Box Score
BOSTON—Despite another double-double from junior
Scott Eatherton (21 points, 10 rebounds), the Northeastern men's basketball team came out on the short end of a 74-69 decision against UAB on Saturday night at Matthews Arena.
The Huskies (2-7) led by a point, 68-67, with 1:49 to play, but missed their final three shots as the Blazers (7-2) closed the game on a 7-1 run to send Northeastern to its fifth straight defeat. Four of those five losses have been to teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the AP or USA Today Coaches polls, as the Huskies have played the nation's 26th toughest schedule to date.
Eatherton (Hershey, Pa.), who secured his seventh double-double of the season, paced three Huskies in double-figure scoring. Junior
Demetrius Pollard (Virginia Beach, Va.) poured in 16 points, while sophomore
David Walker (Stow, Ohio) scored 12 points and dished out six assists for the second straight game. Freshman
T.J. Williams (Pflugerville, Texas) added nine points and junior
Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) contributed eight points and six rebounds.
Chad Frazier led UAB with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists, while playing all 40 minutes. Jordan Swing (14 points), Fahro Alihodzic (13 points) and Rod Rucker (12 points) also scored in double-figures for the Blazers, who won their third straight game.
UAB—the nation's top rebounding team—outrebounded Northeastern by a 45-29 margin and held the Huskies to just 39-percent shooting from the floor.
Fresh off an upset of No. 16 North Carolina, the Blazers came out of the gates fast, knocking down seven of their first nine shots, including a pair of 3-pointers from Frazier and Swing, to take a 16-10 lead six minutes into the contest.
Northeastern rallied behind Eatherton to get back into the game. With UAB in front, 18-15, the Hershey, Pa., native knocked down a spot-up three from the top of the key to knot the score, before giving NU its first lead at 20-18 with a two-handed jam in transition off a feed from sophomore
Zach Stahl (Chanhassen, Minn.).
UAB regained a narrow advantage at 25-21, before Pollard energized his team with back-to-back triples.
The teams traded baskets in the final minutes of the half, but it was Northeastern that went into the locker room with the upper hand as Walker drained a pair of late free throws to give the hosts a 31-30 edge at the break.
The Huskies came out on fire in the second half, hitting five of their first six shots, including an uncontested three by Walker, to take a 44-36 lead with 16 minutes to play.
Down but not out, UAB clawed back into the game with a 19-8 run, highlighted by a pair of threes from Swing and Frazier, to take a 55-52 advantage with 9:24 left.
A layup and free throw by Spencer tied the score once again, before Walker gave the Huskies the lead back, 57-55, with a baseline floater.
But again, UAB had an answer. Spurred by a basket and two assists from Frazier, the Blazers scored on four straight possessions to grab a 63-59 lead with just under six minutes showing on the clock.
The see-saw affair continued into the final minutes as NU battled back to snatch a 68-67 lead after a 3-pointer by Pollard and a pair of free throws by Eatherton.
But as quickly as the Huskies had taken the lead, UAB grabbed control of the game right back. A pick-and-roll layup by Alihodzic put the Blazers back in front, before a pair of foul shots extended the visitors' lead to 71-68 with 36 seconds remaining.
UAB made just three of its final six free throws, but Northeastern could not capitalize at the offensive end as the Blazers hung on for the 74-69 win.
Game notes
> Eatherton posted his seventh double-double of the season to remain atop the CAA and among the national leaders
> Walker scored in double-figures for the fourth straight game and tied a career high with six assists.
> Northeastern committed just seven turnovers, a season low and the fewest since a Jan. 5, 2013, win over UNCW in Boston
> The Huskies were outrebounded for the third straight game after winning the battle of the boards in their first six contests
> Northeastern fell to 1-2 on the year when leading at halftime
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