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Staten Island, NY – Behind a season-high 32 points from junior forward
Emilija Krista Grava, the Wagner College women's basketball team outlasted the newly minted Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season champions, the Mount St. Mary's University Mountaineers, 73-68, in double overtime on Friday in the 2020-21 regular-season finale.
Wagner finished the year at 12-5 (12-4 NEC) and secured the No. 2 seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament, which will be played at the Spiro Sports Center on Wednesday, March 10 at 7:00 p.m.
The Mountaineers wrapped up the year with its first regular-season title in over 20 years at 15-6 and 14-4 in conference matches. The Mount welcomes the No. 4 seed, Fairleigh Dickinson, to Emmitsburg, MD. in the other semifinal contest.
Krista Grava converted on 15 of 26 from the field while picking up five rebounds in her 35 minutes of action. Senior
Khaleah Edwards joined Krista Grava in double-figures, adding in 17 points, seven of which came in the two extra sessions.
Three Mountaineers finished in double figures, led by an 18-point performance from Michaela Harrison. Aryna Taylor chipped in 15 points while Bridget Birkhead contributed 12 points on 5 of 12 shooting off-the-bench.
Kendall Bresee, who came into today's contest averaging 15.1 points per game (third among all-NEC players) was held in check, netting just four points on 2 of 13 shooting from the field. Bresee, however, cleaned up on the glass, securing a game-high 12 rebounds (11 on the defensive end).
2020-21 NEC Tournament At A Glance…
- Wagner's 12 wins on the season (both in the conference and overall) are the most wins under head coach Heather Jacobs' tenure.
- The last time the Seahawks posted at least 12 overall wins was able in 2010-11 under Wagner Hall of Famer, Gela Mikalauskas.
- The 12 league victories are the most since 2002-03 when the Seahawks went 10-8 under Tara Gallagher.
- All-time, this season marks the 12th time that the Seahawks have recorded double-digit conference victories.
- The Seahawks will be the No. 2 seed in the upcoming 2020-21 Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament.
- This year marks the first time the Seahawks have advanced to the semifinals since 2001-02, where they lost to Saint Francis U as a No. 5 seed.
- Wagner is the second seed in the NEC Tournament for the first time in program history.
Inside The Boxscore…
- Wagner shot 43.1 percent from the field and held the Mountaineers to 30.3 percent from the floor and 22.2 percent from three-point range.
- The Seahawks were a +3.0 on the boards (48-45) despite being out-rebounded 12-4 on the offensive glass.
- Five Seahawks pulled down at least five caroms in today's win (Kem Nwabudu, Alayshia Dailey and Khaleah Edwards grabbed seven boards while Krista Grava and Thybulled corralled five, respectively).
- The Green & White surpassed its season-high in assists, dishing out 22 in today's contest with m double figures after the first ten minutes, hitting for 12 points on 6 of 10 shooting.
How It Happened…
First Quarter
- The Seahawks held a 17-11 lead after the first quarter as Krista Grava netted 12 points on 6 of 10 shooting from the field.
- The Lignate, Latvia native outshot the Mountaineers in the opening frame, as Krista Grava hit on 6 of 10 from the floor while the Mount was held to just 4 of 16 in the opening frame for 11 points.
Second Quarter
- Mount St. Mary's got to within two, 17-15, in the opening minutes of the stanza.
- On the ensuing Seahawks possession, Nwabudu was able to bank one off the window and complete the three-point play from the line that pushed the Wagner advantage to 20-15.
- The visitors outscored Wagner, 8-4, over a two-minute span that saw the deficit scale down to one, 24-23, as Isabella Hunt converted on the layup.
- Krista Grava continued her scoring prowess in recording her 18th point at the 3:40 mark that gave Wagner a three-point edge, 26-23.
- The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the quarter, as the Seahawks claimed a 31-28 halftime lead.
Third Quarter
- Edwards kicked off the quarter with a three-pointer that increased Wagner's lead to 34-28.
- A quick 7-0 run gave the Mountaineers its first lead of the game, 35-34, as Rebecca Lee muscled her way inside for two.
- Krista Grava chipped into the lead after hitting from the free-throw line and put Wagner ahead, 38-37, at 5:20, after receiving the pass from Kate Tokuhara.
- Wagner closed out the quarter scoring six of the final ten points, as LaNiya Miller capped off the quarter with a pair from the free-throw line as the Seahawks took a 44-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
- Drayah Heyward soared to the hoop for two that extended the lead to 48-43 early on in the frame.
- Birkhead was at the forefront of the Mountaineers' comeback, as she tied the game at 48 with a three-pointer with 5:04 left to play.
- Krista Grava continued to score at will, as her layup at the 3:59 mark put the Seahawks ahead, 50-48 before Mount regained the lead with three free-throws from Taylor.
- On Wagner's next possession, Edwards, who invertedly fouled Taylor on the previous possession, made up for with a baseline jumper that put the Seahawks in front, 52-51, with 2:44 showing on the clock.
- Following Krista Grava's 30th point of the contest, Mount St. Mary's called for time with 1:41 remaining.
- When play resumed, Birkhead once again delivered a big basket for the visitors, knotting the game at 54 with 91 seconds to play.
- Mount had a chance to win the game but Michaela Harrison's last-second heave misfired as the game headed to the first overtime.
Overtime #1
- In the first extra session, the Mountaineers went ahead by four, 58-54, as Taylor continued to connect from the line.
- Harrison added a mid-range jumper, giving Mount St. Mary's its largest lead of the afternoon, 60-54, with 3:21 left.
- Wagner began the climb back in the contest, as Tokuhara spotted up from the wing and buried the three-pointer.
- The two teams traded points from the free-throw line before Edwards cashed in a big triple from Thybulle that tied the game at 62 with 36 seconds remaining.
- On Mount's next possession, Harrison missed a three and Edwards tracked down the loose ball and immediately called for time.
- With the ball moved to the side near the Seahawks' bench, Edwards was able to get a good look at the basket but was turned aside by Lee as the game headed for a second overtime, tied at 62.
Overtime #2
- Wagner scored first in the second overtime as Nwabudu powered her way in, breaking the stalemate.
- The Seahawks got the lead up to four, 66-62, as Thybulle spotted Edwards cutting towards the basket.
- The Mountaineers rallied to find themselves down one, 66-65, as Harrison completed the traditional three-point play from the line.
- The Green & White got one last basket from Krista Grava as Sanchez-Henry was able to thread the pass through one of the Mountaineers defenders as EKG easily laid it in, giving Wagner a 68-65 lead with 2:29 to go.
- Mount St. Mary's turned the ball over with 31 seconds left and Sanchez-Henry hit both attempts from the line that made it 70-65.
- The visitors gave one final push in the contest, as Lee completed the three-point play from the line, forcing Wagner to burn a timeout.
- Edwards made it a four-point game, 72-68, after hitting from the line and Thybulle iced the game by hitting the backend of a two-shot foul with 14 seconds as the Seahawks secured the win and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament.
