Staten Island, NY - The Wagner men's basketball team will look to return to the .500 mark when the Seahawks host the Hartford University Hawks of the America East Conference in a 2:00 p.m. tip at the Spiro Sports Center.
 
About the Seahawks
*The Green & White are guided by two-time and reigning Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year Bashir Mason (113-84, .574), the fastest coach to win 100 games in Seahawk history, who has developed 12 All-NEC selections during his tenure,

From our family to yours - happy holidays! #Attitude pic.twitter.com/t8cX62UWdR

— Wagner Men's Basketball (@Wagner_MBB) December 20, 2018

 
*In his seventh season at the helm of the Seahawk ship, Mason was the youngest head coach at the Division I level when he was named the 18th head men's basketball coach in school history on March 26, 2012. At age 34, he remains one of the nation's youngest head coaches, checking in as the sixth-most youthful head coach heading into the 2018-19 campaign.
 
*Defense and rebounding have been at the forefront of Wagner's success throughout Mason's tenure and the 2018-19 season has been no different. With just two non-conference games remaining before NEC play begins next month, the Seahawks top the league in both field goal percentage defense (.433) and rebounding margin (+9.0). That +9.0 rebounding margin also ranks No. 22 in the nation.
 
*The Green and White, who were picked fourth in the 2018-19 NEC Preseason Poll, are paced in scoring by redshirt senior guard, and captain, Romone Saunders who checks in with a 17.6 points per game average, a figure that ranks fifth in the NEC.  Saunders is also tied for fourth in the NEC in free throw percentage (.868).
 
*Additionally, the 6-3 Temple Hills, MD native enters Sunday's play having scored 999 career points following a 17-point outing at St. John's.
 
*Physical 6-8, 230-pound redshirt senior AJ Sumbry mans the post for the Seahawks and, in addition to quarterbacking the Wagner defense, is averaging career-best numbers with 10.6 ppg. and a team-high 7.6 rpg. (3rd in NEC). Sumbry is also tied for 5th in the league at 1.0 blocks per game.
 
Last Time Out for Wagner
*Redshirt senior guard Romone Saunders tossed in 17 points to get within one point of the 1,000-point career mark and Wagner held an early second-half lead before undefeated St. John's pulled away for a 73-55 win on Sunday.
 
*With the loss, the Seahawks fall to 4-5 on the season while the Redstorm raced out to their first 10-0 start since the 1982-83 season (now 11-0).
 
*The Green & White stood toe-to-toe with their Big East counterparts during a first half that saw Wagner take the lead on four different occasions. Sophomore guard Chase Freeman paced the Seahawks with eight first-half points, sophomore forward Nigel Jackson had six, while Saunders chipped in with five first-half points.

OOOOOOHHH CHANCE ANDERSON WITH THE SLAM! #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/tbk0q564Rq

— Wagner Men's Basketball (@Wagner_MBB) December 16, 2018

 
*After Wagner fell behind by a 17-13 count at the 10:22 mark following a Bryan Trimble. Jr. three-pointer, Wagner played its best stretch of basketball over the game's next four minutes, going on a 10-2 run, keyed by a trio of three-pointers, in building its biggest lead of the game, a 23-19 edge with 6:05 to go before the break.
 
*Saunders capped the Seahawk spurt with five unanswered points on a pair of free throws, followed by a three-pointer, that gave the Seahawks that 23-19 lead. The Red Storm then closed the half on a 10-5 run in eking out the 29-28 advantage at the intermission.
 
*Saunders opened the second half with a 10-foot jumper to give the Seahawks a 30-29 lead but this would prove to be the final lead of the game for the Seahawks. Following Saunders' jumper, St. John's got hot from deep, knocking down a flurry of three-pointers during a pivotal 20-3 run that staked the Red Storm to a 49-33 lead with 13:08 left in the game and SJU never looked back.
 
About Hartford
*Hartford, which was picked second in the America East Preseason Poll behind only league favorite Vermont, enters Saturday's play with a 5-7 record on the season.
 
*The Hawks are seeking their third consecutive win following victories over NEC member Bryant (91-74) and Oakland (87-82).
 
*The Hawks are coached by John Gallagher, who was tabbed the 2018 America East Co-Coach of the Year after guiding Hartford to a 19-14 record and a league mark of 11-5. Overall, the eighth-year head coach is 111-157.
 
*Hartford is led in scoring by 6-8 redshirt senior forward Johnn Carroll who checks in at 16.9 points per game. Senior 6-4 guard Jason Dunne checks in at 14.5 ppg. while reigning America East Player of the Week, 6-8 senior forward George Blagojevic, averages 14.4 ppg. and a team-best 8.2 rebounds per week.
 
*Blagojevic had a pair of impressive performances in copping America East Player of the Week honors, averaging 27.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in those wins against Bryant and Oakland.
 
*The forward got his week going with a bang, compiling his second double-double of the season to lead Hartford to that 91-74 win at Bryant on Wednesday. A native of Geelong, Australia, he posted the Hawks' first 30-point performance since classmate Travis Weatherington dropped 34 against Binghamton last season (Jan. 17), tallying a career-high 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting while adding a personal-best 15 rebounds.
 
*The senior had another explosive offensive performance against Oakland on Sunday, scoring a team-high 24 points, shooting 8-of-11 shooting from the field to pace the Hawks to an 87-82 victory. The forward also stuffed the stat sheet with team-best numbers in rebounds (7), assists (5) and steals (4). 
 
All-Time Series
*Saturday's contest between the Seahawks and Hawks marks second-ever meeting between the schools with the initial matchup coming a season ago when Wagner posted a 72-50 win in West Hartford, CT.
 
All-Time vs. America East Conference
*Against current members of the America East Conference, the Green & White hold a record of 20-17. Hartford marks the second America East opponent that the Seahawks will play this season as Wagner dropped an 88-84 overtime decision at UMass Lowell back on November 10.
 
*The America East team that Wagner has played the most games against is last season's NCAA Tournament darling and former NEC member UMBC, as Wagner and the Retrievers have met nine times.
 
*The only America East school the Seahawks have never played is Binghamton.
 
 Next Up:
*The Seahawks are next in action on Saturday, December 29 when Wagner closes out the calendar year with a matchup at Saint Joseph's of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
 
*Tip-off between the Seahawks and the Hawks in Philadelphia is set for 2:00 p.m. The Wagner-St. Joe's game will mark the final non-conference game of the season for the Seahawks who begin NEC play on January 3 at Central Connecticut.

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