By Ethan Schroeder, news staff
Northeastern’s women’s basketball team was plagued by inconsistency last week. The Huskies managed a victory over the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) only to lose to the College of Charleston two days later.
Unpredictability has been a theme for the team’s season thus far. With NU having a current record of 4-12, it is hard to predict what kind of team spectators will see come game time. Those who attended Friday’s matchup against the UNCW Seahawks were treated to an exciting performance by the Huskies as the team earned its first conference win.
Led by 21 points from junior forward Samantha DeFreese, NU was able to hold a lead for the final 36 minutes of play en route to a 73-64 win. The team’s highest scoring effort in 10 games can be chiefly attributed to strong shooting from the field. Head Coach Kelly Cole’s squad knocked down 21 of its 53 shots, with seven made from beyond the arc.
NU was also able to get a solid performance out of senior guard A’lece Mark. Averaging 14.6 points per game this season, Mark finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds on the night for her third double-double.
“In order to be successful we need to continue to have at least four players in double figures, and [Marks] is leading that crew,” Cole said in a Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) teleconference. “She’s got the quickness and strength to get to the hole and can shoot from the perimeter as well.”
The Huskies had a scare midway through the second half when UNCW was able to cut the lead to only one point. However, Northeastern kept its composure and it was able stave off the Seahawks for the win.
Garnering a bit of momentum, the team headed to the College of Charleston on Sunday to kick off a three-game road trip. Attendees of this game saw another side of the Huskies. Shooting 14 for 63 from the floor, NU was unable to string along any sort of offensive production and lost 59-38.
The Cougars dictated the game’s pace in the paint, outscoring Northeastern 32-18 while also winning the rebounding battle. On defense, Charleston only allowed one opponent to reach double digits in scoring. Holding NU to under 20 points in each half, Charleston was able to pull away a win with relative ease. A lone bright spot in the game for the Huskies was freshman forward Maureen Taggart’s career-high eight rebounds.
The loss drops the team to 1-7 on the road this season. With wins being hard to come by and the team unable to hit a rhythm in winning consecutive games, the Huskies are at a crossroads. The team’s next few games will make the difference in its pursuit to turn things around.
“Every team in this conference has things going for them, and every team also has chinks in their armor,” Cole said. “Right now, we’re struggling with consistency.”
Northeastern continues its road trip next week with games against Towson and Elon Universities. Coach Cole is confident that the team will improve as it continues conference play.
“We are not even close to hitting our potential,” she said.
Photo by Arzu Martinez
