Wagner to Host LIU in NEC Quarterfinal Play Tonight at 7:30 pm :: Second-seeded Seahawks Meet Seventh-seeded Blackbirds

	Jamal Smith averaged 15.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in Wagner's two regular season games vs. LIU this season.

March 6, 2008

THE MATCHUP

Wagner, led by First-Team All-NEC performers Mark Porter and Durell Vinson, will meet LIU for the third time this season as each team held serve on its home floor this season. On Jan. 17, the Blackbirds handed the Seahawks their first NEC loss of the season by an 85-65 count in Brooklyn. Wagner entered this contest with an NEC mark of 5-0 but was blitzed by a balanced LIU arsenal led by Eugene Kotorbai, who scored 24 points on 4-7 shooting from three-point range and Kyle Johnson, who added 18. Junior swingman Jamal Smith led Wagner with 17 points.

Two weeks later, on Jan. 31, the Seahawks survived an intense battle on Staten Island, 68-65, as senior guard Mark Porter poured in 24 points, while junior guard Joey Mundweiler and Smith added 18 and 14 points, respectively. The schools have met three times previously in NEC Tournament play and the Seahawks are 2-1 in these meetings, with all three meetings occurring in the quarterfinals.

Previous Wagner-LIU NEC Tournament Meetings
1985: 	No. 3 LIU 89, No. 6 Wagner 68
2001:	No. 5 Wagner 84, No. 4 LIU 83
2003:	No. 1 Wagner 88, No. 8 LIU 66

WAGNER - BY THE NUMBERS

2: Wagner's #2 seed in the NEC Tournament is the highest for the program since claiming the top seed in 2003 en-route to the program's first conference championship.

3: Wagner Head Coach Deane has now guided three different teams to 20-win seasons. Siena posted four 20-win campaigns in his eight years as head coach from 1986-94, while Marquette reached the milestone in four of five seasons from 1994-99.

4: The Seahawks have qualified for the NEC Tournament in four of Mike Deane's five years as coach. In four appearances, the Seahawks are 2-3 in NEC Tournament play under Deane.

10: The Seahawks have won 10 straight at home and finished 9-0 against NEC rivals at the Spiro Center.

22: Wagner's 22 wins established a school record. The Seahawks had won 21 games in 1967-68, 1978-79 and 2002-03. At 22-7, the Seahawks boast the best record among all New York City metro area schools.

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