Pictured Above: Senior
Alex Morales
Staten Island, NY – Four Seahawks scored in double figures, led by senior
Alex Morales' 18 points, and head coach
Bashir Mason's signature defense held Sacred Heart to just 29.6% shooting from the field, leading the Wagner men's basketball team to a wire-to-wire 74-46 victory over the Pioneers on Monday at the Spiro Sports Center.
In front of a national audience on ESPN3 and SNY, the Seahawks converted on 8-14 three-pointers and combined for 17 assists in earning their first victory of the season.
The dynamic duo of first-year Seahawks
Elijah Allen and
DeLonnie Hunt contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively, while senior
Elijah Ford was the fourth Seahawk in double figures with 10 points. In his first action of the season, senior
Will Martinez led all players with 10 rebounds while also scoring eight points.
Tonight's crucial sequence came midway through the first half, as a 13-0 Wagner run made it 30-16 in favor of the Seahawks with 2:28 to play in the first period.
The Wagner scoring run featured multiple traditional three-point plays by Ford and two baskets by Allen while holding the Pioneers scoreless for 5:16 minutes.
Leading 36-18 at the half, a three by senior
Nigel Jackson with 18:50 to play extended the lead to 20, while another three by Allen capped a 10-0 Seahawk run with 6:31 to play to make it 66-38, as Wagner closed out the game for the win.
Overall, the Seahawks held a 44-37 advantage on the glass, while outscoring the Pioneers 34-26 in the paint and holding a 21-11 advantage in bench points.
Both teams will meet again tomorrow at the Spiro Sports Center, with game two of the series set to tip off at 4:00 pm.
