WATCH | Live Stats | Game Notes
New Rochelle, NY – The Wagner women's basketball team will travel to Iona for a non-conference contest on Thursday evening.
Last Time Out
The Wagner women's basketball team opened its season with a 63-60 overtime victory at Manhattan on Monday.
In the opening frame, the Jaspers outscored the Seahawks 17-11. Despite being outscored, the Seahawks forced five turnovers along with four blocks.
Wagner put its foot on the gas in the second quarter when they outscored Manhattan 20-12 on 8-15 shooting from the floor. Wagner also shot 2-4 from three-point land in the frame.
Wagner shot 4-14 from the field in the third quarter while going 1-4 from three as the Wagner defense forced two turnovers.
In the fourth quarter, both teams traded chances as Wagner outscored Manhattan 14-11. With Wagner down 54-52, fifth year senior
Kem Nwabudu made a layup with 19 seconds remaining to tie the game at 54.
After the Seahawks tied it, they were able to stop the Jaspers and force overtime.
To open overtime, sophomore
Lina Loceniece hit a three to give Wagner the advantage to start the period.
After Manhattan cut the Wagner lead to one, junior
Marisa Sanchez-Henry put Wagner up four. Down four, the Jaspers fought back to tie the game at 60 and the game remained deadlocked before senior
Drayah Heyward converted on a layup to give Wagner a 62-60 advantage.
Kem Nwabudu split two free throws to give Wagner a 63-60 advantage with two seconds remaining, the Seahawks stopped the Jaspers on its final possession to preserve the win.
As a team, the Seahawks shot 8-19 from three-point range as Wagner's bench outscored Manhattan's 27-9.
Kem Nwabudu led the way for Wagner with 12 points and 11 rebounds in the contest while graduate student
Zhaneia Thybulle had seven points and six assists.
Preseason Favorites
The Wagner women's basketball program was predicted to finish first in the league's annual preseason poll.
Selected by the league's head coaches as the 2022-23 NEC preseason favorite, Wagner has its sights set on claiming the NEC title, a feat that has only occurred just one other time, back in 1989. It marked the first time in 30-plus years — and quite possibly the first time in program history — that the Seahawks earned No. 1 preseason status.
The Seahawks, who came short of reaching the NEC Championship game a year ago after falling in the semifinals, earned five first-place votes to secure the moniker of "preseason favorite".
Behind Wagner is FDU, who received three first-place votes while St. Francis Brooklyn checked in third in the preseason poll. Behind the Terriers is Saint Francis U, who receieved one first-place vote.
Rounding out the rest of the preseason poll is Merrimack, Sacred Heart, LIU, Central Connecticut State and Stonehill.
The Seahawks have four starters and seven letter winners returning to the hardwood in 2022-23.
Zhaneia Thybulle highlights a veteran-heavy group after a senior campaign that saw her average 10.1 points, 5.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
Wagner has been knocking on the doorstep of the NEC Championship game the last few seasons, led by second-year head coach
Terrell Coburn.
The Seahawks are in prime position to live up to their preseason expectations. The returning core - which includes the likes of
Zhaneia Thybulle (10.1 ppg), redshirt junior
Alex Cowan (9.4 ppg),
Kem Nwabudu (8.5 ppg) and
Drayah Heyward (5.4 ppg) accounted for 54% of Wagner's offense last season.
The Seahawks also return 2021 All-Rookie selection
Lina Loceniece, who nabbed 20.0 minutes per game and shot 40.5% from the floor and 34.4% from three-point land.
Zhaneia Thybulle Earns Preseason NEC Honors
Zhaneia Thybulle was named to the preseason All-Conference team.
The third team All-NEC selection and Preseason All-NEC pick dished out 5-or-more dimes 16 times last season and had a pair of 11-assist outings to add to her resumé.
Last season, Thybulle averaged 10.1 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 5.1 assists per game, 1.4 steals per game, and a 40.6% field goal percentage.
Thybulle's assist average and 144 assists were tops in the NEC last season.
About Iona
Iona will welcome Wagner in its 2022-23 season opener.
The Gaels were picked fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) preseason poll.
Juana Camillion was named to the preseason First Team while Ketsia Athias was picked to the Second Team.
Last season, the Gaels finished 11-16 and were eliminated in the MAAC quarterfinals by top seeded Fairfield.
Up Next
The Seahawks will welcome Brown in its home opener on Sunday, November 13 at 5:30 P.M. at the Spiro Sports Center.
