WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Northeastern Huskies will look to regain their footing on Saturday when they face UNCW in Wilmington, N.C. The Huskies, who lost for just the second time in 46 days on Wednesday, sit atop the CAA standings with a 12-2 conference mark. Tip-off with the Seahawks at Trask Coliseum is set for 7 p.m.
Northeastern (17-9, 12-2 CAA) is off to one of its best conference starts in program history. The Huskies have won 12 of their last 14 games and their .900 (9-1) road winning percentage is tied for second nationally. UNCW has lost two consecutive games and five of its last six. The Seahawks, though, have played their best basketball at home, winning eight of 11 games in the familiar surroundings of Trask Coliseum.
The programs will be meeting for the 12th time in series history. NU leads the all-time series, 7-4, and has won six of the last seven head-to-head meetings, including two straight in Wilmington.
Fans unable to attend the game can catch all the action live on WRBB Radio (104.9 FM and WRBBsports.com) with Brandon Challener and Coray Runge on the call.
Storylines
>> NU's overtime loss on Wednesday snapped a four-game winning streak and was just the second loss in 46 days; CAA Player of the Year candidate
Joel Smith missed the game due to injury, ending a streak of 92 consecutive appearances and 71 straight starts
>> Northeastern is 12-2 in CAA play for the second time in program history (2009-10); before Wednesday's loss, the 12-1 conference start was NU's best in 26 years (17-1 in 1986-87)
>> The Huskies' 17 overall wins and 12 CAA victories are the most since 2009-10 (20-13, 14-4 CAA)
>> Reigning CAA Player of the Week
Joel Smith scored a team-high 17 points on Monday at William & Mary and has led the team or been second in scoring in 10 straight games in which he has appeared (he missed Wednesday's game due to injury); Smith leads the CAA in 3-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage
>> Senior CLASS Award finalist
Jonathan Lee poured in a season-high and game-high 23 points on Wednesday against Delaware and sophomore standout
Quincy Ford added 21 points
Scouting the teams
NORTHEASTERN has won 12 of its last 14 games entering Saturday night's contest in Wilmington. The Huskies lost in overtime to Delaware on Wednesday, snapping a four-game winning streak. Reigning CAA Player of the Week
Joel Smith, a Player of the Year candidate, leads the Huskies with 17.0 ppg. Fellow senior co-captain
Jonathan Lee poured in a season-high 23 points on Wednesday and averages 13.8 ppg. Front court mates
Quincy Ford (12.9 ppg) and
Reggie Spencer (10.4 ppg) also average double figures and lead the team in rebounding (Spencer at 6.3 rpg, Ford at 5.7 rpg). The Huskies lead the CAA in four statistical categories and are second in five.
UNCW has lost two consecutive games and five of its last six. Most recently, the Seahawks lost at William & Mary, 92-86, after a furious rally fell short. UNCW, though, has played its best basketball at home, winning eight of 11 games in the familiar surroundings of Trask Coliseum. Keith Rendleman continues to be the go-to player, averaging a double-double with 16.0 ppg and 10.4 rpg, leading the team in both categories. While Rendleman is the only UNCW player to average in double figures, four other Seahawks contribute more than 6.0 ppg: Chris Dixon (9.8 ppg), Craig Ponder (9.0), Tanner Milson (6.7), and Cedrick Williams (6.1).
Lee named national finalist for Senior CLASS Award
Northeastern senior
Jonathan Lee has been named a men's basketball finalist for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award. Lee is one of just 10 national finalists for the award, which recognizes student-athletes who excel both on and off the court. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence — community, classroom, character and competition. “We are extremely excited for Jon and proud that he is receiving this recognition,” said head coach
Bill Coen. “Jon possesses a tireless work ethic and provides our team with tremendous leadership, both on and off the court. He is involved in the community, is well liked throughout our campus, and has achieved in the classroom. He is a true ambassador for our program and our university.”
VOTE for Jon Lee for Senior CLASS Award (fans may vote once per day)
Senior CLASS Award website | Senior CLASS Award Facebook fan page
Player of the Year candidate Joel Smith is CAA's most proficient scorer
Northeastern senior
Joel Smith, who has played his way into Player of the Year consideration, is the most proficient of the CAA's top scorers. Smith averages 1.80 points per shot attempt, nearly 20 percent better than the next closest player.
Points-per-shot averages for top scorers (CAA games)
1.80 - Joel Smith (Northeastern) 125 fga/225 pts
1.47 - Keith Rendleman (UNCW) 139/205
1.44 - Jerrelle Benimon (Towson) 166/239
1.37 - Devon Saddler (Delaware) 188/258
1.37 - Sherrod Wright (George Mason) 162/222
1.36 - R.J. Hunter (Georgia State) 192/262
1.35 - Marcus Thornton (William & Mary) 183/247
Smith's rare miss
Joel Smith missed NU's Feb. 13 game against Delaware due to injury, snapping a string of 92 straight appearances and 71 consecutive starts for the senior co-captain. Smith had played in every NU game since Feb. 23, 2010 and had started for the Huskies in each contest since Jan. 15, 2011. The Leander, Texas, native has appeared in 114 games and has played in all but six games since arriving on Huntington Avenue in 2009, with all six missed games coming in his freshman season. The program record for career games is 128, achieved by Andre LaFleur (1983-87), Wes Fuller (1983-87) and Matt Janning (2006-10).
Road warriors
Northeastern ranks second (tied with Miami) in all of Division I (346 teams) in road winning percentage. The Huskies have won 90.0 percent (9-1) of road games, trailing only Memphis (6-0, 1.000). NU is 7-0 in conference road games.
SI's Davis rates Coen one of top 20 National Coach of the Year candidates
Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis, on Feb. 14, listed Northeastern head coach
Bill Coen as one of his top 20 candidates for national Coach of the Year honors. Coen was the only CAA coach mentioned in the ranking. Now in his seventh season on Huntington Avenue, Coen has guided the Huskies to a first-place position in the latest CAA standings after being picked fifth in the preseason poll.
Smith named Player of the Week for second time
Joel Smith earned CAA Men's Basketball Player of the Week honors for the week of Feb. 4-10. It was the second time in three weeks Smith earned the honor, and the third time in four weeks an NU player garnered the distinction. Smith is one of just three players to win the weekly honor outright two times. Smith averaged 23.0 points and 5.0 rebounds to lead Northeastern to a pair of road wins. He scored a game-high 19 points as the Huskies rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to defeat Hofstra. He followed with a game-high 27 points, five rebounds and three assists as NU downed Old Dominion in overtime. For the week, he shot 56 percent from the floor, including 7-of-16 from 3-point range.
NU's best CAA start in program history and among best conference starts ever
Northeastern opened CAA play 12-1 for the first time in program history, besting the 10-1 start in 2008-09. The Huskies started the conference schedule 8-0, posting the best CAA start since joining the conference in 2005 and the fourth-best all-time conference start in program history. The hot start also tied for the fifth-best in CAA history. The 2006-07 VCU team and the 1985-86 Richmond team both started 11-0, while James Madison started 9-0 in 1990-91 and 1991-92. Old Dominion in 2004-05 and Richmond in 1988-89 also opened 8-0.
How sweep it is
Northeastern has swept two-game season series from four CAA opponents: George Mason, Drexel, Hofstra and William & Mary. The Huskies also defeated Towson in the only meeting between the programs this season.
Winning
Northeastern's 17 overall wins and 12 CAA wins are the most since 2009-10, when the Huskies went 20-13, 14-4 CAA, and earned an NIT appearance.
SI on Northeastern: “One of the biggest surprises in college basketball”
Sports Illustrated's Pete Thamel recently called the “unheralded Huskies” of Northeastern “one of the biggest surprises in college basketball.” Thamel's story took a closer look at the team as it shoots for an NCAA tournament bid. In the article, VCU's Shaka Smart praises head coach
Bill Coen: “He's done a terrific job at Northeastern, consistently finding guys who end up being a lot better than people think. He and his staff do a great job seeing things other people don't see.”
Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/college-basketball/news/20130208/northeastern-basketball/
Coen's Cardiac Canines
The Huskies have had a flair for the dramatic this season, overcoming double-digit deficits in five victories. Most recently, NU stormed back from 10 down in the last 10 minutes to defeat Hofstra, 62-57, on Feb. 6 in Hempstead.
Northeastern's double-digit comebacks
Nov. 9 Boston University (65-64) -10
Nov. 13 at Princeton (67-66) * -18
Nov. 23 vs. Belmont (74-71) * -16
Jan. 12 at Towson (70-59) -12
Feb. 6 at Hofstra (62-57) * -10
* Trailed by double-digits in the second half
The nation takes notice
Northeastern's 8-1 run in the month of January garnered national attention. The Huskies moved into the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll for the first time in 2012-13. NU ranks 23rd in the most recent poll.
Sharing the rock
Northeastern has tallied double-digit assists in 24 of 26 games this season. The Huskies have registered at least 15 assists in 11 of 14 conference games this season after hitting that mark just three times in 12 non-conference contests. NU leads the CAA, averaging 14.3 assists per game.
Deep threat
More than 30 percent of Northeasterns scoring is coming from beyond the arc. The Huskies average 7.0 made 3-point field goals per game, which is third in the CAA. In league play, the number jumps to 7.8. NU, which made a season-high 12 3-pointers on Feb. 11 at William & Mary, is shooting 38 percent from long-range on the season, which is first in the league, and an impressive 43 percent in CAA games.
Generating offense
Northeastern has out-scored opponents in points off turnovers in 12 of 14 conference games.
Coen ranks among best in career CAA wins
Bill Coen continues to establish himself as one of the most highly regarded coaches in the CAA. Coen is currently ninth on the CAA's list of all-time winningest coaches. He is one of just three current CAA coaches to have cracked the top 10.
Winningest coaches in CAA play (CAA regular season and tournament games only)
1. Jim Larranaga (George Mason, 1998-2011) 183
2. Blaine Taylor (ODU, 2002-2013) 148
3. Bruiser Flint (Drexel, 2002-present) 134 *
4. Dick Tarrant (Richmond, 1982-93) 106
5. Tom Pecora (Hofstra, 2002-10) 98
5. Charles “Lefty” Driesell (JMU, 1988-97) 98
7. Jerry Wainwright (UNCW, 1995-2002) 97
8. Jeff Capel, Jr. (ODU, 1995-2001) 77
9. Bill Coen (Northeastern, 2006-present) 75 *
10. Tony Shaver (William & Mary, 2003-present) 64 *
* Active
Huskies in conference play
Northeastern joined the Colonial Athletic Association before the 2005-06 season. In their eighth season as a CAA member, the Huskies have won 59 percent (83-57) of their regular season games and have finished at or above .500 in conference play in seven of eight seasons. Prior to the CAA, Northeastern was a founding member of the America East Conference and played in the league from 1979 to 2005. (The conference was known as the North Atlantic Conference until 1996.) The Huskies captured the conference championship on seven occasions (1981, '82, '84, '85, '86, '87, '91).
Steady Walker
Freshman
David Walker continues to be a steady presence on the floor for the Huskies. In 478 minutes of CAA action (34.1 mpg), the 6-6 guard has committed just 20 turnovers—a rate of just one turnover per 23.9 minutes of playing time.
Shooting star
Senior co-captain
Joel Smith is posting impressive shooting numbers. Smith currently leads the CAA in free throw percentage at 85.7 percent and 3-point field goal percentage at 42.8. He is sixth in overall field goal percentage at 49.5.
Stay connected
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Win rewards with Huskies Ncentives
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Up next
Northeastern will return home on Wednesday to face James Madison for the first time this season. The game could have a meaningful impact on the race for the CAA regular-season title and No. 1 tournament seed. The Huskies and Dukes will tip off at 7 p.m. at historic Matthews Arena. Comcast SportsNet will televise the game throughout the East Coast.
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