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Fairfield, CT - The Wagner College men's basketball team will travel to Sacred Heart for a nationally televised contest on ESPN+, with tip-off set for 2:00 pm on Sunday.
 
Last Time Out
 
Trailing the 38-31 at the half, Wagner outscored Merrimack 40-27 in the second period to earn a thrilling 71-65 victory on Friday night. Defensively, the Seahawks limited the Warriors to 37% (10-27) shooting from the field in the second half, including a 2-14 (14.3%) clip from long range. Offensively, Wagner converted on 25-50 (50%) of field goals, including 12-22 (54.5%) in the second half. Wagner dominated the glass, outrebounding Merrimack 38-22, including an 8-2 edge in offensive rebounds. The Green and White also held a 39-19 advantage in bench points.
 
Friday Night By The Numbers
 
With Friday's victory, the Seahawks move to 3-1 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play and are tied for the best record in conference play four games into the league slate while extending their win streak to three.
 
Friday's win at Merrimack also marked the first loss at home for the defending NEC champions since January 28, 2023.
 
Zongo's Career Night
 
Freshman Seck Zongo enjoyed a breakout performance against Merrimack on Friday night, scoring a career-high 15 points. Zongo added two blocks and seven rebounds to his career-high point total, giving the Seahawks a spark off the bench.
 
The Floor General
 
Junior Javier Ezquerra earned Northeast Conference (NEC) Prime Performer honors after scoring a season-high 16 points against Stonehill. Ezquerra is averaging 11.5 points per game, a league-best 6.8 assists per game, and 1.5 steals per game vs. NEC competition. Overall, the junior entered the week second in the NEC in assists (4.1), eighth in steals (1.5) and third in A/TO ratio (2.35). Ezquerra has recorded five or more assists in six straight games going into Sunday's game after adding seven assists against Merrimack.
 
Downtown Staten Island
 
Offensively, Wagner has converted an NEC-best 37.7 percent of its three-point opportunities in conference play this season. Wagner already has four games with 10+ threes on the season, the most since the 2019-20 season.
 
Defensively, the Green and White is holding opponents to 30.8 shooting from long range, which leads the NEC and was good for 33^rd in the nation entering the weekend.
 
Allen Heating Up
 
Junior Tahron Allen has scored in double figures in seven of Wagner's last eight games after adding 14 points against Merrimack. Allen is Wagner's leading scorer in conference play with 14.8 points per game and is Wagner's third-leading rebounder in NEC action at 5.3 rebounds per game.
 
Council Continues To Impress
 
Wagner's leading scorer on the season at 14.3 points per game, junior Melvin Council Jr. ranks fourth in the NEC in scoring and has scored in double figures in all but three games on the season. Against the Warriors on Friday night, Council recorded his second double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.
Council entered the weekend in the top-10 in the league in rebounding at 5.3 boards per game. Council's assist/turnover ratio of 2.45 is second in the NEC and 72^nd in the country.
 
The Wagner DNA
 
At 62.3 points per game, Wagner entered the week 9th in the country in scoring defense while also leading the NEC. The Seahawks are undefeated when holding opponents to 62 points or less on the season. Merrimack's 65 points on Friday night were the most points Wagner has allowed in a win this season.
 
The Series
 
Sunday's game marks the 48th all-time meeting between the schools, with Wagner holding a 28-19 edge in the head-to-head series. In the last 14 meetings, Wagner is 9-5 against Sacred Heart. Last season, both teams split the regular season series before meeting again in the NEC Quarterfinal, where Sacred Heart earned a 67-55 win.
 
Scouting The Pioneers
 
Sacred Heart enters Sunday's matchup with a 3-1 record in conference play. The Pioneers did not play on Friday night and last earned an 80-73 victory over Le Moyne last Monday.
 
Next Up
 
The Seahawks will host Merrimack in a rematch of Friday night's matchup on Thursday, January 25, with tip-off set for 7:00 pm.