Men's Basketball Holds on for 73-72 Win at Wagner

February 22, 2024

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team came erased a 20-point deficit and held on for a 73-72 win at Wagner in Northeast Conference action on Thursday night on Staten Island. The Blue Devils took their largest lead of the game with 1:29 to play before the Seahawks tried to rally, but had their last-second shot miss.

With the victory CCSU clinched a home NEC Tournament quarterfinal game for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Season ticket and ticket package holders will receive an email on Monday with instructions on purchasing postseason tickets. General ticket sales for the NEC quarterfinal game will be at a later date.

Jayden Brown and Davonte Sweatman scored 15 points apiece to pace the Blue Devils, while Tre Breland had 13 points and Jordan Jones scored 10 points. CCSU shot 23-of-49 (.469) overall and 7-of-19 (.468) from three-point range. The Blue Devils were 20-of-27 (.741) at the foul line.

Julian Brown scored a game-high 17 points for the Seahawks. Wagner shot 23-of-63 (.365) overall and 10-of-26 (.385) on three-pointers. The Seahawks were 16-of-18 (.889) at the foul line.

The Blue Devils travel to Sacred Heart on Saturday.

GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE

Score: CCSU 73, WAGNER 72
Records: CCSU (16-10, 10-3 NEC), WAGNER (12-13, 6-7 NEC)
Location: Spiro Sports Center | Staten Island, NY

KEY MOMENTS

CCSU would score the game's opening points on a layup by Brown, but that was its last lead of the opening period. Wagner would go on to score 10 unanswered points and pushed its lead to 14-4 just 5:35 into the game.
Central had just three field goals in the opening 10 minutes of the game. The Seahawks led 21-7 following two foul shots by Tyje Kelton with 9:42 to go. A run of eight straight points would push the Wagner lead to its highwater mark at 32-12 with 5:43 in the period.
The Blue Devils outscored the Seahawks, 16-5, to close the first half. Brown had six points in the stretch, including a pair of foul shots with 19 seconds left in the period that would make it 37-28 heading into the intermission.
Wagner led by double-figures with 16:53 remaining but a hook shot by Abdul Momoh would make it 42-34 and get the Blue Devils within single digits. A three-pointer by Sweatman commenced a 9-0 run that was capped off by four straight points by Joe Ostrowsky that gave Central a 55-53 lead with 7:11 left.
The Blue Devils outscored Wagner, 13-4, over a span of 3:26 to take its largest lead of the game at 71-62 after a layup by Jordan Jones. That was CCSU's last field goal as Wagner limited Central to just a pair of foul shots by Jayden Brown. The Seahawks would make it 73-72 following two foul shots with 22 seconds to play and had a final possession following a CCSU turnover. Wagner's final shot with one second to play missed.

NUMBER TO KNOW

7 – CCSU used seven players in the game, with each playing at least 12:50 and scoring at least five points.

NOTES

The Blue Devils swept the season series and won at the Spiro Center for the first time since Jan. 23, 2014.Wagner leads the all-time series, 35-23.
Sweatman had a perfect shooting night, going 4-of-4 from the field (3-of-3 on three-pointers) and 4-of-4 at the foul line. He added six rebounds and three assists.
Brown went 7-of-7 at the foul line, while grabbing seven rebounds.
Momoh contributed nine points and eight rebounds off the bench.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils travel to Sacred Heart on Saturday

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