Box Score
Post-game press conference

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y., Jan. 11, 2012 -- Jonathan Lee scored 19 second-half points on his way to a game-high 21, and fellow co-captain Joel Smith added 19, as Northeastern defeated Hofstra, 64-62, on Wednesday in Hempstead. The Huskies, winners of four of their last five games, improve to 3-2 in CAA play and 7-8 overall.

In a closely contested game that featured nine ties and seven lead changes, Northeastern outscored Hofstra 7-2 over the game's final two minutes to claim the victory. The Huskies again turned in an impressive defensive effort, holding a Pride squad, which had averaged 76 points over its last six games, to its lowest point total in more than a month. The Northeastern defense has limited its last five opponents to 57 points per game.

Freshman Reggie Spencer scored 11 points to join Lee--who hit the game-winning shot--and Smith in double figures. Spencer also pulled down a team-best six rebounds for the Huskies. Quincy Ford added nine points, while Kauri Black chipped in three and Kashief Edwards one. Ford and Smith collected five rebounds and Alwayne Bigby grabbed four boards. Lee, who shot an impressive 69 percent (9-13) from the floor, added four assists and a steal.

Nathaniel Lester scored 19 points to lead Hofstra. David Imes added 11 points and Stephen Nwaukoni tallied 10 for the Pride. Nwaukoni pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Mike Moore, the CAA's leading scorer at better than 21 points per game, was held to just nine.

Hofstra opened the game on an 8-0 run, as four of the Pride's five starters found the scoring column, forcing a Northeastern timeout at the 17:01 mark. Hofstra extended the lead to 9-0 on a free throw by Nwaukoni. It took the Huskies more than five minutes to collect their first points of the game, courtesy of a free-throw-line jumper by Spencer. That basket sparked a 12-0 run for the Huskies. Smith scored on back-to-back transition lay-ups--the second being an and-one play. Spencer added a lay-up and Smith struck from long range to complete the Northeastern run and give the Huskies a 12-9 lead.

Hofstra's Lester converted a traditional three-point play of his own to stop the Huskies' run and pull the home team even at the 10:41 mark. The teams traded baskets over the next 10-minute stretch, as the lead changed hands four times. Northeastern built its largest lead of the half--three points--on a layup by Black with 51 seconds remaining. Shemiye McLendon answered with a 3-pointer from the right wing to send the teams to the locker room tied at 24.

Northeastern scored four of the first five second-half points--all by Spencer--to build an early three-point advantage. After an Imes lay-up, Lee connected on his first basket of the half to push the margin back to three, 30-27, with 16:48 remaining.

Following a Nwaukoni jumper, Hofstra's Dwan McMillan scored a transition lay-up at the 14:30 mark that gave the home team a lead it wouldn't relinquish until the game's final minute. The baskets by Nwaukoni and McMillan ignited a 20-10 Hofstra run that pushed the Pride advantage to seven points--the largest of the half for either team--at 47-40 with 9:37 remaining in the game.

Lee connected on a 3-pointer for the Huskies to pull the visitors within four and slow the Pride's momentum. Northeastern turned up the defensive intensity and chipped away at the Hofstra lead over the next six minutes, until a Lee jumper tied the game, 56-56, with 2:45 remaining.

Two Hofstra free throws and a Lester jumper, sandwiched around a free throw by the Huskies' Smith, gave the Pride a three-point lead, 60-57, with 2:00 showing on the clock. From there, the Red and Black outscored the Pride, 7-2, to secure the win. A traditional three-point play by Smith tied the game. Ford followed with two free throws to give the Huskies their first lead in nearly 14 minutes, 62-60 with 48 seconds remaining. A Lester lay-up tied the game for Hofstra, setting up a dramatic final sequence. With the game on the line, the Huskies put the ball in the hands of their co-captain and leading scorer, Lee, who hit the game-winner on a free-throw-line jumper with 10 seconds remaining.

Northeastern shot 46 percent (23-50) from the floor, including 23 percent (3-13) from 3-point range. Hofstra connected on 50 percent (24-48) of its field goal attempts and was 30 percent (3-10) from long range. The Huskies went 15-21 (71 percent) from the free throw line to the Pride's 11-17 (65 percent). Hofstra won the battle of the boards, 28-27. Northeastern turned the ball over just 10 times, while forcing 16 Pride turnovers.

The Huskies return home on Saturday, Jan. 14, when they welcome CAA foe William & Mary to Matthews Arena for a 1 p.m. game. The game is the first of a two-game homestead for Northeastern, which will host Georgia State on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES
> Northeastern has limited its last five opponents to an average of just 57 points per game
> Jonathan Lee scored 20 or more points for the second consecutive game, third time this season, and seventh time in his career; Lee has scored in double figures in 24 of the last 27 games
> Quincy Ford has scored in double figures in seven of the last 10 games
> Joel Smith has made at least one 3-point shot in 10 straight games, and in 36 of the last 37 games
> Northeastern has turned the ball over 14 or fewer times in six straight games, after a stretch of five games with 20 or more turnovers
> Northeastern is now 3-0 in CAA road games this season