Box Score
WATCH: Postgame press conference with Bill Coen

BOSTON—Despite holding a six-point advantage late in the second half, the Northeastern men's basketball team could not close out intrastate foe Massachusetts, losing to the visiting Minutemen, 72-66, at Matthews Arena on Tuesday night. Leading 61-55 with 4:24 remaining, the Huskies fell victim to a host of timely 3-pointers by UMass guard Jesse Morgan in the game's final minutes.

Sophomore standouts Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Quincy Ford (St. Petersburg, Fla.) paced NU (4-4) with 15 and 14 points, respectively, in the first game played at historic Matthews Arena between the two sides since 1989. Demetrius Pollard (Virginia Beach, Va.) scored 12 points to tie a career high, and Joel Smith (Leander, Texas) added 10 to give NU four players in double figures for the third time in the last four games. Dinko Marshavelski (Plovdiv, Bulgaria) chipped in seven, Marco Banegas-Flores (Boston, Mass.) four, and Chris Avenant (Sacramento, Calif.) and David Walker (Stow, Ohio) two each to round out the scoring.

Ford grabbed a game-high 10 boards to post his third career double-double. On the night, NU out-rebounded UMass, 41-37, and corralled 19 offensive rebounds, the most since a Dec. 20 game at Louisiana Tech last season.

Morgan carried the Minutemen with 18 points. He hit all four of his 3-pointers in the second half. Atlantic-10 Player of the Year candidate Chaz Williams also finished with 18 points to go along with six rebounds and two steals.

Ahead 30-29 at the break, UMass scored the first seven points of the second half to surge to an eight-point lead—its largest of the game—with 18:23 showing on the clock. Northeastern, though, quickly responded in a fashion that is becoming a theme early in the 2012-13 campaign. Spencer hit baskets to both start and cap an 8-1 NU run that knotted the game, 39-39, with 13:58 remaining.

Northeastern was unable to maintain the momentum, however, as Williams and the visitors posted the next six points to regain the advantage at 45-39.

Marshavelski, NU's Bulgarian forward, sparked a 9-2 Huskies run with seven points off the bench. Behind the play of the 6-11 junior, Northeastern pushed ahead, 48-47, with 9:08 showing on the clock.

After NU increased its edge to 52-49 with just over 7:00 minutes to go, Morgan nailed the first of four critical 3-pointers for the Minutemen, which ultimately would be the difference in the contest.

Ford hit a 3-pointer of his own to push the NU lead to three and another Huskies bucket increased the margin to five with just under five minutes to play before another Morgan trey cut the advantage to just two.

A pair of free throws and a layup from Smith put NU in front by six at 61-55, but once again, Morgan buried a 3-pointer. At the 3:00 mark, the junior from Baltimore connected on a shot from distance for the fourth time to tie the score at 62 apiece.

From there, UMass' Williams went coast-to-coast, splitting two Huskies and making a circus layup to give UMass a 64-62 lead with 1:51 to play. Sampson Carter added a bucket that gave the Minutemen a 66-62 lead, and the Huskies were unable to climb back within striking distance.

Northeastern, normally a solid 3-point shooting team at 38.5 percent entering the night, struggled from distance, making just 3-of-27 attempts (11.1 percent). The Huskies shot 35.3 percent (24-68) from the floor and 78.9 percent (15-19) from the free throw line. UMass connected on 47.1 percent (24-51) of its shot attempts, including 35 percent (7-20) from beyond the arc. The Minutemen shot 73.9 percent (17-23) from the charity stripe.

Northeastern committed a season-low eight turnovers while forcing 14 UMass miscues.

The Red and Black will be back in action on Saturday night, when it welcomes La Salle to historic Matthews Arena for a 7 p.m. tip. Tickets are available online at GoNU.com/tickets and on myNEU for NU students.

Game notes
> Quincy Ford posted his third career double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds)
> Demetrius Pollard tied a career high with 12 points
> Northeastern grabbed a season-high 41 rebounds
> NU's 19 offensive rebounds were the most since grabbing 24 at Louisiana Tech on Dec. 20, 2011
> Northeastern committed a season-low eight turnovers