Michael Carey embodies Wagner’s dream season up to this point: Overlooked but tough, a determined overachiever.
His decision to transfer from junior college to the Northeast Conference school was hardly a blip on the local recruiting scene, but it is now looking like one of the most important additions anyone in the area made.
The rugged 6-foot-5 guard’s best performance of the season has the top-seeded Seahawks 40 minutes away from their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2003. Carey scored a career-high 28 points and added 10 rebonds — in addition to locking up sixth-seeded LIU Brooklyn’s leading scorer, Jerome Frink — as Wagner cruised to a an 81-65 victory in the conference semifinals Saturday afternoon at the Spiro Sports Center on Staten Island.
“Mike’s a determined guy. He came here with a purpose, and he’s just living it out,” Wagner coach Bashir Mason said. “He’s a guard his entire life. Today I asked him to guard a four-man for the entire game, first-team all-conference player in Jerome Frink. He guarded him, he rebounded, he made him work, and he scored for us.”
With the win, Wagner (22-9) advanced to Tuesday’s title game, where the Seahawks will meet No. 2-seed Fairleigh Dickinson (17-14). The two teams split the season series.
The semifinal win wasn’t as easy as the final score indicated. LIU was the better team in the first half, and held a 41-36 lead early in the second half. But it was all Wagner the rest of the way. Carey and reserve Romone Saunders made sure the final few minutes were tension-free. Saunders (18 points, 16 in the second half) keyed a game-turning 18-5 run and Carey made sure LIU (16-15) never threatened over the final minutes.
“It was life or death. Either we defend, rebound, score, or like Coach [told us at halftime], we don’t have a season anymore,” said Carey, a junior who is originally from the Bahamas, but grew up in Houston. “That’s all I was thinking about.
“I couldn’t stand to let my season die. I was doing everything possible to help my team win.”
Hitting from the outside to compliment his physical play in the paint, Carey was the best player on the floor. He used his quickness to force Frink into a 5-for-13 shooting performance. Carey averaged just 10 points per game last year for San Jacinto College in Pasadena, Texas, but Mason felt he would make an impact for Wagner because of his toughness and will. When Carey committed to Mason, he told him, “I will run through a wall for you.”
It wasn’t just talk. Carey averaged 11.9 points and 9.3 rebounds for the Seahawks during the regular season, posting 13 double-doubles. On Saturday, he did everything in his control to make sure Wagner’s NCAA Tournament hopes remained possible.
“He was the reason [we lost today],” LIU coach Jack Perri said. “I voted for him for all-league. He’s a huge piece. The kid is relentless on the glass. Most of his points are hustle points in transition and offensive rebounds and attacking. those are the kind of guys that help you win.”
FDU 80, Mount St. Mary’s 75
In Teaneck, N.J., Earl Potts Jr. scored 20 points with nine rebounds and Fairleigh Dickinson edged Mount St. Mary’s in an NEC tournament semifinal.
Mike Holloway scored 19 points with 17 rebounds — a career high for the freshman — for FDU. Darian Anderson scored 14 points and Stephan Jiggetts added 12.
— With AP
