After falling to the University of Delaware, 74-70, Saturday at Matthews Arena, the Northeastern men’s basketball team earned a 57-54 win over Towson University Wednesday night thanks to a buzzer-beating three-pointer by sophomore guard David Walker. The Huskies improved to 3-3 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play and 6-14 overall.
Walker scored 20 points in Saturday’s loss and redshirt-junior forward Scott Eatherton added 15. Sophomore guard Zach Stahl recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“I thought Zach really had a good day. I know he scored some points and everything but I was more impressed by his defensive effort,” Huskies head coach Bill Coen said after Saturday’s game. “He’s kind of combo-forward. He’s played mostly a power forward spot for us but the last couple games we’ve inserted him as a small forward and I think he’s adjusted really well. Not an easy thing to do but he understands how to play angles and he understands scouting reports so he takes advantage of it and I thought he did a great job on the defensive end.”
Eatherton kicked off the Huskies’ scoring with a mid-range jumper on the first possession of the game, but Delaware quickly jumped out to a 12-5 lead.
The Huskies began to find some offensive success midway through the first half after a lineup change paired up players that normally would not be on the floor together. The unconventional lineup of Walker, junior guard Demetrius Pollard, freshman guard/forward Jimmy Marshall, redshirt-senior guard/forward Chris Avenant and junior forward Reggie Spencer closed in on Delaware’s lead.
The Huskies were only down by two when Eatherton checked back into the game for Marshall. After two made free throws by Spencer and a layup by Eatherton, the Huskies took a 21-19 advantage.
Northeastern led, 30-27, at the half.
Northeastern held on to a slim lead for the first four minutes of the second half, but Delaware began to find an offensive rhythm and took a five-point lead.
“We were really concerned about Delaware getting in transition and opening the game up, and I thought they did a good job of getting the game to their favor tempo-wise in the second half,” Coen said. “And I think that ultimately was the difference in the game.”
With 40 seconds left in the game, Northeastern trailed, 69-63. Walker hit a three-pointer to pull the Huskies within three, but Delaware closed out the victory following a back-and-forth free throw battle.
Coen praised Walker for taking the late three-pointer after he and Demetrius both passed up multiple opportunities for perimeter shots throughout the game.
“More is lost by indecision than bad decision,” Coen said. “When a guy steps into a shot, has time and space, that’s about as good as you can do. And the one [Walker] made he did just that. He stepped into it with confidence and made it. When you start pump-faking and trying to hunt an extra foot closer or so, somehow you get out of rhythm and you don’t shoot as well.”
Saturday’s game marked the eighth time this season the Huskies lost by five points or fewer.
“We’ve been in a lot of very close basketball games,” Coen said. “And to win close basketball games I think you got to really be elite at all the little things and we’re just not there yet.”
The Huskies looked to bounce back with a road win Wednesday night as they took on the Towson Tigers. After leading by 19 points at halftime, Northeastern suffered from a serious lack of scoring in the second half.
“I thought we were extremely fortunate to come out with a victory this evening,” Coen said after Wednesday’s last-second win. “I thought both teams played really, really hard. You know you’re in the meat of the CAA schedule when games are played with this type of intensity.”
The Tigers tied the game at 54 with just six seconds to play after Four McGlynn was fouled from behind the arc and made all three free throws. The Huskies got the ball with the chance for one last play in regulation.
Walker got the ball from junior guard Marco Banegas-Flores with just seconds to spare, and fIred a 30-foot three-pointer as time expired. As the ball swished through the net to seal the win, Walker pumped his fist and the Huskies ran onto the court to celebrate.
Eatherton led the Huskies with 19 points and nine rebounds in Wednesday’s win. Stahl scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds.
The Huskies will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Hempstead, N.Y. to take on Hofstra University at 12 p.m. The Pride are 3-1 in CAA action and 7-12 overall.
