The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING a heartbreaking loss in their conference title game, Michael Carey and his Wagner University Seahawks were denied an automatic bid to the Men’s Division I NCAA Tournament and will now have to wait until “Selection Sunday” to find out where their postseason continues.

The Seahawks suffered an 87-79 loss to the Farleigh Dickinson Knights Tuesday night in the Northeast Conference championship game hosted at the Spiro Sports Centre in Staten Island, New York.

Carey, the junior guard, posted his 15th double double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. He also dished out a career high five assists.

A two time NEC Player of the Week honouree this season, he has averaged 12.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this season.

The Seahawks opened the game on a13-2 run but clung to a 35-33 lead at the half. The Knights took their first lead of the game, 48-45 on a three-pointer with 14:20 left to play in regulation. They eventually held their largest lead of the game, 73-60 with just under four minutes left to play. “Tough way for this thing to end - FDU played a great game,” said Wagner head coach Bashir Mason. “They’re a dangerous team that can really score the ball. They made a lot of shots that I thought deflated us both defensively and offensively. I’m super proud of my guys, my group. I told these guys if I knew the ending, and we had to go through it all over again, then I would do it with this group. It’s a special young group and I’m proud to coach them.” 

It was an amazing late season run for Carey who recorded double doubles in six of his last eight games. Carey scored a career high 28 points in the semi-final to lead the Seahawks to a come from behind win over LIU Brooklyn. The All-Northeast Conference second team selection added 10 rebounds.

By winning the NEC’s regular-season title, Wagner (22-10) will now have its sights set on the National Invitational Tournament and will find out its fate on Sunday evening, March 13, during the NIT Selection Show which will be aired at 8:30pm on ESPNU.

Fairleigh Dickinson, which improved to 18-14 while capturing the programme’s fifth NEC Crown, will represent the conference in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.