Dan Hurley and the Wagner Seahawks are riding the school’s first seven-game winning streak since the 1979-80 season.
With a 14-3 record, a 9-2 non-conference mark and a 5-1 record in the Northeast Conference, Wagner is off to its best start since the 1955-56 campaign.
Yet as good as things are right now, the future could be even brighter.
That’s because Dwaun Anderson, a former Mr. Basketball in Michigan, began practicing with the team last Tuesday and will be eligible next season.
“He’s a 6-5 guy who has ridiculous talent,” Hurley told SNY.tv. “He’s been dynamic in practice.”
The Michigan State transfer possesses a 40-inch vertical jump and was a National Top-100 recruit after averaging 20.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.3 steals and 1.9 blocks per game as a senior at at Sutton’s Bay High School in Central Michigan.
Anderson withdrew from Michigan State after his mother passed away last spring. He considered Villanova, Seton Hall, Rutgers, Missouri, Drexel and Georgetown before choosing to come to Wagner.
Wagner has applied for a waiver from the NCAA in the hopes of getting Anderson eligible for the first semester of the 2012-13 season.
“We’re working on a waiver,” Hurley said. “Right now he’d have to sit out the beginning of next year. In a best-case scearnio he’d be able to start next year in the fall.”
For next year, Wagner also added 6-8 forward Mike Aaman, 6-5 guard Eric Fanning and 6-3 guard Kameron Mitchell.
Yet Hurley is focused on the immediate future, which includes a game Thursday at St. Francis (N.Y). followed by Saturday’s home tilt against defending NEC champ LIU.
Asked about the rising expectations surrounding his program, Hurley said, “I think it’s good when people expect a lot from you. No one ever achieves a lot with low expectations.”
