Pictured Above: Junior
Elijah Ford
Staten Island, NY – Five Seahawks scored in double figures to lead the Wagner College basketball team to a 72-64 victory over LIU on Monday afternoon at the Spiro Sports Center.
Wagner led for more than 39 minutes and improves to 5-12 overall and 2-4 in conference play, while the Sharks fall to 9-10 and 4-2 in league play.
Graduate student
Curtis Cobb III led the Seahawks with 19 points, including 6-10 shooting from long range, while junior
Elijah Ford added 16 points after replacing the injured
Nigel Jackson in the starting lineup.
Graduate student
Patrick Szpir poured in 11 points, while juniors
Chase Freeman and
Alex Morales added 10 points apiece.
The Seahawks put together a 10-0 run early on, jumping out to a 10-3 lead after a traditional three-point play by Szpir, while four threes by Cobb gave Wagner a 42-33 advantage at the half. As a team, Wagner shot 60% (15-25) in the first period.
Both teams battled early on in the second half, and traditional three-point play by Ford with 8:33 to play gave Wagner its largest lead of the game at 60-47.
The Sharks fought back, cutting the deficit to as little as three points with 5:54 to play, but multiple free throws and a basket by Ford extended the lead back to 66-60 with 2:07 to play. LIU's final shot at a comeback was turned away, as Cobb connected on his sixth three of the game with 1:10 remaining to make it 72-62, giving the Seahawks their first home victory in conference play.
A traditional "Wagner win", head coach
Bashir Mason's team outrebounded its opponent 36-24, as Szpir led the way with nine boards, while Morales and Ford hauled in eight rebounds apiece. The Seahawk defense held the Sharks to 43.8% shooting from the field throughout the game, while holding a 15-4 advantage in second chance points.
Next up, the Seahawks will take the road for a matchup with Bryant on Thursday night at 7pm, before traveling to Central Connecticut on Saturday at 3:30 pm.
MLK Day Celebration
As part of the Northeast Conference's (NEC) #AllinBallOut campaign, the Seahawks played a rare Monday matchup in celebration of Martin Luther King Day. Throughout the Northeast Conference, the focus of the day was on celebrating diversity, equality and unity on both our campuses and throughout our local communities.
Suits And Sneakers
Wagner head coach
Bashir Mason and his staff were be seen on the sidelines wearing sneakers to support Coaches vs. Cancer. Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Week is a nationwide event that unites basketball coaches across the country for a common cause – saving lives from cancer. Coaches and their staff across the nation wear sneakers with their suits during games to raise awareness, helping to save lives by raising funds and encouraging people to educate themselves about cancer prevention, screening, and early detection.2019-2020 Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers games will support childhood cancer research, services, and awareness, as well as promote cancer prevention efforts targeting children.
