HACKENSACK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson University men's basketball team fell to Wagner, 88-64, on Thursday, Feb. 28 at Stratis Arena.  With the loss, the Knights fall to 7-23 on the year, with a 2-15 Northeast Conference record.  The third-place Seahawks improve to 17-11, with an 11-6 conference mark.

The Knights shot a blistering 66.7 percent from the floor in the first half and challenged the Seahawks to a 41-39 lead at the break.  In the second half, the Seahawks stopped the Knights' offensive surge and outscored FDU 45-25 to earn the win.

Senior Kinu Rochford (Brooklyn, N.Y./James Madison) led all players with 22 points on the night, while also grabbing a team-leading nine rebounds.  Freshman Xavier Harris (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) added a career-high 13 points and also recorded nine boards.

After trading baskets to open the game, the Seahawks took a three-point lead eight minutes into the half.  Senior Lonnie Robinson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach) tied the game at 16 with 11:38 on the clock with a three-point shot from the left side.  Consecutive layups from Rochford and Harris gave FDU its first lead of the game, 20-16.

The Seahawks added two points on free throws but FDU was quick to respond with a shot from beyond-the-arc by junior Mathias Seilund (Dragoer, Denmark/Falkonergaardens Gymnasium).  A three ball from long range by Mustafaa Jones (Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann-Goretti) increased the Knights' edge to six points, 26-20, with eight minutes to play in the half.

Wagner responded to the Knights' lead with a three-pointer, but FDU's stellar shooting helped them maintain a slight advantage with four minutes on the clock.  The Seahawks pressed the Knights offense hard and produced an eight-point run to reclaim the lead in the final minutes.  The Knights fought back with a 6-2 streak capped off by a dunk from Harris to take a 41-39 lead at the break.

In the first half, the Knights controlled with floor with a staggering shooting percentage of 66.7, while holding Wagner to 48.4 percent. The Knights also held the advantage on the glass, 14-12, but allowed Wagner to score 13 points on nine turnovers.

The Seahawks entered the second half strong and produced a quick six-point run to reclaim the lead.  A layup by Harris cut the streak, but the Seahawks produced another six-point run to increase the lead to 51-43 with 15 minutes to play.

A three-point play by Rochford helped the Knights battle back but they could not cut the deficit.  A dunk by Wagner's Mario Moody increased the lead to double-digits and set the tone for the remainder of the game.

The Seahawks increased the lead to 72-56 on scoring streak with eight minutes to play and maintained the lead by holding FDU to 2-of-14 in the final seven minutes of action.

Wagner ultimately earned the win, 88-64. 

After shooting 26.9 percent in the second half, the Knights finished the contest with a mark of 46 percent from the field.  The Seahawks converted 50.8 percent of shot attempts and held a 78.3 to 60.7 percent advantage from the free-throw line.

The Seahawks also held a 34-30 advantage on the glass and accumulated 28 points on 19 FDU miscues.

Wagner's second-half surge created four double-digit scorers including team-leader Jonathon Williams, who had 20 points.  Rochford and Harris were FDU's top producers with 22 and 13 points, respectively.  The duo combined to go 15-for-21 from the field.

The Knights will conclude the 2012-13 campaign on Saturday, March 2 as they host Mount St. Mary's at Stratis Arena.  Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. and will follow the FDU women's game.  Saturday's doubleheader will celebrate FDU's Winter Homecoming and will honor all basketball seniors playing in their final game at Stratis Arena.