Box Score | Season Stats | Infographic

BOSTON – Senior guard Tiffany Montagne hit three 3-pointers and finished with a season high, 18 points, on Friday afternoon at Cabot Center despite the Northeastern women's basketball team coming up short against Elon, 56-54, during the final minute.
 
Montagne shot five-of-nine from the floor, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, sinking five of her six free-throw attempts. The Jackson, New Jersey, native scored 12 of her 18 points during the second half, besides registering two steals, a rebound, and an assist.
 
Freshman Gabby Giacone achieved her third career double-double on Friday, finishing the game with an even 10 points and 10 rebounds. Samantha DeFreese recorded 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal, while Francesca Sally scored seven points and hauled in six boards.
 
Northeastern (7-12, 2-6 CAA) led Elon (12-7, 5-3 CAA) nearly the whole way from the 5:24 mark in the first quarter until the final seconds of the fourth. Following DeFreese's layup that put NU ahead, 54-49, with 1:49 to play in regulation, the Phoenix scored on their next three possessions, with the eventual game-winning bucket coming with 3.7 seconds on the game clock.
 
Jess Genco snagged five defensive rebounds for the Huskies, but was held scoreless for the first time during her young NU career (19 games). The five-foot-five rookie traded no points for six assists, though, coming one shy of her season high, seven.
 
Shay Burnett, a 2015-16 Preseason All-CAA Second Team member, powered 17 points for Elon while grabbing a game high, 15 rebounds, including 11 on the defensive glass. Nikki McDonald scored nine points and grabbed four boards, while Malaya Johnson had seven points, three rebounds, and three assists.
 
NU defended the perimeter quite well against Elon, limiting the Phoenix to just one 3-point make on 18 attempts. However, the Phoenix countered this by taking control of the inside game, outscoring Northeastern, 30-20, in the paint, and 8-2 in transition.
 
After leading Elon, 14-8, after the first quarter, baskets by DeFreese and Giacone to start the second helped NU build a 10-point advantage with 7:58 to go in the half. The Phoenix would proceed to close out the second quarter on a 14-6 run, reducing Northeastern's lead to two, 24-22, at the mid-game break.
 
Having increased its edge to 31-26 upon Giacone's power move in the post, Maureen Taggart drained a 3-pointer from the wing, putting the Huskies in front by eight. Montage would hit two free throws later in the period to push Northeastern's lead to nine at 40-31, but the Phoenix continued to fight back, ending the third quarter trailing by just five, 43-38.
 
Montagne's 3-point basket with 6:57 to play awarded NU a six-point cushion with 6:57 to go, two possessions before the senior guard hit two free throws to put Northeastern up by eight, 50-42. The Huskies led Elon by as much as nine points in the fourth quarter with 3:55 remaining, but the Phoenix's 13-2 swing during the final four minutes allowed them to steal a victory away from NU.
 
Northeastern will travel to William & Mary next for a 2 p.m. game on Sunday, Jan. 31. The Huskies defeated the Tribe earlier this year, 69-68, in overtime on Jan. 15.
 
STATS OF THE GAME
- Northeastern sported a 39-35 rebounding advantage against the Phoenix.
- Elon improved its lead in the all-time series to 3-0. All three victories by the Phoenix have been by one possession.
- Tiffany Montagne has scored 28 points during her last two games. She set a then-season high, 10 points, on Jan. 25 against Drexel.
- The Huskies shot 11-of-14 from the foul line.
- Northeastern had a 15-10 advantage in second-chance points.