Box Score

BOSTON—Junior Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa.) scored 19 points and added a career-high 16 rebounds, but the Northeastern men's basketball team could not overcome a 37-percent shooting performance in a 58-49 loss to the College of Charleston in CAA action on Monday at historic Matthews Arena.

The Huskies (4-13, 1-2 CAA) led by two at the half and were deadlocked in a 35-35 tie with 11 minutes to play, before a 10-0 Charleston run put the game away in the first-ever meeting between the schools. The Cougars (10-8, 2-1 CAA) shot just 40-percent (21-for-52), but forced 15 Northeastern turnovers and scored 19 points off the Huskies' mistakes.

Eatherton and sophomore David Walker (10 points) scored in double-figures for Northeastern, while sophomore Zach Stahl (Chanhassen, Minn.) added seven points in 10 minutes off the bench. Eatherton also recorded his quickest double-double to date with 11 points and 11 rebounds in the first 18 minutes of play. The Hershey, Pa., native has four double-doubles in his last five games and leads the NCAA with 13 double-doubles this season.

Anthony Thomas led Charleston with 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Willis Hall contributed a double-double with 14 points and 13 boards. Hall connected on all four of his three-point attempts as the Cougars shot 53-percent (8-for-15) from behind the arc in the game.

Eatherton helped the Huskies overcome a slow start, hitting four of his first five shots and scoring nine of NU's first 11 points. Eatherton also energized the Huskies at the defensive end, blocking a pair of shots and drawing a charge in the opening minutes as Northeastern plodded out to an 11-9 lead midway through the opening half.

Charleston also struggled to find its offensive rhythm in the early going, starting the game 5-for-18 from the floor, before a deep 3-pointer by Hall ended the drought and gave the visitors a 14-12 lead with 6:30 to play in the frame.

Northeastern battled back with a 9-3 run over the next five minutes, led again by Eatherton, who completed his double-double on a layup with 2:17 to play in the first half.

Down 21-19 to start the second stanza, the Cougars came out red-hot in the opening minute of the frame, grabbing a three-point advantage after a corner three from Hall and a layup by Thomas. Charleston then took its largest lead of the game at five, 33-28, courtesy of an NBA-range 3-pointer by Nori Johnson with 14:17 to play.

Eatherton answered right back with a three of his own, before a pair of layups by Stahl tied the game at 35-apiece with 11:19 remaining.

A competitive game then turned ugly for the Huskies as the hosts went scoreless for the next five minutes as Charleston grabbed a stranglehold on the game with a 10-0 run. Northeastern turned the ball over four times and missed all three of its shots during the drought, which finally ended when Walker (Stow, Ohio) hit a layup with 6:16 to play to cut the Cougars' lead to 45-37.

Northeastern would get no closer, however, as Charleston continued its torrid second-half display with a pair of triples from Anthony Stitt that pushed the Cougars' advantage to 51-39.

Northeastern whittled the deficit back to eight, 54-46, on a baseline jumper by Walker with a minute to play, but the Cougars made their free throws down the stretch to close out the game.

The Huskies continue their run of five games in 11 days with a matchup against James Madison on Wednesday, Jan. 18. Tipoff in Harrisonburg, Va., is set for 7 p.m.


Game notes
> Eatherton secured his NCAA-leading 13th double-double, reaching double-figures in points and rebounds in just 17:43, the quickest double-double in his career
> Eatherton became the first NU player to post a double-double before halftime since Sylbrin Robinson (Jan. 18, 2003, vs. UNH)
> Eatherton set a new career high with 16 rebounds, surpassing his previous best of 15 set on Nov. 24 against Florida State
> Scott Eatherton's 16 rebounds were the most for a Northeastern player since Dec. 18, 2006 (Bennet Davis, 19 vs. UNH) 
> Northeastern allowed just 19 first-half points for the second straight home game
> The Huskies were held to 49 points for the second time this season (Vanderbilt)