Emmitsburg, MD - The Wagner women's basketball team trailed by two points with 1.5 seconds in the fourth quarter as a stepback three-pointer by reigning Northeast Conference (NEC) Rookie of the Week,
Lina Loceniece, hit the back iron as the Seahawks dropped a back-and-forth road tilt at Knott Arena on Thursday evening, 53-51.
Wagner (13-9; 7-6 NEC) was led by Co-NEC Player of the Week, Emilija Krista Grava, who netted a game-high 19 points on 9 of 15 shooting while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds in 35 minutes of play.
Alex Cowan chipped in nine points while Loceniece ended with seven points.
Mount St. Mary's (10-10; 8-5 NEC) had three players score in double-figures, led by Kendall Bresee, who netted 12 points while being held to 5 of 19 shooting from the field.
Kayla Agentowicz added 11 points while Aryna Taylor scored ten points on 4 of 7 shooting. Isabella Hunt nearly posted a double-double, as she tallied nine points and pulled down a game-high ten rebounds in 21 minutes of play.
Inside-The-Boxscore...
- The 25 points scored in the first quarter by the Seahawks are the most they have netted in an opening quarter this season.
- The Mountaineers took control in the second quarter, outscoring the Seahawks, 14-3, as Wagner was held to just 1 of 12 from the floor in the stanza.
- The Seahawks matched a season-high with nine blocks on the evening, as they last accomplished that against Saint Peter's back on November 17.
- For the seventh time in eight games, the Green & White failed to convert on at least 30.0 percent shooting from three-point range, as they only hit on 2 of 15 from long range.
- Of Wagner's 51 points, 32 of those came from inside-the-paint.
- Mount St. Mary's held a 39-35 edge on the boards, powered by a 15-8 advantage on the offensive glass.
HOW IT HAPPENED…
First Quarter…
- The Seahawks embarked on a 12-0 run over a 3:07 span, building their largest lead of the half, 14-2, as Cowan was able to finish the run with a scoop layup.
- The Mountaineers answered back with a 13-5 run of their own to cut the deficit to just four, 19-15, following a Harrison three-pointer.
- Wagner closed out the frame with a 6-0 spurt as Cowan was able to make another difficult shot in the paint as the Seahawks led 25-15.
Second Quarter…
- Mount St. Mary's seized control of the tempo in the second quarter, outscoring the visitors 14-0 before Krista Grava's three-pointer from the top of the key made it a 29-28 as both teams entered the break.
- The Mountaineers forced eight Seahawk turnovers while turning those into ten points before Krista Grava's triple.
Third Quarter…
- Krista Grava opened the third quarter with a pair of baskets for the visitors, as Wagner took a 32-29 lead.
- The Mountaineers built up an 11-point edge, 45-34, on the heels of a 16-2 run over a near five-minute span as the defending league champions converted on 6 of 8 shooting from the floor, with Bresee scoring six of the 16 points.
- Loceniece was able to hit on a pull-up jumper to stop the run before Marisa Sanchez-Henry was able to get past her defender and lay it up high off the glass that trimmed the deficit to seven, 45-38.
- Bresee scored the final basket of the quarter on a turnaround jumper as the Mount pushed the lead back to nine, 47-38.
Fourth Quarter…
- Wagner began to mount a comeback, as Krista Grava netted her 17th point of the contest off the feed from Sanchez-Henry.
- Cowan was able to hit on the runner in the lane and complete the three-point play, as the Seahawks made it a two-possession affair, 47-43.
- Jessica Tomasetti was able to hit on a three-point that move the lead back to seven, 50-43
- The comeback picked up steam in the later stages of the contest as Wagner went on an 8-3 burst, capped by a Cowan layup, as the Seahawks were down, 53-51,
- Bresee missed a pull-up jumper as Drayah Heyward was able to corral the rebound.
- Thybulle drove the lane but her shot was turned aside by Bresee, as the Seahawks had one final chance with just 1.5 remaining.
- The Seahawks were able to inbound it to Loceniece, who created space with a stepback but her three-pointer was off the mark as the Wagner couldn't cap the comeback.
Next Up For Wagner…
- Wagner will return to the court on February 17 for their annual Play4Kay game against Sacred Heart.
- Tipoff is set for 7:00 p.m.
