Pictured Above: Sophomore
Nigel Jackson (photo by Adrienne Terzuoli)
Box Score
Hacksensack, NJ – Career-high scoring days by sophomore forward
Nigel Jackson and freshman guard
Jonathan Norfleet were not enough as the Wagner men's basketball team suffered a 74-66 defeat in its final regular season road contest at Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the setback, the Seahawks qualified for this year's Northeast Conference (NEC) tournament and are in a two-way tie for fifth place with an even 8-8 conference mark with two games to play.
Wagner head coach Bashir Mason has now led the Seahawks to berth in the NEC Tournament in each of his seven seasons at the helm of the Seahawk program. As a program, the Green & White have qualified for nine consecutive NEC appearances.
The Knights, who were led by Darnell Edge's 22 points, improve to 15-13 overall and 10-6 in league play.
Jackson's career-high 22 points off the bench all came in the second half on 8-of-12 shooting, including four makes from downtown as Norfleet, the second Seahawk in double figures, also set a career mark with 16 points.
Trailing 31-25 at the half, Jackson rattled off a series of three-pointers and scored 16 of Wagner's first 18 points in the second half in an attempt to fuel a comeback, but his three-pointer with 15:29 to play to make it 42-36 was the closest the Seahawks would get as the Knights pulled away for the victory.
Wagner held a 16-7 edge in points off turnovers and held a 24-5 advantage in bench points. Redshirt senior guard
Romone Saunders led Wagner with seven rebounds while also chipping in seven points. Fellow redshirt senior
AJ Sumbry added six boards and five points on the afternoon.
The Knights had the advantage on the glass, out-rebounding Wagner 30-27 on the afternoon while shooting 51.3% from the field and 53.3% from beyond the arc, while holding the Seahawks to 38.9% accuracy from the floor.
Wagner held a slim advantage to start the game, as a Norfleet three and a Sumbry layup made it 3-0 and 5-4, respectively.
The Seahawks will look to improve their postseason seed in their last two contests, as they host Saint Francis U on Thursday night at 7 pm, before welcoming Robert Morris to the Spiro Sports Center on Saturday in a 4:00 p.m. Senior Day tip-off.
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