The Wagner College Seahawks men’s basketball team embodies the spirit of the NCAA’s March Madness. With a roster depleted by injuries, the Seahawks, led by head coach Donald Copeland, upset favorite Merrimack by 54-47 on Tuesday night to win the Northeast Conference Tournament and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament field of 68.
Playing on the road in Lawler Arena in North Andover, Massachusetts, the No. 1 seeded Warriors home court, Wagner—located on Staten Island—the NEC’s No. 6 seed, showed unwavering resolve and perseverance that has defined their season.
Using a shortened rotation of seven players by necessity, 6-5 junior guard Tahron Allen, a transfer from Monmouth College and former standout for Brooklyn Collegiate High School, scored a game best 22 points and added seven rebounds to help lift the Seahawks (16-15) to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003 and second in the program’s history. Melvin Council, a 6-4 junior guard from Rochester, NY, an All-NEC First Team selection this season, provided 12 impactful points for Wagner, which stifling defense held Merrimack (21-12) to just 17-57 (29.8%) from the field. Junior guard Devon Savage had 16 points for the Warriors.
The 40-year-old Copeland, a Jersey City native who played under legendary Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame coach Bobby Hurley Sr. at St. Anthony’s High School before a notable college career as a point guard for Seton Hall from 2002-2006, took over as Wagner’s head coach in 2022 and went 15-13 last season.
“Let me say this, let me tell you guys this,” Copeland said to his team in the locker room after the victory, “I didn’t need to win this game or do what we just did to be proud of you guys. I want you to understand that. I didn’t need the results of this right now.”
In the Colonial Athletic Association finals, the 20-15, No. 7 seed Stony Brook Seawolves (Long Island) fell 82-79 to the No. 1 seed Charleston Cougars on Tuesday night. The No. 5 seed St. John’s Red Storm will face the No. 4 seed Seton Hall Pirates today at 2:30 p.m. Eastern at Madison Square Garden in a Big East Tournament quarterfinals matchup.
In the Atlantic 10 Tournament being held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the No. 12 seed Fordham Rams (13-19) faced the No. 5 seed Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (19-12) yesterday afternoon in a second round game after overcoming a 13-point deficit to down the No. 13 seed Davidson Wildcats 71-63 on Tuesday.