By Aren LeBrun, News Staff
Behind a career-best 26 points from senior center Jewel Tunstull, the Northeastern women’s basketball team (9-14, 3-7 Colonial Athletic Association) snapped its two-game losing streak with a 61-53 win over the College of Charleston (12-12, 5-6 CAA) on Sunday afternoon at the TD Arena in Chareston.
“I was just kind of taking everything personal,” Tunstull said after the game. “Six games left, and I’m a senior, I was just thinking the whole game that we have to win it.”
Despite a slow start, the Huskies used a consistent inside attack and tough late-game defense to defeat Charleston, a team that served Northeastern a 16-point home loss earlier in the year.
“A great win for our program,” head coach Daynia La-Force said. “It just shows their resiliency and the fact that they’re learning, they’re growing, and they’re getting better every day.”
Tunstull, the Huskies’ only senior, also grabbed 14 rebounds on the night to secure her conference-leading ninth double-double. She continued her strong play of late, averaging 25.5 points and 10 rebounds per outing over the past two games.
“She has answered the call the past two games,” La-Force said. “She did a nice job being poised, finishing, rebounding.”
Joining Tunstull in double figures were sophomore guard Tiffany Montagne and junior guard and co-captain A’lece Mark with 10.
Charleston was led by freshman forward Breanna Bolden’s 12 points. Senior guard Alfreyea Tolbert chipped in 11 for the Cougars as well.
Charleston held Northeastern without a basket for the opening six minutes of the contest. Montagne scored a layup to finally get the Huskies on the board, and then followed it with a three-pointer to trim the deficit to four.
The teams traded hoops for the bulk of the period, until a 6-0 Northeastern run widened the margin to five. Tolbert nailed a jumper to end the half, but the Huskies still entered their locker room with a 38-32 lead.
Northeastern led for the entirety of the second half, as Charleston was only able to cut the lead to one point twice in the period. Neither team could record consecutive hoops until the Huskies went on a 7-0 run to widen the score to 48-40.
It was defense that decided the game late, as Northeastern held the Cougars to a dismal four points in the final four minutes to secure a 61-53 victory.
On the night, Northeastern shot 38.9 percent from the floor, including 22.7 percent from distance (well below their season three-point average of 32.6 percent). Despite only connecting on five long balls on the night, the Huskies won the battle in the trenches, outscoring the Cougars 18-14 in the paint and 13-9 on second chance buckets.
The Huskies also managed to get to the line, connecting on 14 of their 18 free throw attempts compared to the Cougars’ 50 percent shooting
Although projected to finish third overall in a preseason CAA coaches poll, key injuries and a young squad have limited Northeastern to just three conference victories with six more opportunities left in the regular season.
“This is a very tough conference, and we have to be prepared every single night for every opponent we face,” La-Force said.
The win was an important one for Northeastern, as it currently secures the seventh place seed, separating them from UNCW and the College of William & Mary, who each have two conference wins.
“We just have to continue getting better,” La-Force said. “Breakdowns in practice, watching film, challenging each other to prepare ourselves for our next opponent.”
The Huskies look to inch one step closer to the sixth place spot on Thursday when they face the William & Mary Tribe at the Cabot Center in Boston. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
