Francis helps Wagner fend off Fairfield 78-76
NEW YORK -- Blake Francis scored 19 points and hit two free throws with three seconds left in the game to help Wagner hold off Fairfield 78-76 on Friday night.
JoJo Cooper added 16 points and eight assists for the Seahawks (5-1), who earned their fourth straight victory and continued their best start under sixth-year coach Bashir Mason. Nigel Jackson scored 14 and A.J. Sumbry snared 10 rebounds as Wagner won the battle of the boards 38-30.
Tyler Nelson topped the Stags (3-4) with 22 points, but he made just 7 of 23 shots from the floor, including 1 of 9 from 3-point range. Kevin Senghore-Peterson scored 17, Ferron Flavors Jr. hit four 3s and scored 14 and Omar El-Sheikh totaled 11 points and nine rebounds.
Fairfield trailed by four at halftime and took its first lead -- since the midway point of the first half -- 62-61 on two Jesus Cruz free throws with 8:47 left to play. Flavor's 3-pointer with 5:09 left stretched the Stags' lead to 70-66. Fairfield's lead lasted until Elijah Davis and Francis hit back-to-back 3s to put the Seahawks up 76-71 with 1:39 remaining.
Game Information
- Referees:
- Ron Tyburski
- Brandon Cruz
- Greg Evans
2023-24 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Quinnipiac | 15-5 | - | 24-10 |
Fairfield | 14-6 | 1 | 24-13 |
Marist | 12-8 | 3 | 18-13 |
Saint Peter's | 12-8 | 3 | 19-14 |
Rider | 12-8 | 3 | 15-17 |
Niagara | 11-9 | 4 | 16-16 |
Iona | 10-10 | 5 | 16-17 |
Mount St. Mary's | 9-11 | 6 | 13-19 |
Canisius | 8-12 | 7 | 14-18 |
Manhattan | 4-16 | 11 | 7-23 |
Siena | 3-17 | 12 | 4-28 |
2023-24 Northeast Conference Standings
Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Central Connecticut | 13-3 | - | 20-11 |
Merrimack | 13-3 | - | 21-12 |
Sacred Heart | 10-6 | 3 | 16-16 |
Fairleigh Dickinson | 9-7 | 4 | 15-17 |
Le Moyne | 9-7 | 4 | 15-17 |
Wagner | 7-9 | 6 | 17-16 |
Long Island University | 6-10 | 7 | 7-22 |
St. Francis (PA) | 3-13 | 10 | 8-22 |
Stonehill | 2-14 | 11 | 4-27 |