votes. Fairleigh Dickinson was predicted to finish second while defending league champion LIU Brooklyn was picked third, with both the Knights and Blackbirds securing one first-place preseason vote apiece. Wagner checked in at fourth, Robert Morris was chosen fifth, with Central Connecticut and St. Francis Brooklyn taking the sixth and seventh spots, respectively. Bryant (8th), Sacred Heart (9th) and Mount St. Mary's round out the 10-team poll.
2018-19 NEC Men's Basketball
Preseason Poll
1. Saint Francis U (8)
2. Fairleigh Dickinson (1)
3. LIU Brooklyn (1)
4. Wagner
5. Robert Morris
6. Central Connecticut
7. St. Francis Brooklyn
8. Bryant
9. Sacred Heart
10. Mount St. Mary's
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Wagner Athletics
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