Box Score | Box Score (HTML)
Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College women's basketball team held a eight-point lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter before the Bryant University Bulldogs used a 15-5 run to take a slim two-point advantage they did not relinquish as the Seahawks dropped the regular season finale, 65-53, on Thursday evening at the Spiro Sports Center.
With the loss, the Seahawks will be the No. 8 seed in the upcoming Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament, as they will travel to Moon Township, PA to face the top-seed Robert Morris University Colonials on Monday, March 9 at 7:00 pm.
Three Seahawks finished in double figures this evening, as junior
Khaleah Edwards and freshman guard
Alex Cowan each netted 12 points with Cowan hitting on 3 of 5 from beyond-the-arc. Sophomore forward
Emilija Krista Grava finished with ten points and a team-high seven rebounds to go along with three blocks. Redshirt junior guard
Morgan Lenahan dished out a team-leading seven helpers in 23 minutes of action. Junior
Alayshia Dailey swiped a game-high five steals.
Four of the seven Bryant players to see action tonight scored in double digits, led by Brooke Bjelko's game-high 19 points on 7 of 11 shooting from the floor and hitting on 5 of 7 from the free-throw line. Masey Zegarowski chipped in 15 points while Nicole Gallagher (12 points) and Sydney Holloway (10 points) rounded out the scoring for the visitors. Zegarowski dished out six helpers while Taty LaFrance Boyce had four steals.
The Basics:
- Records: Wagner (10-19; 6-12 NEC) | Bryant (10-19; 8-10 NEC)
- Series History - Bryant leads the all-time head-to-head series, 18-3
- Season Series - Wagner 1 | Bryant 1
- Both teams traded baskets early on in the contest, with neither team leading by more than one point.
- Katrice Jackson's layup sparked a 6-0 run that upped Wagner's lead to 13-6 before Krista Grava capped the run with a layup of her own.
- Bjelko converted the traditional three-point that closed the gap to 13-9 in concluding the first quarter.
Second Quarter
- The Seahawks opened the second on a 6-2 burst that bumped the lead to 19-11 following a Cowan three-pointer.
- Bryant tied the game at 24 with a 13-5 run over a near five minute stretch in which the visitors converted 6 of 7 from the floor while forcing four Seahawk turnovers.
- Gallagher's three-pointer gave the Bulldogs a slim, three-point edge, 27-24, with 2:24 left before the break.
- Krista Grava briefly halted Bryant's momentum with a layup of her own before Bjelko answered back with a bucket that helped Bryant close out the half, scoring six of the final nine points in taking a 33-29 advantage.
Third Quarter
- Krista Grava opened the scoring for the Seahawks to start the second half before an 8-0 Bryant run increased the visitors lead, thanks to a layup from Bjelko.
- Edwards' three-point gave the junior guard ten for the game while trimming the deficit down to seven, 41-34.
- Mullen continued Wagner's comeback attempt with a triple in front of her team's bench, bringing the home team to within four, 41-37, at the 7:42 mark of the quarter.
- The Bulldogs went back ahead by double-figures, 52-39, on the heels of a 8-2 run as Zegarwoski's three-pointer off-the-feed from Gallagher were the final points of the stanza.
Fourth Quarter
- In the final frame, Wagner was able to get to within 11 points on two occasions.
- The first, with 7:43 showing on the game clock, cut the Bryant lead to 53-42 on Cowan's third three-pointer of the evening.
- Krista Grava finished around the basket in recording her tenth point of the contest that made it 60-49 with just 3:04 left to go.
- The two teams split the final six points (3-3) with the Bulldogs holding on for the 12-point victory.
Inside The Boxscore:
- The Seahawks were out-rebounded, 38-29, despite holding a slim 12-11 edge on the offensive glass.
- Wagner converted 13 points off of 23 Bryant turnovers.
- The Green & White swiped 16 steals
- Bryant, who outscored Wagner, 43-26 between the second and third quarters, limited the Seahawks to a combined 9 of 25 from the field and 5 of 12 shooting from three-point range while hitting on 18 of 29 from the field during that span and 7 of 10 from the outside.
Highlights:
Postgame Comments:
Up Next For Wagner:
- The 2020 NEC Tournament begins on Monday, March 9 as the Seahawks, who will be the No. 8 seed, travel to defending league champions Robert Morris.
- TIp-off is set for 7:00 pm from the UMPC Events Center and will be streamed live on NEC Front Row.
