NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — The Wagner men's basketball team continues NEC play on the road Saturday, Feb. 7, with a 1 p.m. matchup against the Central Connecticut Blue Devils inside Detrick Gymnasium. The game will be streamed live on NEC Front Row.
Saturday's contest marks the 64th all-time meeting between the programs, with Wagner holding a 37–26 series advantage. CCSU claimed the first matchup this season, 62–55, while the teams split last year's series, 1–1.
CCSU (12–10, 6–5 NEC) enters the weekend following a 78–67 home victory over Chicago State. The Blue Devils are led by Patrick Sellers in his fifth season at the helm. Picked first in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll, CCSU has won the regular-season title in each of the past two seasons and currently ranks first in the conference in scoring (75.0 ppg) and three-point percentage (37.2%). Sophomore forward Darin Smith Jr. leads the NEC in scoring at 19.3 points per game. Last season, CCSU earned the No. 1 seed in the NEC Tournament before falling to Saint Francis, 46–43, in the championship game.
Wagner (8–13, 3–7 NEC) looks for its third straight win after back-to-back dramatic victories over FDU and Le Moyne. Most recently, the Seahawks edged Le Moyne, 79–78, as
Nick Jones poured in a game-high 24 points while playing all 40 minutes. Jones sealed the win with a driving layup with one second remaining.
Jaden Baker added 19 points on four made three-pointers, while
Bryan Akanmu contributed 11 points off the bench.
Wagner shot 53.8 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from beyond the arc, converting 16-of-20 attempts at the free-throw line. The Seahawks held a 38–34 advantage in points in the paint and received 16 points from their bench.
The Seahawks rank second in the NEC in rebounding (37.2 rpg) and fourth in scoring (73.0 ppg). Jones leads the Green & White with 15.7 points per contest, ranking fifth in the league, and is tied for second in steals (1.7 spg). Redshirt senior
Jaden Baker averages 3.7 assists per game, fourth-best in the NEC.
Following Saturday's matchup, Wagner returns home to host LIU on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.
