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Wagner survives FDU in overtime, 75-72, snapping late-game tension at home

Wagner outlasted Fairleigh Dickinson 75-72 in overtime on Jan. 31, 2026, leaning on timely scoring after a tight finish in regulation. The Seahawks, 7-13 entering the night, held off an FDU group that came in 7-16 and pushed the game into extra time.

James O'Brien
2 min read

Wagner needed overtime, but it got the result: a 75-72 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in NCAA action. In a game that stayed within one or two possessions late, the Seahawks were sharper in the extra session, winning overtime 9-6 to close it out.

How the game turned

After a back-and-forth second half, the margin narrowed to nothing at the end of regulation, forcing overtime. That’s where Wagner created separation — not with a runaway burst, but with a steadier finish. The Seahawks’ 9 points in overtime were enough to outpace FDU’s 6, turning a dead-even situation into a three-point final.

Score flow: Wagner’s edge in the second quarter, then a grind

Wagner carried a 33-29 advantage in the second quarter, a small but important cushion in a game that never offered much breathing room. The fourth quarter played nearly even — Wagner 33, Fairleigh Dickinson 37 — a swing that helped the Knights erase the gap and force overtime. Wagner answered in the extra period, taking the overtime frame 9-6 to secure the 75-72 win.

What it means going forward

For Wagner, the win matters as much for the finish as the final score. Entering the game at 7-13 with a WLLLL form line, the Seahawks banked a needed closeout and showed they can execute in a high-leverage possession game.

Fairleigh Dickinson, 7-16 entering the day with an LLLWW stretch behind it, generated enough offense late to extend the game, but couldn’t find the extra edge in overtime. In a one-possession loss, the overtime margin was the difference.

Game details

League: NCAA
Season: 2025-2026
Date: January 31, 2026
Venue: TBD
Final: Wagner 75, Fairleigh Dickinson 72 (OT)

Source: API-Sports Basketball

Expert Analysis

"Wagner edged it 75-72 in a possession-by-possession finish, and the margin tells the story: one clean stop and one made shot swung the outcome. In a three-point game like this, late-game execution—valuing the ball, getting a quality look, and closing out the final defensive stand—was the separator, not any runaway stretch."

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