1,148 fans packed into Pritchard Gymnasium Saturday afternoon to witness a physical, hard fought game between the Seawolves and the Wagner Seahawks basketball teams.

“This was a football game,” Stony Brook Head Coach Steve Pikiell said, noting the physicality of play.

“Wagner is the toughest team on film,” he said. “They hit you on every screen.”

Unfortunately for the Seawolves, they were not able to overcome that toughness and experience that Wagner brought with them.

The young Seawolves squad, which had four freshmen play significant minutes, picked up its first home loss of the season, 65-62.

Wagner’s four seniors all played more than 33 minutes, and Pikiell believed that was a significant factor in the game.

“That’s what it came down to,” he said. “We were as tough as them, but they are an experienced team.”

Pikiell changed his lineup for the game, giving senior guard Marques Cox numerous minutes, while sitting senior forward Demetrius Young.

“I wanted toughness,” Pikiell said. “Marques Cox is our toughest player, and he was terrific tonight. His numbers don’t indicate it, but he plays with heart. He is what Stony Brook basketball is all about.”

Cox played 29 minutes and connected on his only field goal attempt. He also had three steals, two rebounds, and two assists.

Cox’s steal with five minutes remaining led directly to a Tommy Brenton three point play that tied the game at 53 points.

“I was just trying to cause havoc on defense,” Cox said. “So we could come down and score.”

But the Seawolves were unable to pull ahead.

They had another shot to tie the game on the last possession.

With 24.9 seconds remaining, the Seawolves inbounded the ball trailing by three.

The ball ended up inside in the hands of freshman Dallas Joyner, who was unable to convert. Brenton grabbed the offensive rebound but had the ball stripped away under the basket.

It eventually found its way out to Brian Dougher, who heaved a desperation fade-away three pointer that was off the mark.

Wagner’s Doug Ewell grabbed the rebound and made both free throws when fouled, icing the game.

Stony Brook’s trio of freshmen were involved the entire game.

Brenton led the team with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Joyner had 14 points, three rebounds and two steals. Dougher played a team high 33 minutes and had five points, two assists, and a steal.

Along with 6-9 forward Danny Carter, the Seawolves seem to have a good foundation in place.

“They’re getting valuable minutes,” Pikiell said. “They’re learning how tough it is to win any game, on the road or at home, against good basketball teams.”

“Guys are competing for minutes,” he said. “It’s the first time I had that in this program. You have to show up everyday and if you don’t you might not find yourself playing many minutes that day.”

“It’s a long season,” sophomore guard Chris Martin said. “We just have to execute better down the stretch in pressure situations.

“And, we have a young team,” he said. “We’re still learning.”