By Aren LeBrun, News Correspondent
Despite a strong performance from center Jewel Tunstull on senior night, the Northeastern women’s basketball team (12-17, 6-10 Colonial Athletic Association) could not overcome James Madison University (25-5, 15-1 CAA), losing in a double-digit blowout, 46-89.
“They’re a very good program,” head coach Daynia La-Force said. “It would take a lot to beat them tonight. We would have to be on our game for more than just thirteen minutes in the first half.”
Tunstull, Northeastern’s lone senior, was honored before the game for her four successful years in a Husky uniform. During her stellar campaign on the floor of Cabot Center, Tunstull has proved herself to be a sound leader and assertive force in the post, and hers is a legacy that will remain in the record books.
Tunstull is just the 17th player in Northeastern history to eclipse the 1,000 point mark. Her career point total is currently at 1,313 which is good for ninth on the all-time scoring list. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native also ranks first all-time in field goal percentage (53.9), third in rebounds (574) and third in blocked shots (116).
“I’m just proud of her growth,” La-Force said. “This was a big game for her … but she knows that there is more to come.”
In the contest, Tunstull led her team with 18 points and 10 rebounds, notching her league-leading 13th double-double of the season. Junior guard and co-captain A’lece Mark joined her in double figures, scoring 12 points to go with two blocks and two steals.
James Madison received a game-high 30 points from Preseason Player of the Year Kirby Buckholder. The senior guard poured in a career-best eight threes to lead the Dukes to a blowout victory.
Despite Wednesday’s loss, there were positives to the end of the regular season for the Huskies. Northeastern is set to face off against the second-seeded Delaware University Blue Hens (18-9, 10-6 CAA) in the quarter-final round of the CAA tournament, a team they defeated last Sunday in a one-point, 54-53 victory.
The Huskies used a well-balanced offensive attack to survive a nail-biting contest that saw Delaware hold the lead for 39 minutes. Northeastern had four players score in double figures, including a game-high 13 points from sophomore forward Samantha DeFreese. Junior guard Amencie Mercier recorded 11 points and four assists. Tunstull and Mark chipped in 10 points apiece.
Trailing for the entire game, DeFreese nailed a three-pointer to cut the deficit to just one point. The Huskies then forced a Delaware turnover with just 23 seconds left on the clock. On the other end, Tunstull scored the go-ahead layup to put her team up 54-53.
The Blue Hens went for a final push, but Mercier intercepted the pass and Northeastern gained possession as the buzzer sounded.
The win, Northeastern’s first against Delaware since Jan. 9, 1999, snapped a 24-game losing streak to the Blue Hens. On Friday, the Huskies will try to make it two straight wins as they face Delaware once again, this time in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament.
Northeastern, which began the year ranked third in preseason rankings, will enter the tournament as the seventh ranked team in the league.
“We just have to be able to play well on the road,” LaForce said. “I think we play very well at home, we have confidence, we are focused, but we need to take that over to the Show Place Arena and make sure we’re focused and stick to the gameplan.”
The Huskies are traveling to Upper Marlboro, Md. for the 2014 CAA Women’s Basketball tournament this week. Their quarterfinal game against Delaware is scheduled for Friday, March 14. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.
