BOSTON – Rashad King tied a career-high with 27 points and the Northeastern men's basketball team (9-5, 1-0) survived a late surge from Delaware (7-7, 0-1) to outlast the Blue Hens on Thursday night at Matthews Arena, 80-77.
 
The victory gives the Huskies a win in their CAA opener for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons.
 
Northeastern led by as many as 16 in the game and 15 in the second half before Delaware stormed back to take a one-point lead with 1:37 to play. In a game that saw the teams combine for 48 free throws, the contest was decided at the line as King hit his final four of the evening to retake the lead before a half-court shot from the Blue Hens went begging at the buzzer to give the Huskies the win.
 
King finished the night 8-of-20 from the field and 11-of-12 at the line, marking the fifth time he's reached 20 points in a game this season. He added eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks as one of three Huskies in double figures. He was joined by Masai Troutman (19 points on 7-of-16 shooting) and JB Frankel (career-high 13 points). The Huskies dominated the glass throughout the night, 49-28, led by 15 from Harold Woods.
 
As a team, Northeastern finished 29-of-69 from the field and 5-of-16 from three while the Blue Hens shot 46% overall and 38% from three, led by 21 points from John Camden.
 
Northeastern came out flying, using a 17-4 run over nearly five minutes to lead 17-6 less than six minutes into the game. King was the story for the Huskies, going for 14 on 6-of-14 from the floor in 18 minutes of action, while Woods hauled in nine of Northeastern's 30 first half rebounds.
 
Delaware chipped away at the deficit late, going on a 12-2 run in two minutes to cut the Huskies lead to 10 at the break, 44-34. 
 
Another quick start for the Huskies out of halftime put the hosts up by 15 early in the second half, 50-35, capped by a bucket from Troutman, two of his 12 second half points.
 
A 10-0 Blue Hens run with baskets from four different players would trim the Northeastern lead down to four with 13:21 to play before a triple from Frankel regained the Huskies' three possession lead approaching the midway mark of the half, 56-49.
 
Delaware wouldn't go quietly, though, keeping the deficit within single digits before an 11-2 run out of the final minute timeout gave the visitors their first lead since the first basket of the game with just 1:37 to play, 77-76, to set up the wild finish.
 
The Huskies will be back home on Saturday afternoon when Northeastern hosts Hofstra. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. on NESN+ and FloCollege.