Box Score

NEWARK, Del., Feb. 25, 2012--Despite a game-high 24 points from junior Joel Smith, Northeastern lost to Delaware, 82-72, on Saturday in Newark, Del. The Huskies, just three days removed from a thrilling overtime win over George Mason, ran into a hot-shooting Blue Hens squad that now has won eight straight games.

Northeastern finishes the regular season at 9-9 in CAA play and 13-16 overall. The Huskies will be the No. 7 seed in next weekend's CAA Tournament and will face the No. 10 seed, William & Mary, on Friday, March 2, at 6 p.m. in Richmond, Va.

Smith, who has scored 20 or more points in three of the last four games, also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Fellow junior co-captain Jonathan Lee scored 16 points and freshman Quincy Ford added 11.

Devon Saddler scored 21 points and teammate Jamelle Hagins registered a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Blue Hens (17-12, 12-6 CAA).

On the strength of a 62-percent first-half shooting effort, Delaware raced out to a 42-33 halftime lead. Northeastern struck first to open the second 20 minutes of play when Ford turned a steal into a traditional three-point play to quickly cut the margin to six. Delaware, though, responded with seven straight points to build a 13-point lead (49-36) at the 17-minute mark.

The lead grew to 17 with just over 14 minutes to play when freshman Jarvis Threatt connected on a 3-pointer. But the Huskies would not go quietly. Smith exploded for 10 points in less than four minutes and Alwayne Bigby added a traditional three-point play, as Northeastern outscored Delaware 13-4 to pull within eight, 60-52, with 10:34 remaining.

However, the Huskies managed just one point over the next four minutes, and Delaware pieced together an 11-1 run to build a game-high 18-point advantage. Smith and Lee combined for 14 points over the final six minutes of play, but Northeastern could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way, as the Blue Hens scored with two seconds left to set the final score at 82-72.

Both teams connected on 26 field-goal attempts and were nearly even from beyond the arc. The biggest differential was at the free throw line, where the home-standing Hens enjoyed a nine-point advantage, converting 24-of-31 attempts to Northeastern's 15-of-20. From the floor, the Huskies were 38.8 percent (26-67), while the Hens shot an impressive 54.2 percent (26-48). Northeastern shot 25.0 percent (5-20) from 3-point range to Delaware's 31.6 percent (6-19). Delaware won the rebounding battle, 37-32. Northeastern turned the ball over just 10 times while scoring 20 points off 17 Delaware turnovers.

In the first half, Delaware asserted itself early, building a 9-1 advantage just three-and-a-half minutes into the game. Following a media timeout, Ford connected on a jumper and Smith converted a lay-up to energize the visitors and narrow the gap to four, at 9-5.

The game settled into a back-and-forth affair over the next four minutes until, with the Hens up five, Northeastern rattled off eight-straight points. Lee sparked the run with a lay-up and free throw. Ford then connected on a jumper and Lee buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Huskies their first lead at 20-17 with 8:55 remaining in the half.

Delaware responded with an 11-2 run to build a six-point lead. The home team pushed the lead to nine on four occasions, the last with one second remaining to take a 42-33 lead into the locker room. Lee scored 10 points in the half to lead Northeastern, while Saddler matched that total for the Blue Hens.

The Huskies will return to action in six days as the No. 7 seed in the CAA Tournament in Richmond, Va. Northeastern will face the No. 10 seed, William & Mary, on Friday, March 2, at 6 p.m. The Huskies split the season series with the Tribe, with each team winning on its home floor.

For more information about the CAA Tournament, or to buy tickets, visit CAAsports.com.

GAME NOTES
> Joel Smith has scored 20 or more points in three of the last four games and is averaging 20.7 points during that span
> Smith hit two 3-pointers on Saturday; he has made multiple threes in 19 games this season and at least one 3-pointer in 48 of the last 51 games; he has 156 career 3-pointers to rank sixth all-time at Northeastern
> Jonathan Lee scored 16 points and has scored in double-figures in 37 of the last 41 games
> With 11 points, freshman Quincy Ford has scored in double-figures in 13 of the last 17 games; Ford is the only player to rank in the top four in both freshman scoring and freshman rebounding
> Northeastern registered double-digit steals for the seventh time this season, and the third time in the last four games
> The Huskies' 10 turnovers tied a season low
> Northeastern surrendered 80 or more points for only the fourth time this season