Jan. 3, 2008

Final Stats

Staten Island, NY - Junior captain and swingman Jamal Smith (Baltimore, MD/ Towson Catholic) scored a season-high 17 points to lead four Wagner players in double figures as the Seahawks posted an efficient 68-60 NEC victory over defending league champion Central Connecticut State.

With the victory, Wagner improved to 9-4, 2-0 in the NEC and sets up a showdown at preseason favorite Sacred Heart on Saturday at 4:00 pm. The Blue Devils fell to 4-10, 0-3 in NEC play.

Smith's previous season high was 16, which he accomplished on two occasions. The first half was a nip and tuck affair that featured 13 lead changes and four ties as Wagner built a 32-29 halftime edge on the strength of blistering 57% shooting from the field. Smith paced the Seahawks in the opening stanza, with a perfect shooting half, scoring 11 points on 3-3 shooting from the field while going 4-4 from the free throw line.

Senior guard Mark Porter (Atlantic City, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep) and senior center Durell Vinson (Vineland, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep) added nine and eight points, respectively, in the opening half with each hitting 4-5 from the floor. Wagner shot just 33% from the field in the first half hit at a 43% clip.

The Seahawks opened the second half with a 9-0 run, capped by an old fashioned three-point play by senior forward James Ulrich (Mt. Laurel, NJ/ Camden Catholic) which extended a 32-29 halftime edge into its biggest lead of the game of 12 at 41-29. Wagner was in control most of the second half before the Blue Devils staged a late rally to make it interesting.

Leading 60-50 with 4:37 to play on a driving layup by Ulrich, CCSU embarked on an 8-1 run, capped by a three-point jumper by senior guard Tristan Blackwood which cut the drew the Blue Devils with 61-58 at the 2:50 mark. Wagner steadied itself with a pair of Porter free throws and a three-point jumper by junior guard Joey Mundweiler (Olathe, KS/ Olatahe East) with 58 seconds left which served as the final dagger. Wagner shot 54% from the field, eclipsing the 50% mark for the fourth time this season while holding a 34-28 rebounding edge over the small, yet quick, Blue Devils. The Seahawks enjoyed an overwhelming advantage at the free throw line, making 12-20 attempts while the more perimeter-oriented Blue Devils were 3-3 from the charity stripe.

Porter and Vinson added 14 points apiece while Ulrich chipped in with 11. Blackwood, a preseason first-team All-NEC selection, led CCSU with 14 points but had to work hard for them, as was held to 5-17 shooting, 4-14 from beyond the arc. Aaron Hall finished with 13 points for the Blue Devils.