Box Score

NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 23, 2012 -- The Northeastern men's basketball team dropped a 69-57 decision to Old Dominion on Monday at the Constant Center in Norfolk, Va. The Huskies, who pulled even with the Monarchs early in the second half, fell victim to a four-and-a-half minute scoring drought over the game's final five minutes. Northeastern lost consecutive games for the first time in more than a month to move to 9-10 (5-4 CAA) on the season.

Freshman Quincy Ford led the Huskies with a game-high 18 points. Jonathan Lee scored 13 points, while Kauri Black added eight. Alwayne Bigby registered seven points and seven rebounds, and Joel Smith pulled down a team-best eight rebounds. Virginia Beach native Demetrius Pollard scored five points in his Hampton Roads homecoming.

For the home-standing Monarchs (12-9, 7-2 CAA), Trian Iliadis matched Ford with 18 points. Chris Cooper collected a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Donte Hill added 12 points. The Huskies limited preseason CAA Player of the Year Kent Bazemore to just six points.

The teams' stat lines were similar, with the glaring exception being free throws. The Monarchs out-scored the Huskies by 18 points at the free throw line, going 25-for-34 to just 7-for-15 for the visitors.

After ODU pushed a thee-point halftime advantage to five early in the second half, the Huskies used a 3-pointer by Lee and free throws by Ford to draw even, 32-32, with 16:43 remaining in the game.

The Monarchs responded with five-straight points and gradually increased the margin to eight before another Huskies' rally. With ODU leading, 44-36, and Northeastern scoreless for nearly three minutes, the Huskies' Lee sparked the revival with a driving lay-up. Hill scored for the home team and Ford and Iliadis traded 3-pointers. Though the deficit remained eight, the Huskies showed fight.

Ford hit a baseline jumper to cut the lead to six heading into the under-eight media timeout. Out of the break, Ford stole the ball and went the length of the floor for a lay-in to pull the visitors within four, and force an ODU timeout. Out of the timeout, the Huskies again manufactured a steal, which led to a basket by Black that narrowed the gap to just two, 49-47, with 6:50 remaining.

After four straight ODU points, Bigby scored to make the score 53-49 with 5:16 to play. The Huskies, though, managed just one point over the next four-and-a-half minutes as the Monarchs pulled away for the win.

In the first half, Ford scored the first five Northeastern points to give the Huskies an early 5-2 lead. After taking the lead on a Bazemore layup, the home team methodically built an 11-point advantage, capped by a Batten dunk with 4:48 remaining in the half.

A basket by Black ended the ODU run and jumpstarted a Northeastern rally. The Huskies held the Monarchs scoreless for more than four minutes and surrendered just two points over the final 4:48 of the half, outscoring the home team 10-2 to pull within three at the half.

For the game, Northeastern attempted and made more field goals than the home team, shooting 41.1 percent (23-56) to the Monarchs' 42.6 percent (20-47). The Huskies shot 25 percent (4-16) from 3-point range, while ODU was 26.7 percent (4-15). The Monarchs won the rebounding battle, 40-34. Points in the paint were almost even, at 34-32 in favor of the Huskies. The biggest statistical discrepancy came at the free throw line, with the home team going 25-of-34 to the visitors' 7-of-15.

Northeastern returns to action on Wednesday, for its third game in five days, when it welcomes Delaware to historic Matthews Arena for a 7 p.m. contest. The Blue Hens defeated Towson on Monday and enter the game with an identical 9-10 (5-4 CAA) record.

GAME NOTES
> Jonathan Lee has scored in double figures in 28 of the last 31 games
> Quincy Ford has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games, and 10 of the last 14
> Northeastern surrendered more than 60 points in consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 18
> The 34 free throw attempts by Old Dominion tied a season-high for a Northeastern opponent
> Northeastern failed to make a free throw in the first half, marking the first time this year the Huskies have not registered a made free throw in a half