Box Score
Post-game press conference
Game highlights (UVM Athletics; Smith's buzzer-beater appears at the 1:40 mark)

BURLINGTON, Vt., Dec. 30, 2011 -- Joel Smith connected on a runner from the right wing as timed expired to give Northeastern a dramatic 53-51 win over Vermont on Friday in Burlington. The buzzer-beater capped a closely-contested game that included 10 lead changes and six ties--four of which came in the game's final four minutes.

The Huskies appeared on the verge of victory when a layup by Kashief Edwards gave them a two-point lead with less than nine seconds remaining. But two free throws by Vermont's Four McGlynn with 3.9 seconds left set the stage for Smith's heroics. Kauri Black, on the inbounds pass from the opposite baseline, delivered a strike to Smith at half court. The junior co-captain collected the pass, drove down the right sideline, and delivered the game-winner for the visitors. With the win, Northeastern halts a six-game slide and improves to 4-7 on the season.

Smith led Northeastern with a game-high 19 points, and was the only player to tally double-figures for either team. He shot 50 percent (7-14) from the floor and connected on three 3-pointers. It was the fourth time in five games that Smith has made at least three treys. Jonathan Lee scored nine points, Edwards added eight, and Quincy Ford chipped in seven for the Huskies.

McGlynn and Ben Crenca led Vermont with nine points each. Brendan Bald, Pat Bergmann and Matt Glass added eight apiece. Brian Voelkel pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for the Catamounts, who now are 6-8 on the season.

Northeastern, which led 28-24 at the half, opened up a nine-point lead five minutes into the second half on the strength of a combined nine points from co-captains Smith and Lee. The junior duo went on to score the Huskies' first 13 points of the half.

Vermont put together a 13-4 run during a seven-minute stretch to tie the game, 41-41. It was the first of six ties over the game's final eight minutes, during which neither team led by more than two points.

A layup by Edwards regained the lead for the Huskies. But back-to-back baskets by Vermont--the second with 4:09 remaining--gave the home team its first lead since midway through the first half. Freshman Reggie Spencer tied the game on a layup. Vermont then converted two of four free throws over the next two minutes to take a two-point lead.

A strong post basket by Edwards again tied it, and a block by Ford led to a transition layup for Smith that gave Northeastern a 49-47 edge with under a minute to go. Glass answered for the Catamounts, before an Edwards layup off a perfect pass from Smith with eight seconds left set the game's dramatic final scene.

Northeastern shot 42 percent (20-48) for the game, compared to 39 percent (18-46) for Vermont. The Huskies were 38 percent (5-13) from beyond the arc, to Vermont's 25 percent (3-12). From the free throw line, the Huskies went 61 percent (8-13) while the Catamounts were 67 percent (12-18). Northeastern won the rebounding battle, 33-30. It was the sixth time this season the Huskies have won the battle of the boards. They are 4-2 when doing so.

In a defensive first half, Northeastern limited Vermont to just 24 points. It was the third time this season that the Huskies have held an opponent under 25 points in the game's opening 20 minutes, and matched the second-lowest first-half point total allowed this year.

Northeastern led by as many as seven points in the first half. A late Vermont surge cut the margin to two before a put-back by Ford beat the first-half buzzer to give the Red and Black the four-point halftime advantage.

In the first half, Smith scored eight points for Northeastern, while Bald totaled eight for Vermont. The Huskies shot 37 percent (9-24), including 50 percent (4-8) from 3-point range. Vermont was  42 percent (10-24) from the floor and 33 percent (2-6) from long range. Northeastern made 6-of-10 free throws to Vermont's 2-for-6.

The Huskies return to action on Monday, Jan. 2, when they resume CAA play with a road contest at Towson. Tip-off at Towson Center is set for 7 p.m. Northeastern won the only head-to-head meeting last season, 82-78 in Boston. The Huskies hold a 12-11 series advantage.


GAME NOTES
> The game featured two buzzer-beaters for Northeastern, as Ford beat the first-half buzzer with a put-back and Smith nailed the game-winner as the second-half clock expired
> Four Huskies shot 50 percent of better from the field: Ford (.667), Lee (.500), Smith (.500), Spencer (.500)
> Ryan Pierson earned his first start of the season and scored the game's first two points
> Alwayne Bigby returned to the starting line-up and played 22 minutes, contributing three rebounds and a steal
> Smith made three 3-pointers for the fourth time in five games
> Smith, the nation's number-two ranked free throw shooter, went 2-for-2 at the line and is now 23-for-24 on the season
> Northeastern won the rebounding battle (33-30), including a 17-12 second-half advantage, for the sixth time this season; NU is 4-2 in those games
> The Huskies are now 4-2 when leading at the half
> The win snapped a six-game losing streak for Northeastern
> NU is now 2-0 on the season against teams from its former conference (America East)