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BOSTON – Backed by four double-digit scorers, including Claudia Ortiz's team high, 17 points, the Northeastern women's basketball team was unable to cool the jets of the first-place Elon Phoenix as the Huskies were defeated, 76-65, on Friday night at Cabot Center.
 
Ortiz scored eight of her 17 points at the foul line, where she remained perfect on four or more attempts for the fifth time during her NU career. Friday's game also marked the third time during the Huskies' last four games in which she led Northeastern (7-13, 3-5 CAA) in scoring, tallying 15 or more points on each occasion.
 
Jess Genco (12 points), Gabby Giacone (11), and Francesca Sally (10) rounded out the quartet of NU players that finished in double-figures. Giacone and Sally shared the team rebounding lead with seven boards apiece, while Genco hit two 3-pointers during the complete 40 minutes and like Ortiz, remained perfect from the charity stripe (four-for-four).
 
Maureen Taggart led the Huskies' three reserves with eight points, five rebounds, and three assists during 22 minutes off the bench.
 
Elon (15-5, 7-1 CAA) remained a game ahead of the conference standings with its victory, benefitting from Shay Burnett's 17 points on six-of-eight shooting and four-of-six mark from the free-throw line. Meme Garner dropped 13 points for the Phoenix, while Jenifer Rhodes contributed 12 points, providing 10 of Elon's 36 points in the paint.
 
Northeastern had difficulty competing with Elon on the glass during the first half. The Phoenix sported identical 14-6 rebounding margins against the Huskies under their offensive and defensive hoop, outgaining NU, 28-12 overall, by halftime.
 
Besides Elon's 16-4 edge in points in the paint during the opening quarter, Northeastern held its ground and trailed by the Phoenix by only five points, 22-17, heading into the second period. NU countered Elon's five-minute, 10-2 run to begin the night with a 10-2 run of its own during the next two minutes, tying the game at the 3:11 mark on Taggart's 3-point jumper.
 
Rhodes' bucket with 36 seconds to play in the first quarter helped Elon regain its largest lead of the period, eight points, although a second 3-pointer by Taggart on the Huskies' final possession reduced Northeastern's deficit back down to five.
 
After Elon and NU had started the evening shooting 50 and 40 percent from the floor, respectively, both teams experienced a bit of a scoring lull during the second quarter. Ortiz and Genco powered the only two Northeastern field goals of the period from behind the arc, narrowing the game to as close as 26-25 with 5:36 to play. However, NU went cold for the remainder of half as the Phoenix went on to carry a 33-27 edge into the locker room.
 
Northeastern whittled Elon's third-quarter lead down to two points, 36-34, with 6:29 to go. Giacone had made a pair of strong drives to the hoop before Ortiz drew contact on her's and headed to the line.
 
Fouls began to creep up on the Huskies midway through the third quarter. Ortiz drew her fourth personal with 5:41 remaining, while Giacone picked up her fourth too at the 3:01 mark. Despite these, Northeastern was successful in keeping the Phoenix off the foul line, limiting Elon to only five free throw attempts during the period.
 
Northeastern's seven-point deficit widened to 13 less than two minutes into the final quarter, sending the Huskies into a quick timeout. NU would pull back the margin to as close as six points with 1:23 to go before Burnett's bucket with 55 seconds left all but sealed the result. Both Loren Lassiter and Ortiz would end up fouling out during the final four minutes of the fourth quarter, in addition to Elon's Johnson.
 
UP NEXT

The Huskies will head to Philadelphia on Sunday, Jan. 27, for a 2 p.m. CAA road contest against Drexel.