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NASHVILLE, Tenn.  – Three different Huskies finished with double-digit scoring, but the Northeastern men's basketball team was unable to come away with the win in the final game of the PK80 Inviational in Nashville on Saturday afternoon falling 78-67 to Furman.
 
Vasa Pusica led the way for the Huskies (2-4) for the second-straight game finishing with 17 points and three assists while Shawn Occeus had 15 points on a career-high seven field goals, and five rebounds and Bolden Brace finished with 11 points. Jeremy Miller added a season-high nine points and five rebounds.
 
Furman's (4-2) offense was sparked early and often by Devin Sibley who finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double while also adding three assists. Matt Rafferty finished with 11 points while Daniel Fowler added 10 in a game where Furman led the way from start to finish.
 
FIRST HALF
The two teams traded baskets through the first few minutes of the first half, but Furman's speed helped the Paladins on an 8-2 run heading into the under-12 media which game Furman a seven-point advantage early.
 
The run extended to 13-4 and with that the Furman lead grew to 10 forcing Bill Coen to call a timeout and settle things. Following the timeout, the Huskies cut the lead to seven as, once again, Donnell Gresham connected on a three when the Huskies needed a basket and Shawn Occeus followed that with a tip-in at the seven-minute mark to make it a 27-20 ballgame.
 
But once again, the Paladins went on a 6-0 run to build their lead to 13, a lead that they would hang onto heading into the half despite another buzzer beating shot by Pusica, this time an outside jumper, that made it a 45-32 game at the half.
 
Pusica led all Husky scorers with nine points at the half, while Sibley finished with a game-high 12 points.
  
SECOND HALF
In the second half, for every basket the Huskies made to cut the lead down, Furman seemed to match it on the other end.
 
After the Paladins got out to a 15-point lead, 53-38 with 15 minutes remaining in the game, Bolden Brace and Donnell Gresham teamed up to drain three treys and make it a 10-point game with twelve-and-a-half minutes to go.
 
On the ensuing possession, Sibley, who hit a shot every time the Huskies got within reach, drained a three followed by a Matt Rafferty layup to once again make it a 15-point game.
 
Miller came on strong in the middle of the second half scoring six-straight points for the Huskies including a pair of baskets he outworked his Furman counterpart to get. Northeastern got in the bonus early and the Huskies used free throws down the stretch to make it interesting and cur the lead to eight, but Furman hung on for the win.  
 
UP NEXT
The Huskies are headed home for the first time in nearly three weeks when they begin a four-game homestand with Harvard on Thursday, November 30. Its Red Out Weekend at Matthews Arena! Tickets are still available here.