Smithfield, RI - Four Seahawks scored in double-figures, led by senior forward
Kem Nwabudu, as the Wagner women's basketball team remained undefeated in Northeast Conference (NEC) action, defeating Bryant 68-52, on Thursday evening at the Chace Athletic Center.
Nwabudu nearly tallied her second double-double of the season, as she led the way for Wagner (9-3; 3-0 NEC) with a team-high 15 points and corralled a team-best nine rebounds in the victory.
The Elmont, NY native went 6 of 13 from the field in her 31 minutes of action while adding two steals.
The trio of Lina Loceniece/Emilija Krista Grava/Zhaneia Thybulle accounted for 37 of the team's 68 points in a reserve role while shooting a combined 14 of 26 from the field and 6 of 10 from the outside.
Loceniece came within a point of matching her career-high, as she netted 14 points in 24 minutes of action. The three-time NEC Rookie of the Week award winner converted on 5 of 10 from the field, which was highlighted by a 4 of 8 marksmanship from the outside. She also grabbed four streaks in the victory.
Krista Grava logged 27 minutes of action while hitting 13 points on a 5 of 10 shooting performance from the floor. The Lignate, Latvia native matched her career-best in assists, as she distributed a team-high five helpers.
Thybulle scored half of her points in the first quarter, as she finished 4 of 6 from the floor while grabbing three rebounds.
Bryant (3-11; 1-2 NEC), who had six players play in tonight's contest, was paced back Shannon O'Connor, who netted a game-high 17 points on 6 of 12 shooting from the field while also pulling down eight rebounds over the full forty minutes.
Fatou Jallow contributed 12 points on just 3 of 12 shooting from the field. Brooke Bjelko, who entered play as the fifth-leading scorer in the conference this season, finished with 11 points.
Inside-The-Boxscore...
- Wagner moves to 3-0 to start the conference for the first time since the 1998-99 season when the Seahawks jumped out to a 4-0 league start.
- That season the Green & White earned victories over St. Francis Brooklyn, LIU, Robert Morris, and Saint Francis U before the win streak snapped at then-league member, UMBC (1/2/99).
- The 1998-99 team, coached by Tara Gallagher, finished the year 16-12 and 13-7 in league contests.
- The Green & White defense was on full display this evening, as the visitors recorded 21 steals and converted 26 Bulldog turnovers into 36 points.
- Wagner rewrote the history books, as the 21 steals tonight against the Bulldogs is now the most in program history, surpassing the previous high of 17, set back on March 8, 1988, against Loyola (MD).
- The Seahawks now hold the most steals in a game this season, moving ahead of Bryant, who had 20 against Fisher back on Nov. 24.
- Junior Drayah Heyward, who scored four points, was active in all facets of the contest, pulling down seven boards and grabbing five steals.
- This marks the third straight game in which the Newark, NJ native has recorded at least four steals in a game and fifth overall for the year.
- For only the second time all season, Wagner allowed an opponent to shoot over 30.0 percent from three-point distance, as Bryant converted 3 of 9 from long range.
- The Seahawks entered play tonight ranked among the top-ten nationally in both three-point field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage defense.
- Sophomore Marisa Sanchez-Henry earned her first career start, logging 17 minutes while scoring eight points while adding three steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
First Quarter…
- Bryant scored the first four points of the contest before upping the lead to 7-3 as Wagner's first basket of the contest came on Sanchez-Henry's three-pointer off the feed from Cowan.
- Jallow pushed the Bulldog lead to six, 9-3, after hitting a pair from the line before Cowan was able to hit a tough, contested floating jumper in the paint to trim the deficit.
- Bryant held a 10-point advantage, 15-5, following a triple from Jallow with 3:47 remaining in the stanza before Krista Grava netted her first points of the contest on the ensuing Wagner possession.
- Krista Grava's first points of the game triggered a 12-4 outburst by the visitors over the final three minutes of the quarter as the game was knotted at 19-19 after Thybulle was able to hit her now patented, stepback jumper before the horn sounded.
Second Quarter…
- Golden opened up the second quarter making the front-end of a two-shot foul as Bryant regained the lead.
- The two teams staggered to find their offense rhythm, but the Seahawks managed to outscore the Bulldogs, 10-5, over the final 7:14 of the quarter to take a 31-28 lead into the intermission.
- Wagner outscored Bryant, 12-9, in the frame, with both teams combining to shoot 7 of 24 from the floor, while the Green & White hit the lone trifecta of the quarter.
Third Quarter…
- O'Connor scored the first four points for the home team but Sanchez-Henry and Nwabudu were able to string together baskets for the Seahawks, as Wagner went up by three, 35-32, in the early moments of the quarter.
- Bryant continued to chip into Wagner's lead, outscoring the Seahawks 10-9, over the final 6:42, but the Seahawks held on for a two-point lead heading into the final frame.
Fourth Quarter…
- The momentum shifted in Wagner's favor, as the Seahawks went on an 11-2 run over a 4:37 span that saw the lead increase to 55-44 with 4:30 left to play as Sanchez-Henry was able to make the backend of a two-shot foul.
- Wagner would go on to put the game out of reach, ending the contest outscoring Bryant, 13-6, as the Seahawks improved to 9-3 overall and 3-0 in league play.
Next Up For Wagner…
- The Seahawks will have a quick turnaround as they will head to Fairfield, CT on Saturday to tangle with Sacred Heart.
