Box Score   |  Post-Game Press Conference

UNCASVILLE, Conn.—Northeastern rode a hot-shooting first half to a 20-point halftime lead and never looked back in a 65-51 victory over Manhattan (1-3) in the championship game of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tipoff at Mohegan Sun Arena. NU captured its first in-season tournament title since 2009 and improved to 4-0 for just the fourth time since the NCAA instituted Division I classification in 1973.

Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pennsylvania) registered a game-high 22 points and Zach Stahl (Chanhassen, Minnesota) added 16 for the Huskies, who scored 44 first-half points on 67-percent shooting. The duo also tied for the game-high with eight rebounds apiece. Stahl ignited the Huskies attack in the opening minutes, scoring eight of NU's first 10 points.

Manhattan, the defending MAAC champions, kept matters close and took a 9-8 lead less than four minutes into the action, before the Northeastern offense kicked into high gear. The Huskies used a 25-6 run to take a commanding 18-point lead with seven minutes to play before halftime. Again, it was Stahl. The junior forward started the rally with a layup and punctuated it seven minutes later with a dunk.

Northeastern carried a 20-point lead into the break, 44-24. The offensive output was NU's highest in a first half since scoring 46 against Georgia State on Jan. 30, 2013.

The Huntington Hounds continued the offensive onslaught to open the second half, scoring four of the first five points to push the lead to 48-25. The Jaspers answered with a 9-0 run and held the Huskies scoreless for more than six minutes to close to within 14 with 12:30 to go.

Quincy Ford (St. Petersburg, Florida) finally snapped the drought for NU with a 3-pointer from the right wing that pushed the lead back to 51-34. The basket settled the Huskies, who did not allow the Jaspers to get closer than 14 the rest of the way.

Ford scored nine points and grabbed six boards on the evening, while Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Alabama) added six points. David Walker (Stow, Ohio) tallied five points and three assists, and freshman Devon Begley (Pearland, Texas) chipped in three points, four rebounds, and three assists. Jimmy Marshall (Richmond, Va.) and T.J. Williams (Pflugerville, Texas) each added two points to round out the NU scoring.

Tyler Wilson scored 12 points to lead Manhattan. The Huskies held the Jaspers to just 38 percent (20-53) from the floor on the night. Manhattan struggled from the free throw line, connecting on just 40 percent (6-15) of its attempts.

The Red and Black shot 55 percent (21-38) from the floor, 56 percent (5-9) from 3-point range, and 95 percent (18-19) from the free throw line. It marked the third consecutive game that Bill Coen's squad shot 50 percent or better from long range. The Huskies dominated the rebounding battle for the second night in a row, earning a decisive 35-19 advantage.

Northeastern will return to action on Wednesday when it travels to Amherst to face in-state foe Massachusetts. The meeting will be the 60th all-time between the Bay State rivals. Tip-off at the Mullins Center is slated for 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES
> Northeastern won its first in-season tournament since capturing the Cable Car Classic in Dec. 2009
> Northeastern improved to 4-0 for just the fourth time since the NCAA instituted Division I classification following the 1972-73 season (2005-06, 1981-82, 1980-81)
> NU is now 63-9 (.875) under Bill Coen when leading by five or more points at the half
> Scott Eatherton scored a game-high 22 points—the 18th 20-point game of his NU career
> Zach Stahl scored 16 points, just three off his career high of 19
> NU assisted on 17 of 21 field goals (.809); for the season, the Huskies have assisted on better than 70 percent of field goals (67 of 95)
> The Huskies shot 50 percent or better from 3-point range for the third straight game
> NU is shooting .865 (45-52) from the free throw line over its last three games

  Tweets by @GoNUmbasketball .