Box Score
TOWSON, Md. – In a contest that featured nine ties and 10 lead changes, the Northeastern women's basketball team (7-8, 1-1 CAA) fell victim to a Towson (8-7, 2-0 CAA) buzzer-beating 3-pointer that pushed the Tigers past the Huskies, 66-65, on Sunday afternoon at SECU Arena.
The game pitted a pair of former college teammates against each other, this time on the sidelines. Head coaches Daynia La-Force and Niki Reid Geckeler were teammates on the 1993 Georgetown Hoyas squad that won the Big East title and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16.
A'lece Mark led the NU squad with 15 points and five rebounds, while
Amencie Mercier and
Tiffany Montagne added 13 points apiece.
Samantha DeFreese notched her second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to give NU four players in double-figures for the fourth time this season.
Jewel Tunstull and
Kazzidy Stewart collected 12 points, collectively, to round out the scoring column for Northeastern.
Towson's Dominique Johnson, whose last-second 3-point shot decided the game, logged 15 points, while Tanisha McTiller tallied 27 points to lead all scorers.
Neither team budged in the early goings of the contest as the Huskies and Tigers exchanged buckets through the first three minutes. A 3-pointer from DeFreese broke the pattern and gave Northeastern its first lead of the contest before an 8-0 run extended the Huskies' lead, 14-8.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next three minutes, aside from a single Towson free throw. The Huskies were the first to make some noise after a Mercier layup, but Towson used an 8-2 surge to pull ahead, 22-20, in the 15th minute.
With 5:06 left in the first half, Stewart recorded the next five points with a layup and a 3-pointer, but the Tigers answered with 9-2 run to close out the first half, 31-27.
Tunstull hit a layup to open the second frame, but play remained even through the first five minutes as neither team could draw consecutive shots. The Huskies evened the contest at the 38 and 42 marks before Montagne's third 3-pointer of the game triggered a small 7-2 run to push NU ahead, 49-44.
The Tigers responded with a run of their own, posting the next nine points to take control, 49-53. The resilient Huskies did not surrender as Mark and Mercier drained back-to-back shots from beyond the arc for their final lead of the game. NU went ahead by as many as six points in the final minute of the contest.
With 30 seconds left in regulation, Johnson landed a 3-pointer to close the gap to just two. Despite a single free-throw shot from Mark, Johnson collected two of her own and brought Towson within one with 13 seconds left. An intentional foul sent Mercier to the charity stripe, but her lone point was not enough as Johnson nailed a buzzer-beating trey from the right wing to take the game, 66-65.
Northeastern shot on 44 percent (22-50) from the floor, 41 percent (9-22) from 3-point range, and 67 percent (12-18) from the charity stripe. Towson connected on 45 percent (26-58) from the field, 38 percent (6-16) from beyond the arc, and 67 percent (8-12) from the free-throw line. Towson edged the Huskies in the rebounding battle, 34-33.
The Huskies return to Boston next weekend for a two-game home stand. Northeastern will face CAA newcomer College of Charleston on Sunday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m., before taking on Hofstra the following Thursday (Jan. 23).
Game Notes
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Samantha DeFreese logged her second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
• Four players scored in double-figures for the fourth time this year.
•
A'lece Mark led the Huskies for the sixth time this season with 15 points.
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Amencie Mercier led the squad in assists for the 11th time this year.
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