Preview: Chicago State Cougars at Wagner Seahawks

NEW YORK (Interstat) — Two teams heading in opposite directions will meet Saturday when the Wagner Seahawks host the Chicago State Cougars in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game at Spiro Sports Center.

Wagner (12-16) enters with momentum, having won three of its last four games, including a 65-62 victory over New Haven on Thursday. The Seahawks have shown resilience, winning two of those recent contests in overtime.

Conversely, Chicago State (7-23) has lost three of its last four, most recently falling 73-56 at Long Island on Thursday. The Cougars have struggled on the road, posting a 3-12 record away from home this season.

This matchup, organized by the Northeast Conference, will be the second meeting between the teams this season. Wagner secured a 79-72 road win over Chicago State on Jan. 2.

A key player to watch for the visiting Cougars is guard Stephen Byard, who is coming off a 17-point performance against Long Island. Over his last five games, Byard is averaging 12.2 points, including a 30-minute, 17-point effort in the most recent loss. He will need to be productive for Chicago State to keep pace.

Wagner will counter with guard John Awoke, who led the Seahawks with 15 points and three assists in the win over New Haven. Awoke has been a steady presence, logging over 30 minutes in three of the last four contests.

For Chicago State, additional scoring will likely need to come from CJ Ray, who contributed 14 points and six assists against Long Island, and Marcus Tankersley.

Wagner’s recent success has been more balanced. In the New Haven win, Nick Jones added 13 points and Michael Cooper had nine points and three assists.

Historically, the Seahawks have defended their home court well against Chicago State, winning the last three meetings at Spiro Center. With a winning record at home (8-5) this season, Wagner will look to continue that trend.

The game tips off at 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.