Box Score
Post-Game Press Conference

QUEENS, N.Y., Nov. 26, 2011--Junior Joel Smith scored a career-high 29 points to lead four Huskies in double figures as Northeastern stormed past St. John's, 78-64, in men's basketball action on Saturday night at Carnesecca Arena in Queens, N.Y.

The Huskies opened the game on an 11-2 run, and led for all but 37 seconds of the game. Northeastern is now 3-1 on the season.

Smith, who turned in his second double-double of the season (29 points, 10 rebounds), connected on a career-high seven three pointers. The seven threes ties the second-best single-game mark in school history.

Jonathan Lee contributed 17 points and six rebounds for Northeastern. Kauri Black added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Kashief Edwards totaled 11 points and five boards.

For St. John's, God'sgift Achiuwa scored a team-best 17 points, followed by Nurideen Lindsey with 16.

Northeastern had the hot hand early, opening the game on an 11-2 run.

The Huskies were a perfect four-for-four from beyond the arc in the game's opening four minutes, taking a 16-7 advantage into the first media timeout.

St. John's narrowed the lead to six, 20-14, but Northeastern's defense responded, holding the Red Storm scoreless for the next 3:44. The Huskies scored six points during that span--a breakaway dunk and a 17-foot jumper by Smith, and a layup by Quincy Ford--to push the advantage to double-digits at 26-14.

St. John's answered with a run of its own, scoring 11 straight points and holding the Huskies scoreless for 7:13. A layup by Northeastern's Black broke the drought and pushed the Huskies' lead back to three. St. John's again cut the margin to one before Ford answered with his second career three.

The Red Storm's Lindsey hit a fade-away jumper at the foul line as time expired to close the margin to two, 33-31, at the half.

Black opened the scoring just eight seconds into the second half with a layup to push the lead back to four. St. John's answered with a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the game, 37-35. Lindsey scored all six points during the run for the Red Storm.

A three pointer by Smith regained the lead for the Huskies. Edwards followed that with a contested layup to push the lead to three, forcing a St. John's timeout.

After the Red Storm used a 6-2 run to again grab a narrow one-point lead, a three-pointer by Smith triggered an 8-0 Northeastern run, giving the Huskies a 50-43 advantage.

The teams traded baskets over the next four minutes, until Moe Harkless hit a three for St. John's to narrow the gap to four. From that point, Northeastern rattled off 11 straight points over a four-minute span to increase its lead to 70-55 and put the game away. Smith connected on his fourth three pointer of the half, and seventh of the game, during the run, while Lee hit two baskets and Edwards knocked down two free throws.

St. John's could get no closer than 10 points the rest of the way. Free throws by Smith and Lee over the closing moments accounted for the final margin, giving the Huskies the 78-64 win.

Northeastern will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 30, when it travels to Philadelphia, Pa.--the hometown of Huskies' senior Kashief Edwards--to face Atlantic 10-member La Salle. Game time at Tom Gola Arena is set for 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES:
> Joel Smith set career highs for points (29), field goals (10), three-point field goals (7), and tied a career high for steals (3)
> Smith went two-for-two from the free throw line and has now made 22 consecutive free throws dating back to last year
> Smith's seven three pointers ties the second-best single-game mark in school history; Jose Juan Barea was the last Husky to hit seven threes in a single game, doing so on Feb. 26, 2004 against Maine
> Northeastern is now 2-0 on the season against teams who qualified for last year's NCAA Tournament
> Northeastern out-rebounded St. John's, 45-35, and now has out-rebounded three of their four opponents
> Jonathan Lee has scored in double-figures in eight consecutive games