STATEN ISLAND, NY--Wagner's Khaleah Edwards scored the game-winning basket with 0.3 seconds left in the game as the Seahawks came-from-behind to defeat visiting NJIT, 61-59, Tuesday evening in women's basketball non-conference action at the Spiro Sports Center.
With less than four minutes to play in the contest and the shot clock winding down, Wagner's Amanda Pollard connected on an off-balanced three-pointer to tie the game at 53.
NJIT's Maddie Martin sank four straight free throws to give NJIT a 59-56 advantage with 1:11 left to play but Wagner's Cowan converted an old-fashion three-point play with :50 seconds knotting the game at 59.
All tied at 59, Wagner's Morgan Lenahan in-bounded the ball to Edwards, who drove to the basket and scored with 0.3 seconds left, giving the Seahawks a 61-59 lead.
With the win, Wagner picks up its third straight victory of the season, improving to 3-2 on the season while the Highlanders, still in search of its first win of 2019, moves to 0-6 on the young season.
Wagner had four players in double-figures led by Edwards with a team-best 15 points and eight rebounds followed by Amanda Pollard (13), Alex Cowan (12) and Emilija Krista Grava (11).
NJIT was led by senior forward Danielle Tunstall, who posted her second double-double of the season, registering a season-best 22 points (two shy her personal-best) and 12 rebounds.
Guard Maddie Martin posted a career-best in points (19) and assists (7) and tie her personal-best mark with five rebounds. She finished 7-for-8 from the free throw line while the Highlanders as a team shot 85.7 percent (12-for-14).
Freshman guard Kenna Squier filled up the box score, netting 10 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
NJIT jumped out of the gates early, knocking down a pair of three-pointers, taking an early 6-2 lead. Wagner responded with a run of its own, using a 9-4 spurt, taking its first lead of the game, 11-10, just under the three-minute mark. Tunstall sank a pair of free throws with :30 left in the first period to break the scoring drought for the visiting Highlanders to regain the lead, 12-11.
After a scoreless 2:15 to start the second period, NJIT scored the first four points, resulting in a Wagner timeout for a five-point lead, 16-11, capped by a steal and layup by Tunstall. Wagner's Amanda Pollard scored five quick points to bring the Seahawks to within two, 18-16, at the 5:30 mark.
NJIT went on an 8-3 run, pushing the Highlander lead to eight, 26-18, after a pair of free throws by Martin. Wagner scored the final four points from the free throw line to cut the Highlander lead to within four, 26-22.
At the half, Danielle Tunstall led all scorers with 10 points followed by Maddie Martin with eight.
NJIT continued its momentum into the third period, scoring six straight for a 32-22 lead. Wagner's Jordan Hobson knocked down a deep three-pointer for the home teams first points of the quarter at the 7:07 mark. Edwards drained two straight three-pointers to cut the Highlander deficit to five, 45-40, to close out the third period.
Wagner's Pollard scored the first points of the fourth quarter, a three-pointer from the top of the key and Morgan Lenahan scored on a fast break layup, knotting the score at 45-all. NJIT's Kenna Squier answered with a three-pointer in front of the NJIT bench to regain the lead, 48-45.
Tunstall sparked a late 5-0 run for the visitors, taking a 53-47 advantage but Alex Cowan's three from the top of the key pulled the Seahawks within three, 53-50, at the 4:36 mark.
NJIT will break for a week and return to action on Tuesday, November 26 when the Highlanders host St. Francis Brooklyn in the Wellness and Events Center.
