N. CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Northeastern men's basketball team is moving on to the CAA semifinal round where they will face off with UNCW at 8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
The Huskies are riding an eight-game win-streak into the contest and will face UNCW in the semifinal round for the third time in the last four seasons.
Now, here is what to look for:
NORTHEASTERN'S PERIMETER DEFENSE
Northeastern's 3-point field goal defense is as stingy as they come, is tops in the country and only getting better every day. UNCW has attempted 685 threes this season, making 238 of them for a 34.7 3FG pct., led by Jordon Talley's 73 makes.
After holding Delaware to just 1-of-14 shooting from behind the arc (7.1 pct.) Northeastern improved its 3FG defense to 29.4 on the season, first in the CAA and third in the nation.
|
Team (Conference |
3FG-3FGA |
Pct. |
| 1 |
Grand Canyon (WAC) |
135-499 |
27.1 |
| 2 |
Penn (Ivy League) |
173-590 |
29.3 |
| 3 |
Northeastern (CAA) |
144-489 |
29.4 |
PUSICA'S PASSING
Vasa Pusica turned it up in conference play dishing out 5.9 assist per game which ranked second in the CAA in conference action.
Currently, he has 161 assists on the season, which sits eighth most in a single season in Northeastern history and most since current Dallas Maverick J.J. Barea dished out 244 during the 2005-06 season.
Pusica's 100+ assists this year, makes it four-straight seasons for NU with at least one player dishing out 100 dimes and the redshirt junior has notched 5+ assists in 14 games this season.
Northeastern Single Season Assist Record
| 1. |
252 |
Andre LaFleur (32 games) |
1983-84 |
| 2. |
244 |
Jose Juan Barea (29 games) |
2005-06 |
| 3. |
232 |
Andre LaFleur (34 games) |
1986-87 |
| 4. |
218 |
Jose Juan Barea (30 games) |
2004-05 |
| 5. |
208 |
Andre LaFleur (31 games) |
1984-85 |
| 6. |
202 |
Andre LaFleur (31 games) |
1985-86 |
| 7. |
181 |
George Robinson (27 games) |
1990-91 |
| 8. |
161 |
Vasa Pusica (31 games) |
2017-18 |
| 9. |
158 |
T.J. Williams (30 games) |
2016-17 |
A POINT DIFFERENTIAL?
Thirteen of the Huskies 22 victories this season have been by a double-digit differential, six of which have come by 16 points or more.
Two of those have come in the last two outings. To claim a share of the CAA regular season title the Huskies upended Elon by 22 points, 81-59. Last time out Northeastern ousted Delaware, 74-50, in the CAA Quarterfinals.
The two games with UNCW this season went to overtime with the Huskies winning both.
