By Matthew MacCormack, news correspondent
The Northeastern men’s basketball team got off to a strong start this season, taking down Boston University (BU) over the weekend before upsetting Florida State University (FSU) mid-week.
Last season, Head Coach Bill Coen and the young Huskies tallied an 11-21 overall record and finished fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). However, things look like they might shake out differently this year.
Many scouts picked NU as the preseason favorite to win the CAA title and gain the conference’s automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament in March. Leading the Huskies is 6-foot-8-inch redshirt senior forward Scott Eatherton, who collected CAA Defensive Player of the Year honors while averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds last year.
The action started on Sunday afternoon when the Huskies took to TD Garden to face BU in the first of three matchups in the Coaches vs. Cancer Massachusetts Triple Header. Six teams from the state matched up throughout the day, with partial proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity for our program,” Coen said of the charity event. “For all the universities in the state to rally together to fight cancer makes it extra special.”
The game, however, didn’t start well for the Huskies. The Terriers hit four of their first six 3-pointers, and sophomore guards Cedric Hankerson and Eric Fanning each chipped in eight points for BU in the first 20 minutes. Northeastern shot 35 percent from the field in the first half and faced a 36-27 deficit at the break.
Coen attributes the rough start to early-season butterflies and was proud of the way his squad responded.
“Obviously we got off to a slow start; we were a little bit anxious to get out on the court,” he said. “But this tremendous rivalry brings out the best in everybody, and we played a more energetic second half.”
Behind the efforts of junior guard David Walker, who went off for a career-high 23 points, the Huskies clawed their way back into the game.
Redshirt junior forward Quincy Ford, who missed nearly all of last season after back surgery, gave the Huskies the lead with a clutch 3-pointer to make it 51-50 with eight minutes to go.
From there, the lead would change four times in the next five minutes, as Walker nailed two corner 3-pointers to keep the Huskies in the game. Northeastern took its final lead when sophomore point guard T.J. Williams, who tallied seven points, eight assists and nine rebounds over the course of the night, found Eatherton (eight points, 10 rebounds) on a no-look pass for an easy layup under the three minute mark. From there, the Huskies would tack on a few more points and close the deal with a 71-65 win.
Walker, whose game earned him CAA Player of the Week honors, hit six of 10 3-pointers in the contest and was a go-to option for the Huskies down the stretch.
“It was just one of those days where the shots were going in,” he said. “I gotta thank my teammates for finding me in open spots.”
Ford, meanwhile, felt a little tentative upon his return to college basketball but was able to pick it up later in the game. The versatile forward tallied all of his 11 points in the second frame.
“It was an unbelievable feeling to step back out there,” Ford said. “I’m gonna be honest, I had a little bit of nerves going… [but] I sorta got into a rhythm towards the end thanks to my teammates.”
After the triumph over rival BU, the Huskies traveled to Tallahassee, Fla. for a Tuesday night battle with FSU as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament. The matchup with the Seminoles proved to be just as nail-biting.
FSU jumped out to an early 18-9 lead, but the Huskies once again fought back. Walker tallied 14 first-half points, and NU held a slim 40-38 advantage at halftime.
The next 20 minutes were a furious back-and-forth battle, and the game stayed tight until the closing seconds. Northeastern took a 73-68 advantage with less than two minutes remaining after a 12-6 NU run culminated in a strong post score from Eatherton. With 22 seconds remaining, however, FSU junior guard Aaron Thomas (24 points) nailed a triple, cutting the Husky lead to 74-73.
The Seminoles intentionally fouled NU freshman guard Devon Begley on the ensuing possession, hoping the first-year’s nerves would cause him to miss from the charity stripe. With the poise of an upperclassmen, Begley sunk two free throws to give NU a three-point lead.
FSU would get one more look at the basket, but a potential game-tying 3-point attempt from freshman guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes rimmed out. With a surprise 76-73 win, the Huskies had an easy trip back home to Boston.
Walker once again led NU in scoring, recording 22 points and four assists. Ford (18 points, seven rebounds, four assists) played a complete game, and Eatherton (16 points) got his offensive groove going.
But even with so many noteworthy performances, it was freshman Begley who may have been the most impressive Husky this week. The 6-foot-4-inch guard averaged 6.5 points and three assists in his first two collegiate games and brought valuable energy off the bench.
“He’s very, very quick, he’s crafty with the ball and he’s able to get to the basket and get into the lane,” Coen said. “He’s in a position where he could really provide us a spark.”
With a combination of young budding talent and established stars, Northeastern looks to continue its success in the coming week. Over the weekend, the Huskies will travel to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to continue to showcase their talents in the tournament. They will face the Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy on Saturday, and that game’s outcome will determine who the Huskies face next.
Photo by Brian Bae
