Box Score   |  Post-game press conference (video)

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Northeastern Huskies entered Saturday's game at the College of Charleston looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss at UNCW. And bounce back they did. Northeastern limited the Cougars to just 44 points — the fewest by an NU opponent in more than five years — and Scott Eatherton posted his NCAA leading 17th double-double as the Huskies cruised to a 60-44 win in CAA men's basketball action.

Northeastern's (9-18, 6-7 CAA) defense frustrated Charleston (13-14, 5-7 CAA) all evening long, limiting the Cougars to just 29.6 percent (16-54) shooting. Despite its defensive intensity, however, NU led by just five midway through the second half. But a David Walker (Stow, Ohio) three ignited an 11-0 Northeastern run and, moments later, with Charleston looking to again make it a game, Eatherton (Hershey, Pa.) scored five straight and the Huskies never looked back.

Eatherton, the nation's double-double leader, posted his 17th with 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead Northeastern. Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) scored 15 points and Walker added 10 points and a game-best three steals. T.J. Williams (Pflugerville, Texas) tallied seven points and a game-high five assists.

Joe Chealey led Charleston with 11 points. Canyon Barry also scored in double figures with 10. NU limited the Cougars to just 24 percent shooting in the first half and 29.6 percent for the game — the lowest opponent field-goal percentage in more than two years.

Walker opened the first-half scoring for the Huskies with a three from the right wing two minutes into the game. Spencer and Eatherton followed with baskets in the paint to give the Huskies an early 7-2 lead. Eatherton then took his game outside, hitting back-to-back threes to push the Huskies' advantage to 13-2 at the 14-minute mark.

Later in the half, Spencer hit two baskets around a Demetrius Pollard (Virginia Beach, Va.) layup to push the NU lead to 12, 21-9, with five minutes remaining. The Huskies, though, managed just one point the rest of the way, and Willis Hall connected on a short jumper to spark a 9-1 Cougars' run that cut the lead to four, 22-18, at the half.

Hall, CofC's leading scorer on the year, scored on the opening possession of the second half to cut the Cougars' deficit to its smallest since the opening tip. The Huskies, though, answered by rattling off six straight points on a Williams layup, Eatherton three, and Spencer free throw to take a 28-20 lead less than four minutes into the half.

Charleston scored six of the next eight points to trim the margin to four and force a Huskies' timeout. NU head coach Bill Coen reinserted Eatherton — sidelined with three fouls — into the lineup. The NU big man responded by scoring back-to-back baskets to steady the visitors and push the lead back to eight.

CofC, which lost only its second CAA home game, would not go quietly, cutting the lead to five on an Anthony Stitt three. But Walker hit a layup and a three, and Spencer added back-to-back three-point plays to hand the Huskies a 45-31 lead with 6:05 remaining.

Walker then followed with an emphatic dunk in transition off a Williams steal and Northeastern appeared to be home free. But an 8-2 Cougars' run again made things interesting.

But Eatherton again responded for the Huskies, scoring five straight points to put the game out of reach.

For the game, Northeastern shot 46.8 percent (22-47) from the floor, 62.5 percent (5-8) from 3-point range, and 68.8 percent (11-16) from the line. Charleston hit just 29.6 percent (16-54) from the field, 16.7 percent (3-18) from beyond the arc, and 90.0 percent (9-10) from the charity stripe.

The Huskies will return home to historic Matthews Arena on Thursday to host Towson. NU defeated Towson, 57-54, earlier this season in Maryland. Game time on Comcast SportsNet (CSN-MA+, CSN-P, CSN-NE, CSS (TD), SNY (TD)) is set for 7 p.m. For ticket information, visit GoNU.com/tickets.

Game notes
> Northeastern allowed just 44 points — the fewest since Jan. 24, 2009 (58-42 at Old Dominion)
> NU held Charleston to 29.6 percent shooting (16-54), the lowest for an NU opponent since Jan. 28, 2012, when Hofstra shot an identical 29.6 percent (16-54)
> The Huskies shot a season-best 62.5 percent (5-8) from 3-point range, their highest percentage since Jan. 19, 2013 (66.7 percent (10-15) at Delaware)
> Scott Eatherton posted his NCAA-leading 17th double-double (22 points, 10 rebounds) and third in four games
> Northeastern evened the all-time series with Charleston at 1-1; both teams have won on the opponents' court
> David Walker (10 points) scored in double figures for the 18th time this season and the sixth time in seven games
> Reggie Spencer (15 points) equaled his season-high in a CAA game and scored in double figures for the 11th time this season
> T.J. Williams dished a game-high five assists, one off his career high, to go with seven points
> Northeastern improved to 12-3 over the last two seasons when holding an opponent to fewer than 60 points