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Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College men's basketball team will look to extend its win streak to six games as the Seahawks continue their homestand on Saturday, January 15, against St. Francis Brooklyn at 1:00 pm on NECFrontRow.
 
Morales Named To Lou Henson Award Watch List
 
Earlier this week, graduate student Alex Morales was named to the 2022 Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List. The award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in division I college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons. Morales is the only Northeast Conference (NEC) player featured on the list. 

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The reigning NEC Player of the Year is the only player in the conference to have earned three NEC Player of the Week awards so far this season after picking up the honor once more on Monday.
 
Morales led the Seahawks to a thrilling overtime victory over Bryant last Thursday, contributing 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, one steal, with no turnovers. Morales went 7-14 (50%) from the field and a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line in the contest, while scoring four of Wagner's nine points in the overtime period.
 
Morales became the first player in the nation this season to finish with at least 24 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and, two blocks in a contest in Wagner's win over the Bulldogs.
 
On the season, Morales is averaging 16.8 points, seven rebounds, 3.8 assists, and two steals per game, all of which lead the team. 
 
The Paterson, NJ native is the only player in the nation this season averaging at least 16.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.5 apg and 2.0 spg. There has not been a single DI player in the last three decades to finish with 16.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.5 spg, and also achieve 50/40/80 shooting splits. 
 
Seahawks Soar In The Rankings
 
The Seahawks checked in at #25 in the latest Mid-Major Top-25, released by Collegeinsider.com, this week.

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This marks the Seahawks' first appearance in the poll this season. Wagner is the only Northeast Conference (NEC) team ranked in the poll.
 
The Seahawks are 8-2 this season and have started conference play with a 4-0 mark. 
 
Entering this week, Wagner ranked 121^st in the KenPom rankings and 63^rd in the NCAA's NET rankings. 
 
Toughness Wins
 
Wagner's style of play has been rewarded many times this season and reflects well by the numbers.
 
Coming into this week, the Seahawks ranked 23^rd nationally in scoring defense (60.3 ppg), 24th in steals per game (+9.4), 27th in rebound margin (+7.7), 26th in scoring margin (+14.3), 31st in turnovers forced (16.7/game), 40th in 3P percentage defense (.292), and 45th in field goal percentage (.475). 
 
Wagner has been opportunistic during their two league games in getting out on the fast break 26 percent of the time, per Shot Quality. Wagner's shot quality points per possession metric leads the conference in league play at 1.11 SQ PPP, illustrating the team's efficiency in the open floor. Most recently they outscored Bryant in its overtime victory by a 26-6 margin in fast break points.
 
Wagner leads the NEC in scoring offense (74.6), scoring defense (60.3), scoring margin (+14.3), field goal percentage (.475), free throw percentage (.741), field goal percentage defense (.390), three-point percentage defense (.292), rebounding margin (+7.7) and A/TO ratio (1.21).
 
Last Time Out 
 
In an early candidate for Northeast Conference (NEC) Game of the Year, the Wagner earned a thrilling 84-81 overtime victory over Bryant last Thursday.
 
Tied at 71-71 with under a minute to play, the Bulldogs took the lead on a four-point play by Adham Eleeda. Following two free throws by graduate student Alex Morales on the ensuing possession, graduate student Elijah Ford came up with a clutch steal and fed freshman Zaire Williams for a game-tying layup, setting up the overtime period. 
 
Seahawks went on a 8-0 run in overtime, as Morales and Ford helped Wagner pull out the win with consecutive buckets. The Bulldogs came within three with one minute to play, but it wasn't enough, as the Seahawks earned the victory. 
 
Successful Non-Conference Slate 
 
Wagner concluded its non-conference season with a 6-2 record.
 
The Seahawks, who posted double-digit road wins at VCU, Stony Brook and Fairfield, and fell only at Seton Hall and Penn St., tied Monmouth for the fifth-highest win percentage in NEC history.
 
Wagner has accounted for three of the top-five non-conference campaigns in NEC annals, highlighted by a 9-2 mark in 2011-12.
 
Rogers Continues To Shine
 
Redshirt-senior Raekwon Rogers recorded his first double-double as a Seahawk with 15 points and 11 rebounds against Bryant. He converted 6-12 shots and also pitched in with three steals and a block. Rogers is the NEC's second most accurate shooter (.620), and is averaging 10.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg.
 
The Series
 
Saturday's game marks the 103^rd meeting between the two teams, with the Terriers leading the all-time series 54-47. Wagner swept the two-game series last season with a 74-67 victory followed by an 84-81 overtime win.
 
Scouting The Terriers
 
St. Francis Brooklyn enters the weekend with a 4-11 record, including a 1-3 mark in NEC play. Most recently, the Terriers fell by a score of 69-61 at Mount St. Mary's.
 
Mason's Milestone Victory
 
The victory over Fairfield marked the 150^th win of head coach Bashir Mason's coaching career. Mason is already Wagner's winningest coach in the Division I era and reached the milestone in 276 games, winning more than 54% of his games
 
Mason was named to the Athletic's "40 Under 40 – Rising Stars In Men's College Basketball" list.
 
According to the article, which features Mason at #15, Mason "has established himself as one of the top mid-major coaches in America."
 
Last season, Mason entered elite territory, becoming just the second coach in the conference's 40-year history to win three Jim Phelan Coach of the Year honors, joining NEC Hall of Fame coach Howie Dickenman, who earned the distinction four times in his storied career at CCSU.
 
Following the 2020-21 season, Mason was also a finalist for the 2020-21 Hugh Durham Award, which is presented annually to the top Division I mid-major coach in college basketball. 
 
Wagner's head coach was also a finalist for the Ben Jobe award, which is presented annually to the top Division I minority coach.
 
Mason was the youngest head coach at the Division I level when he was named the 18th head men's basketball coach in school history on March 26, 2012 and is the fastest coach to win 100 games in Seahawk history.
 
The Schedule 
 
The Seahawks will conclude their homestand against Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday at 7:00 pm. For special ticket promotions, visit wagnerathletics.com/tickets.