Box Score
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Northeastern men's basketball team dropped a 55-45 decision to UNCW on Thursday night in Wilmington, N.C. The Huskies, who led with under 10 minutes remaining, managed just two field goals and six points over the game's final nine minutes and 30 seconds.
UNCW (8-19, 2-10 CAA), which outscored NU 15-4 over the final five minutes, won its second in a row after snapping a 10-game CAA losing streak on Monday with a win over Towson. For the Huskies (8-18, 5-7 CAA), who scored a season-low 45 points, the loss was their second straight and fourth in five games.
Both teams struggled at the offensive end of the floor, with NU shooting just 32 percent (18-56), 26 percent (5-19) from 3-point range, and a season-low 29 percent (4-14) from the free-throw line. UNCW connected on 37 percent (18-49) of its shot attempts, including 45 percent (5-11) from long range. The Seahawks also struggled at the line, shooting just 58 percent (14-24).
David Walker (Stow, Ohio) scored 18 points to pace the Huskies. Teammate
Scott Eatherton (Hershey, Pa.) scored 10 points and equaled his career-best with 16 rebounds for his NCAA-leading 16th double-double.
Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) added eight points and nine boards. The trio combined to shoot 15-of-26 (58 percent), while the rest of the Huskies shot a collective 3-of-30 (10 percent).
Craig Ponder led the UNCW effort with 11 points. Dylan Sherwood also tallied double figure points with 10.
The Seahawks had the hot hand early in the game, taking a 9-2 lead after two Williams free throws. The Huskies, who struggled to find their offensive rhythm, answered with a dunk by Eatherton and a 3-pointer by Walker to draw to within two, 9-7, at the 14-minute mark. UNCW twice pushed the margin back to five, but each time Spencer had an answer to keep the Huskies within one possession.
The Seahawks outshot the Huskies, 56 percent to 36 percent, over the first half of the opening stanza, but NU's work on the offensive glass kept it within striking distance.
Still down a possession, Eatherton hit a layup and Walker followed with a dunk off a Williams steal and assist to give the Huskies their first lead, 15-14, at the 7:30 mark.
Walker answered five straight UNCW points with a three and, after a media timeout, Abakah hit a jumper to briefly return the lead to the Huskies.
But as quickly as the lead came, again it went as Jackson converted a traditional three-point play. Reybold then hit one-of-two free throws a minute later to give UNCW a 23-20 advantage at the half.
Northeastern used a quick 7-4 spurt out of the locker room to tie the game at 27 just two minutes in. Pollard got things started for NU with a three and Spencer followed with a jumper and Eatherton a layup.
The Huskies kept the pressure on as Walker drained a three ball and Spencer dunked home an offensive rebound to extend the NU run to 9-0 and send the visitors into a media timeout up 32-27.
After two
T.J. Williams (Pflugerville, Texas) free throws pushed the NU lead back to five, 34-29, the Seahawks tallied five straight on an Addison Spruill jumper and Ponder three to level the score at 34 at the 12-minute mark.
Out of a media timeout, Cedrick Williams connected on a jumper and Shane Reybold hit a layup to extend the UNCW run to 9-0 and give the lead back to the home team.
Walker then responded with a personal 5-0 run to break the NU scoring drought and hand the lead back to the Huskies, 39-38, and force a Buzz Peterson timeout with 9:34 to play.
After nearly two minutes of scoreless action, Spruill hit a layup to give the Seahawks the lead, 40-39, heading into the media timeout.
Pollard then scored NU's first basket in nearly four minutes with a layup to return the advantage to the Huskies, 41-40, with 5:42 to go. Those points, however, would be NU's last until the game's final 30 seconds.
UNCW ripped off seven quick points and outscored NU 15-4 over the final five minutes to close out the 10-point win, 55-45.
Northeastern will remain on the road to face the College of Charleston on Saturday at 7 p.m. in South Carolina.
Game notes
> Northeastern and UNCW split the season series for the second straight year; NU leads the all-time series, 8-6
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Scott Eatherton collected his NCAA leading 16th double-double with 10 points and a career-high-tying 16 rebounds
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David Walker scored 18 points, just two off his career high, for his ninth double-figure scoring game in the last 12 games
> NU scored a season-low 45 points; fewest points since scoring 43 points at Alabama on March 19, 2013 in the NIT
> Northeastern's free-throw percentage (28.6, 4-14) was its worst since Jan. 5, 2002 (25.0, 3-12, at Hartford)
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