The Northeastern women’s basketball team proved that the bark of a Husky is worse than a bite of a Cougar as they started off their four-game home stretch against the College of Charleston, ultimately winning 72-68. 

Although Northeastern (9-10, 5-3 CAA) has won their last eight consecutive games against the Cougars (10-9, 3-5 CAA), tonight proved to be a tough game. 

The Huskies started out guns blazing with an opening steal off the tip-off by junior guard Stella Clark to start the scoring. However, minutes in, senior guard Shannon Todd got called for a technical foul after she hit a Charleston defender in the face when trying to get past her. Todd didn’t let that stop her momentum as she was heating up with three triples. 

“[Todd’s] expanded her game so she’s not just a shooter now, I think that in itself lends her the opportunity to be in the right spot. Her movement off the ball has come a long way, she stays busy off the ball. It’s 90% movement with or without the ball,” said NU head coach Kelly Cole about Todd’s splash zone. 

With Charleston pressing early on and being as aggressive as cougars can be, Todd’s last triple ended a three-minute scoreless drought for either side. The first quarter concluded with the Huskies on top, 17-9. 

To start the second quarter, the Cougars seemed even more aggressive than before, causing two lead changes, double-teaming and circling around the Huskies. Sophomore forward Alexis Hill put up a good fight against three defenders to sink the much-needed basket, but seconds later, Charleston tied it up at 19 aside. 

The Huskies bit back as they regained the lead with a deep buzzer-beater triple by Clark to end the half, 28-26. 

NU continued to unleash the beast in them as they went on an eight-point run in the opening two minutes of the quarter. The Huskies gained points, with the game now at 42-33, as Charleston was racking up fouls, picking up well over five fouls, before the quarter was halfway through. 

Todd stayed on fire with another trey followed by a massive block by Hill. Freshman guard Mossi Staples pulled through during her minutes on the court with two back-to-back big plays including a jump ball in the Husky paint and a forced back-court violation. The Huskies took an 11 point advantage over the Cougars, 52-41. 

“I was just out there playing my game, I strapped up, and hustled on defense. It’s what I came with, we do a lot of defensive drills and I have to remember everything that they tell me to do in practice and transfer it into the game,” Staples said about her defensive game. 

Staples started the fourth quarter with a sneaky spin move to make the tough pass to Clark who made the bucket. With Charleston trying to chip away at the lead, the Huskies needed to secure the game away without any more turnovers or fouls especially with Hill (3) and Todd (4) in foul trouble with four minutes left in the contest.

With less than a minute left and Charleston’s Arynn Eady fouling out, the Huskies secured the nail-biter of a victory against the Cougars, 72-68. 

Leaders of the game in points for the Huskies were Clark (19), Hill (19), Todd (17), Currence (12). Leaders in rebounds were Currence (8) with a new personal high, Clark (7), and Hill (6). Hill and Staples had 3 steals apiece. 

The Huskies face UNCW (6-13, 3-5 CAA) in their second of the four home games Sunday in the Cabot Center at 2 p.m.