Brooklyn, NY – Six players scored eight points or more as the Wagner College men's basketball team opened Northeast Conference (NEC) play with a 69-61 victory over LIU at the Barclays Center on Thursday afternoon.
 
With the win, Wagner improves to 8-4 on the season, while the Sharks fall to 2-11.
 
Sophomore Javier Ezquerra led Wagner with 13 points, while sophomore Zaire Williams and graduate student Jahbril Price-Noel added 11 points each. Senior Brandon Brown notched his league-leading fourth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
 
The Seahawks got off to a fast start, as a Price-Noel three capped off a 9-0 run to give the Seahawks an 11-5 lead five minutes into the game.
 
The Green and White led 39-36 at the half and an Ezquerra three with 8:38 to play finished an 8-0 Wagner run to give the Seahawks a 54-51 lead.
 
Two minutes later, consecutive threes by Williams and Brandon Brown gave Wagner a six-point advantage at 61-55 with 5:23 to play.
 
Ezquerra put the game away with an acrobatic play following a timeout with 1:07 to play that gave Wagner a 68-59 advantage, as Wagner earned its third consecutive win.
 
The Seahawks held a 44-30 advantage on the glass, including a 19-6 edge in offensive rebounds.
 
Next up, the Seahawks will host Merrimack on Saturday at 1:00 pm.