Photo by Steve McLaughlin
North Andover, MA - For the first time since 2003, the Wagner men's basketball team hoisted the Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship trophy, earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in a thrilling, 54-47, victory over #2 Merrimack at Lawler Arena Tuesday evening.
The Seahawks became the first NEC team to win three road games en route to a conference championship, running the perpetual gauntlet by defeating #3 Sacred Heart and #1 CCSU before dethroning the reigning NEC Champion Warriors.
Junior Tahron Allen led the Green & White with 22 points, while junior Melvin Council Jr. joined Allen in double figures with 12 points. Sophomore Keyontae Lewis had eight points and 12 rebounds in the victory.
Wagner led 41-30 with 12:38 remaining in the contest, but Merrimack rattled off 13 consecutive points to take a 43-41 lead with 8:07 left to play. However, the Seahawks finished the game on a 13-4 run, cementing their legacy as the first Wagner team to make the NCAA Tournament over 20 years.
Junior Javier Ezquerra and Council Jr. scored on consecutive possessions to take a three-point lead just ahead of the final media timeout. An Allen bucket with 2:38 on the clock made it 48-43, before clutch free throws down the stretch capped off the upset.
Earlier in the game, just as he did in the semifinal round versus CCSU, Lewis poured it on early, scoring the first two baskets of the contest. Wagner maintained its lead thanks to a 10-2 run in the middle of the first half.
Allen scored eight points during the first half run, allowing the Seahawks to take an 18-11 lead.
Lewis then capped off the first half with a buzzer-beating putback, giving him six points through the opening 20 minutes as Wagner led, 29-25, at the intermission.
The Green & White continued to keep their foot on the gas to open the second half, as Council Jr. scored four points as a part of a 6-2 run.
From there, the Seahawks prevailed defensively, holding the Warriors to a 26.3% clip from beyond the arc. Wagner led for 29:44 in a momentous victory for the program.
The Seahawks are dancing and will await their opponent when the official NCAA Tournament bracket is announced on Sunday, March 17 at 6:00 pm on CBS.
