STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The Wagner College men's basketball team closed out non-conference play with a convincing 74–57 victory over Manor College on Monday afternoon inside the Spiro Sports Center.
Wagner (5–6, 0–0 NEC) set the tone early, as junior
Eddie Placer knocked down a right-wing three-pointer in the opening minute to spark the Seahawks. Wagner stretched the lead to double digits midway through the half, going ahead 16–6 with 12:13 remaining after a transition three from junior
Nick Jones. Manor (8–4, 3–0 ESAC) trimmed the deficit to five, 20–15, with 7:03 left in the half, but the Seahawks responded by closing the period on a 16–3 run to take a 36–18 advantage into the locker room.
Wagner held Manor to just 27.6 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes and limited the visitors to a single made three-pointer.
In the second half, Wagner never allowed the margin to slip into single digits. The Green & White controlled the paint and closed out the contest at the free-throw line, maintaining control throughout the final stretch to secure the 74–57 victory.
Jones led Wagner with 13 points and six rebounds off the bench, while Placer added 11 points. Sophomore
Zavier Fitch chipped in 10 points and six rebounds as the Seahawks received 37 points from their bench and dominated inside with 50 points in the paint.
Defensively, Wagner forced 19 turnovers and converted them into 25 points, while also winning the rebounding battle, 42–33.
The victory gives the Seahawks four straight wins, their longest streak since 2024, when Wagner won three consecutive NEC Tournament games en route to the program's first NEC Championship and NCAA Tournament victory.
After the holiday break, Wagner will open NEC play at Chicago State on Friday, January 2, with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CT (7:00 p.m. ET) in Chicago, Illinois.
Following 11 non-conference games, the Green & White sit third in the NEC standings after being picked eighth in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll.
