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BOSTON – Despite leading James Madison for nearly three quarter's time during Sunday's calendar year finale at Cabot Center, the Northeastern women's basketball team was unable to hang on until the end as the Huskies lost the battle of 1-0 CAA teams, 60-57, against the Dukes.
 
Northeastern (6-7, 1-1 CAA) led James Madison (6-7, 2-0 CAA) by as many as nine points, 42-33, with 5:30 remaining in the third quarter before the Dukes jockeyed back to create three tied scores – the last occurring at 49-49 with 6:41 left in regulation. Both teams were stalemated with the Huskies trailing, 59-54, for the majority of the game's final four minutes, with NU being unable to cut into the deficit during a series of eight trips down the floor.
 
Jess Genco paced the Huskies with 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists, in addition to sinking four 3-point jumpers. Claudia Ortiz coupled 12 points with five rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Shannon Todd posted her 12th double-digit scoring game of the season, finishing with 11 points.
 
Gabby Giacone nearly recorded her second straight double-double, tallying eight points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Loren Lassiter grabbed six rebounds and contributed four points as well.
 
Kamiah Smalls led James Madison with 18 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and six steals, while Lexie Barrier double-doubled to the tune of 17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
 
NU won the turnover margin against the Dukes (+2), but surrendered an eight-point advantage to JMU in second chance points (12-4). James Madison scored 38 of its 60 points from inside the paint, while the Huskies swished nine 3-pointers, shooting 43 percent from downtown.
 
Northeastern's defense held JMU to a season low, 21 points, during the first half, limiting the Dukes to 31 percent shooting before halftime.
 
The Huskies' three-point loss against James Madison on Sunday is tied for the closest margin of defeat NU has experienced against the Dukes since Northeastern claimed its lone series victory (22 all-time meetings) on Feb. 19, 2012.
 
FIRST QUARTER
 
Northeastern made the game's opening statement, rushing out to a 7-2 lead after James Madison had misfired on each of its first six attempts from the field. Claudia Ortiz found Shannon Todd open on the right side for the 3-pointer that put NU ahead, 5-0, while Gabby Giacone's interior layup sent the Dukes into a called timeout with 6:54 remaining. Ortiz stole Devon Merritt's arcing pass in the JMU frontcourt and ran from coast to coast to up the Huskies' lead to 9-5 near the midway point of the quarter. Jess Genco became the fifth Northeastern player to score during the opening period when she connected on her first 3-pointer of the day from the right wing, lifting NU to a 12-7 advantage with three minutes left to play. However, James Madison managed to close the door down the stretch, scoring the final five points of the quarter and tying the game on Kamiah Smalls' 3-pointer during the closing seconds.
 
SECOND QUARTER
 
After missing its final four shots of the first quarter, Northeastern again struggled to find the bottom of the net early, coming up empty on its first four attempts of the second quarter. Hailee Barron extended the Dukes' run to 8-0 courtesy of her 3-point jumper at the 8:14 mark, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Genco and Ortiz helped NU snap a more than five-minute scoring drought and regain a three-point lead at 18-15.
 
Northeastern's ball movement continued to cause problems for JMU during the middle stages of the quarter. Ortiz broke the Dukes' baseline double-team by threading a pass in the paint to Todd, who upped the Huskies' lead to 20-17. During Northeastern's next touch, Genco found Zoe Zwerling open in the left corner, where she popped the 3-pointer that provided NU with a six-point cushion at 23-17. By the end of the half, the Huskies had assisted on all but two of their 11 made field goals, including all six during the second quarter. Defensively, NU limited JMU to only two baskets during the final four minutes of the period as the Huskies carried a 29-21 lead into the half.
 
THIRD QUARTER
 
James Madison blitzed Northeastern out of the locker rooms, capitalizing on an NU turnover to win a pair of field goals in quick succession and send the Huskies into a called timeout only 31 seconds into the quarter. Baskets by Giacone and Ortiz allowed Northeastern to regain its eight-point halftime lead (33-25), while both teams traded two-point trips during the next two minutes and change. Genco broke the trend upon drilling her fourth 3-pointer of the day, providing the Huskies with their largest lead of the game, nine points (42-33), with 5:30 remaining. However, James Madison did not back down, scoring during each of its following five possessions to turn in a 10-0 run and slide in front, 43-42, with 2:05 left to play. Ortiz helped put Northeastern back on top courtesy of her two-for-two trip at the foul line, while Loren Lassiter drove hard to the basket to secure NU a 46-43 lead after three quarters.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
 
A pair of turnovers committed by Northeastern left the Huskies with only one field goal attempt during the opening two minutes of play. James Madison benefitted from baskets by Lexie Barrier and Smalls to sneak in front, 47-46, prior to Todd knotting the game at the foul line with 7:49 remaining. Ortiz and Smalls traded interior baskets to create the game's fifth tied score (49-49), which would later be broken with Barron's three free throws upon being fouled by Stella Clark in the left corner. Barron followed with another 3-point field goal to present JMU with a six-point lead at 57-51, but Todd responded immediately, dialing up her second 3-pointer of the day from the top of the key to draw Northeastern within one possession (57-54) with 4:07 to go. Merritt answered with a jumper from the left side to raise the Dukes' lead to 59-54, where the score would stay from the 3:49 mark to less than 10 seconds remaining. NU and JMU combined to miss nine field goals and four free throws before Smalls' foul shot with two seconds left and Clark's controlled, 3-point buzzer beater.
 
UP NEXT
 
Northeastern will take its CAA tour through North Carolina next week, when the Huskies pay visits to UNCW (Friday, Jan. 5, 11:30 a.m.) and Elon (Sunday, Jan. 7, 2 p.m.).