Staten Island, NY - The Wagner College men's basketball team defeated the Stonehill Skyhawks by a score of 63-57 at the Spiro Sports Center on Thursday night.
Stonehill jumped out to a 11-6 lead prior to the first media timeout of the game. Wagner would eventually tie the contest at 14 a few minutes later thanks to baskets from senior Zaire Williams, senior Javier Ezquerra, and graduate student Zae Blake.
The two sides would continue to go back-and-forth with one another, as the lead changed hands eight times in the first half alone. The Seahawks held a one-point advantage heading into the intermission, 30-29, despite only leading for 1:12 of the period.
Blake would lead all Seahawks in the first half scoring with 10 points on a perfect 4-4 from the floor including 2-2 from three-point range. Freshman Zavier Fitch added six first half points as Ezquerra and junior R.J. Greene both chipped in five points before the break.
For Stonehill, junior forward Ethan Meuser led all Skyhawks with eight first half points.Â
As a team, Wagner enjoyed a 6-0 advantage in points off turnovers as well as a 15-8 advantage in bench points compared to that of the Skyhawks. Wagner also shot 7.2% better from three-point range than Stonehill in the first.
In the second half, graduate student Ja'Kair Sanchez scored the first seven points of the period for the Green & White. Ezquerra then hit a three-pointer to grant Wagner a 40-34 lead three minutes into the second.
The Seahawks would work their lead to a game-high eight points after a Blake three-pointer with 8:26 remaining. However, a 12-4 run over the next seven minutes would tie the game at 55 with 1:40 to go in the contest.
Crucial back-to-back baskets from Ezquerra and Blake would put Wagner up 59-55 within the last minute of the game as the Seahawks would hang on to win, 63-57, over the Skyhawks.
Despite not having a scoring run that exceeded four points, Wagner led for the entirety of the second half besides when the game was tied, 55-55.Â
In the half, Greene led Wagner with 10 points, Sanchez scored nine, as Blake and Ezquerra both accounted for seven points.
As a team, Wagner's bench outscored Stonehill's, 17-3, while owning the paint by outscoring the Skyhawks 14-6 in the category.
In the end, Blake led all Seahawks with 17 points with three rebounds and two assists. Greene scored 15 points with a team-high six rebounds. Ezquerra showcased a complete game with 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Fitch scored six points with five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks while Williams and junior Keyontae Lewis both added two points each.
With the win, Wagner improves to 13-13 on its 2024-25 campaign with a 5-8 mark in NEC play.Â
Stonehill falls to 14-14 on its season with a 6-7 record in conference play.
Next up, the Green & White will fly to Chicago, IL for Wagner's first game at the Jones Convocation Center against the Chicago State Cougars on Saturday, February 22. Tip-off is set for 2:00 pm EST.
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