NORFOLK, Va. — The first-place Northeastern Huskies will face Old Dominion on Saturday in Norfolk in the second game of a three-game road swing. Tip-off at the Constant Center is set for 4 p.m., and Comcast SportsNet will broadcast the game throughout the East Coast.
Northeastern (15-8, 10-1 CAA) is off to one of its best conference starts in program history and has won 10 of its last 11 games, including a 62-57 victory at Hofstra on Wednesday. In that game, the Huskies completed their fifth double-digit of the season. Old Dominion (3-20, 1-10 CAA) gained momentum on Thursday, claiming its first conference win of the year, 78-66, at Drexel.
The programs will be meeting for the 12th time in series history. Old Dominion leads the all-time series, 7-4.
Fans unable to attend the game can catch all the action live on Comcast SportsNet, with Mike Corey and John Feinstein calling the action. Due to travel delays caused by the snowstorm that blanketed New England, WRBB Radio will not broadcast the game.
Storylines
> Northeastern's 15 overall wins and 10 CAA wins are the most since 2009-10 (20 and 14)
> The Huskies are 10-1 in CAA play for just the second time in program history (2008-09)
> NU is 7-1 in true road games, including 5-0 in CAA road games
>
Joel Smith scored a game-high 19 points on Wednesday at Hofstra and has led the team or been second in scoring in eight straight games
> Smith is five made 3-pointers away from tying NU great Matt Janning for second all-time in program history
> NU has scored more points off turnovers than its opponents in 10 of 11 CAA games
>
Jonathan Lee eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark in the Feb. 2 win over Drexel; on Wednesday Lee was named one of 10 national finalists for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award
Scouting the teams
NORTHEASTERN, which defeated Hofstra on Wednesday, has won 10 of its last 11 games and has lost just two games in the last 52 days.
Joel Smith (16.6 ppg) leads four NU players averaging in double figures. Smith has either led the team or been second in scoring in each of the last eight games.
Jonathan Lee (12.9 ppg),
Quincy Ford (12.6 ppg) and
Reggie Spencer (10.7 ppg) also pace the Huskies. Spencer (6.3 rpg) leads the team in rebounding. NU leads the CAA in four statistical categories—scoring offense, 3FG percentage, assists, and assist/turnover ratio. The Huskies are second in six other categories—scoring margin, FT percentage, FG percentage, rebounding defense, steals, and turnover margin.
OLD DOMINION enters Saturday's game fresh off its first CAA victory of the season—a 78-66 win at Drexel on Thursday night. ODU shot 65 precent in the second half to snap a 10-game losing streak. DeShawn Painter (12.0 ppg) leads the Monarchs in scoring. He is the only double-figure scorer, but ODU features a total of eight players who average 5.6 ppg or better. Painter also leads the team in rebounding with an 8.0 rpg average. The Monarchs lead the CAA in offensive rebounds (15.0) and are third in rebound margin (+3.0). ODU, though, is last in the CAA in scoring defense, field goal percentage defense, and 3-point field goal percentage defense.
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.”
Conference start among best in Northeastern and CAA history
Northeastern is 10-1 in CAA play for just the second time in program history (2008-09). The Huskies opened 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.
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/
How sweep it is
Northeastern has swept two-game season series from three CAA opponents: George Mason, Drexel and Hofstra. The Huskies also defeated Towson in the only meeting between the programs this season.
Winning
Northeastern's 15 overall wins and 10 CAA wins are the most since 2009-10, when the Huskies went 20-13, 14-4 CAA, and earned an NIT appearance.
Road warriors
Northeastern ranks third in all of Division I (346 teams) in road winning percentage. The Huskies have won 87.5 percent (7-1) of road games, trailing only Memphis (5-0, 1.000) and Miami (8-1, .889), and tying Gonzaga (7-1, .875). Northeastern is one of just 24 Division I programs (of 346) to have seven or more road wins this season.
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. NU ranks 24th in the most recent poll.
Sharing the rock
Northeastern has tallied double-digit assists in 21 of 23 games this season. The Huskies have registered at least 15 assists in eight of 11 conference games this season after hitting that mark just three times in 12 non-conference contests. NU leads the CAA, averaging 14.1 assists per game.
Deep threat
More than a quarter of the Northeastern offense is coming from beyond the arc. The Huskies average 6.6 made 3-point field goals per game, which is third in the CAA. In league play, the number jumps to 7.3. NU, which made a season-high 11 3-pointers on Jan. 30 against Georgia State, is shooting 37 percent from long-range on the season, which is first in the league, and an impressive 42 percent in conference games.
Generating offense
Northeastern has outscored opponents in points off turnovers in 10 of 11 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) 133 *
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) 73 *
10. Tony Shaver (William & Mary, 2003-present) 63 *
* 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 (81-56) 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).
Davey delivers
Freshman
David Walker continues to be a steady presence on the floor for the Huskies. In 363 minutes of CAA action (33.0 mpg), the 6-6 guard has committed just 11 turnovers—a rate of just one turnover per 33 minutes of playing time. His assist-to-turnover ratio in CAA play is an impressive 3.6 to 1.0.
Limited pine time
NU's Feb. 6 game against Hofstra was the 112th game of
Joel Smith's career. The Leander, Texas, native has appeared in 90 straight games, dating back to Feb. 23, 2010, and has made 69 consecutive starts, dating to Jan. 15, 2011. He 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).
Shooting star
Senior co-captain
Joel Smith is posting impressive shooting numbers. Smith currently leads the CAA in free throw percentage at 85.5 percent. He is second in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.7, and sixth in overall field goal percentage at 48.5.
Stay connected
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Win rewards with Huskies Ncentives
Northeastern has a new rewards program that lets you earn points and win great prizes just by doing the online social activities you do everyday. Go to GoNU.com/Ncentives for more information.
Up next
Northeastern will conclude its three-game road swing on Monday at William & Mary. Tip-off in Williamsburg is set for 7 p.m. The Huskies defeated the Tribe, 95-91, in a double-overtime marathon at Matthews Arena on Jan. 23.
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