Preview: Winless Central Connecticut Faces Wagner in NEC Women’s Basketball

NEW YORK (Interstat) — The Wagner Seahawks look to climb above .500 in conference play when they host the still-winless Central Connecticut Blue Devils in a Northeast Conference women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Spiro Sports Center.

The game pits teams at opposite ends of the league’s early-season spectrum. Wagner (9-10, 4-3 NEC) enters on a modest two-game winning streak following a 59-54 victory at Long Island on Saturday. The Seahawks have found success with defense, holding opponents to an average of 52.3 points during their three NEC wins this month.

Central Connecticut (0-19, 0-7) continues its search for its first victory of the season. The Blue Devils are coming off a 74-65 home loss to Stonehill on Saturday, their 19th consecutive defeat dating to last season. Their struggles are pronounced on both ends, having been outscored by an average of 22.4 points in conference play.

A key matchup will feature two of the NEC’s top performers. Central Connecticut’s hopes rest heavily on guard Lucia Noin, who is amid a stellar individual campaign. She is averaging 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in NEC games, including a 30-point outburst against Saint Francis (PA) on Jan. 17 and a 24-point, 8-rebound, 5-assist effort in the loss to Stonehill.

Wagner will counter with forward Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor, who led the Seahawks with 19 points in the win over Long Island. She has been a consistent scoring threat, reaching double figures in five of her last seven contests and providing a versatile presence on the interior.

The Seahawks won the first meeting between the teams last season, 67-52. They will look to exploit a Central Connecticut defense that has allowed NEC opponents to shoot 46.2% from the field. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, will rely on Noin and supporting scorers like Kiyah Lewis (18 points vs. Stonehill) to keep pace.

For Wagner, a victory is crucial to maintain positioning in the upper half of the conference standings. For Central Connecticut, the quest for any positive momentum continues in one of the most challenging seasons in program history.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.