Box Score   |  Post-game press conference

BOSTON—David Walker poured in a career-high 23 points and Northeastern overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to defeat rival Boston University, 71-65, on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden in Boston. The win—part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Triple Header—was the Huskies' fourth over their city rival in the last five meetings.
 
The Terriers (0-1) took a game-high 11-point lead on a layup by Nathan Dieudonne just moments after halftime. Northeastern (1-0), though, scored 44 second-half points on 56-percent shooting to rally for the win. The deciding sequence came with just over four minutes remaining in the game, when Walker connected on back-to-back threes to ignite an 11-2 NU run. The Huskies went from down four to up five and never looked back.
 
Walker (Stow, Ohio) made a career-best six 3-pointers and was joined in double figures by Quincy Ford (St. Petersburg, Fla.), who scored 11 points in his first game in nearly a year. Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) added nine points, while Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa.) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to go with eight points. Freshman Devon Begley (Pearland, Texas) tallied seven points in his first collegiate game, while T.J. Williams (Pflugerville, Texas) dished a career-high eight assists.
 
Cedric Hankerson scored 15 points to lead three Terriers in double figures, followed by Cheddi Mosley with 12, and John Papale with 11.
 
"It's an honor and a privilege to play in this Coaches vs. Cancer event," remarked head coach Bill Coen, following the win. "To be able to play in this atmosphere and venue is a terrific life experience for our student-athletes. As always, it was an exciting game against Boston University. This is a great rivalry game and both teams seem to play at their best when we come together."
 
The Huskies struggled to solve BU's zone defense in the first half, shooting just 34 percent, including 25 percent from beyond the arc. NU scored just 27 points in the opening 20 minutes and trailed the Terriers by nine at the break, 36-27.
 
The Huntington Hounds nearly doubled their offensive output in the second half, racing to 44 points on 56 percent shooting. An 8-0 run midway through the half close the margin to one, with Zach Stahl (Chanhassen, Minn.), Williams, Walker, and Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) all scoring during the stretch.
 
With just over eight minutes remaining in the game, Ford hit his second of three second-half 3-pointers to hand the Huskies a 51-50 lead—their first lead since the 19-minute mark of the first half.
 
The lead changed hands three times over the next four minutes, until Walker dialed in on a contested three from the corner—his sixth triple of the game—to give NU a 60-58 lead. The Huskies never again trailed.
 
Eatherton and Ford combined for nine points down the stretch, and Williams collected two assists and a steal to help ice the game for the Huskies.
 
Northeastern held BU to just 1-of-7 shooting over the game's final four-and-a-half minutes.
 
"I was really proud of our effort in the second half and the way we shared the basketball," Coen said.
 
On Walker's career night, Coen added, "I'm proud of Davey. He's come so far and developed so much over the last few years and has really become a complete player. His versatility is a bonus for us. He did an outstanding job defensively today; he ran our offense; and he made big shots. I couldn't be happier with his performance."
 
The Huskies will have little time to enjoy the victory. Northeastern will travel to Tallahassee to face Florida State on Tuesday. The Huskies led the Seminoles for nearly 35 minutes a year ago in Puerto Rico, but a last-second fade-away jumper by Devon Bookert delivered the Seminoles a 62-60 victory. The meeting will be just the second ever between the programs. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m., and ESPN3 will carry the action live.
 
GAME NOTES
> Northeastern defeated Boston University for the fourth time in five meetings, and the eighth time in the last 11 meetings
> Northeastern has now won four of its last five season openers and improved to 5-4 in season openers under Bill Coen
> Northeastern now is an impressive 8-1 in the first game of the season played in Boston, and 5-1 in season openers played within the city limits
> David Walker scored a career-high 23 points
> T.J. Williams dished a career-best eight assists
> Scott Eatherton pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds—his 27th career double-figure rebounding performance
> Playing in his first game in nearly a full year, Quincy Ford scored 11 points—all in the second half—for his 43rd career game in double figures

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