A new year and a fresh start for the Northeastern Huskies who returned to Matthews Arena for the first time in a month.
The Huskies, led by Matt Janning’s 22 points, overcame a quick 5-0 deficit and went on a 17-2 run and did not look back from there. Chaisson Allen came up big again for the Huskies with 12 points and 8 rebounds, while Manny Adako stayed hot with 13 points and 5 boards. Northeastern only turned the ball over 9 times, a huge improvement from the 25 turnovers at Memphis.
Now 2-0 in the CAA, the Huskies will take on Hofstra at home where they will hope to build upon their hot start in the conference. Their smothering defense and improvements on the backboards are becoming more consistent, but the Huskies must keep it up if they hope to finish atop the CAA.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Tigers Crush Huskies
The Huskies came into the game against the highly favored Memphis Tigers with a lot of confidence. Riding a three game winning streak, the team came with the mindset that they could very well get their fourth.
Upon arriving in Memphis, the team unloaded at the hotel and then traveled to Memphis’ on campus practice facility. That evening, the team went to FedEx Forum to watch the Memphis Grizzlies take on the Phoenix Suns with newly acquired Jared Dudley, a former Boston College star and Bill Coen recruit.
The next day the Huskies went back to FedEx Forum, but this time to play. And they played in front of 17,164 fans, which was more than the Grizzlies and Suns played in front of the night before. For the first 10 minutes, the Huskies showed they could hang with the Tigers, leading 22-15 with 10:06 to play in the half. But it all went downhill from there. Manny Adako, who led the Huskies with 16 points, was unstoppable. Adako went 7-7 from the field. However, he was involved in an altercation with Robert Dozier and Tyreke Evans and received a technical foul, giving him his third foul in the first half.
With Adako out, a cold Matt Janning and a sick Chaisson Allen, the Tigers pounced on the Huskies. They ended the half with a run of 15-0, followed up by another run of 8-0, to take the lead 38-26. The combination of Adako and Nkem Ojougboh in foul trouble, and the Tigers shooting 35 free throws to the Huskies 12, spelled disaster for the Huskies who fell hard to the Tigers 80-48.
Once in the locker room, Coach Coen explained to the team that they cannot lose their cool. Their success has been built upon playing to their strengths and within themselves. They did not do that against Memphis. But Coen explained that now the real season starts, full fledged conference play.
It is much easier to play when you are not expected to win. For the past two seasons, the Huskies have been picked to finish last in the CAA. This year they are picked to finished second. The slogan being used in the athletics department is “Now Is The Time”, and that could not translate any more clearly to this team.
NU Wins Big At Indiana
Another feather has been stuck in the hat of the Northeastern Huskies, and this time it is crimson red.
The Huskies defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 55-42 at Assembly Hall. After coming off twelve days of rest, the Huskies were anxious to get back on the court. And this was no ordinary venue, this was Indiana University, and it truly lived up to all of the hype and history. However, the Huskies did not seem to be caught up in any of that.
Indiana jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, but the Huskies slowly chipped away and took the lead, 15-14 with 9:03 remaining after a Eugene Spates three-pointer. They would not give up the lead for the rest of the night. A Baptiste Bataille lay up at the buzzer gave the Huskies a 28-18 lead going into the locker room.
At halftime, Coach Coen told his players that they need to be ready for a run. He told them that the building will be rocking, and that the Hoosiers will make a run. But he reminded the team that they were 20 minutes away from going home with an early Christmas present. In the second half, the Huskies went out and snatched the present from under the tree, winning easily 55-42. Matt Janning led the way for the Huskies with 17 points. Chaisson Allen added 13 of his own, while Nkem Ojougboh chipped in 8 points and 4 rebounds.
The post game locker room was raucous. Everyone was thrilled with the win and ready to go home for a few days for break. Next up for the Huskies will a trip to Memphis to take on the University of Memphis Tigers.
The Huskies defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 55-42 at Assembly Hall. After coming off twelve days of rest, the Huskies were anxious to get back on the court. And this was no ordinary venue, this was Indiana University, and it truly lived up to all of the hype and history. However, the Huskies did not seem to be caught up in any of that.
Indiana jumped out to an early 9-3 lead, but the Huskies slowly chipped away and took the lead, 15-14 with 9:03 remaining after a Eugene Spates three-pointer. They would not give up the lead for the rest of the night. A Baptiste Bataille lay up at the buzzer gave the Huskies a 28-18 lead going into the locker room.
At halftime, Coach Coen told his players that they need to be ready for a run. He told them that the building will be rocking, and that the Hoosiers will make a run. But he reminded the team that they were 20 minutes away from going home with an early Christmas present. In the second half, the Huskies went out and snatched the present from under the tree, winning easily 55-42. Matt Janning led the way for the Huskies with 17 points. Chaisson Allen added 13 of his own, while Nkem Ojougboh chipped in 8 points and 4 rebounds.
The post game locker room was raucous. Everyone was thrilled with the win and ready to go home for a few days for break. Next up for the Huskies will a trip to Memphis to take on the University of Memphis Tigers.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Huskies Win Wild One In Cambridge
The Huskies came into Harvard fresh off of a close road win over James Madison. They did not know they would be in for another nail biter.
Harvard jumped out to an early 12-9 lead with 14:30 left in the first half. A Matt Janning jumper at 8:06 gave the Huskies a 19-17 lead, and it gave Matt Janning his 1,000th point. Janning reached the 1,000 point plateau at the fourth fastest pace. At the half, the Huskies led 32-27.
In the second half, the teams would exchange scoring runs down to the last second of regulation. The Huskies led 60-53 with 49 seconds left to play when Harvard took a timeout. What they drew up was a deep three-pointer by Drew Housman to make it 60-56. After Chaisson Allen knocked down two free-throws, Jeremy Lin hit a three of his own to make it 62-59. The Huskies then turned it over and Housman kept his hot streak alive, nailing another three to tie things up at 62. With 2.8 seconds left, the Huskies inbounded the ball from the baseline to Nkem Ojougboh, who finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and his shot was partially blocked to end regulation.
Ojougboh would again get the call, this time in the overtime period. He sank a hook shot that tied the game at 66 with 2.8 seconds left, and after a Harvard miss, the teams went into double-overtime.
The double-overtime period belonged to Manny Adako. Adako hit the first two shots in the period, pushing the Huskies to a 70-66 lead with 1:59 left to play. But the Crimson would not go away, and Peter Boehm stroked a three to bring the score to 70-69. Janning then hit a tough shot in the lane to put the Huskies up 72-69. Lin then answered for the Crimson with a 2 of his own, making it 72-71 with 48.9 to play.
Chaisson Allen then took one of the most important shots of his young career, hitting a fade away jump shot with 19 seconds to go in the game. Boehm then turned it over, and Janning, who finished with 17 points, hit 2 free throws to ice it and the Huskies came out on top 76-71 in a wild game.
Coach Coen was happy after the game, most of all because it was finally over and the Huskies had won. Although they did squander a lead late, he told the players that he was happy with the way they again found away to win in a tough position on the road.
Harvard jumped out to an early 12-9 lead with 14:30 left in the first half. A Matt Janning jumper at 8:06 gave the Huskies a 19-17 lead, and it gave Matt Janning his 1,000th point. Janning reached the 1,000 point plateau at the fourth fastest pace. At the half, the Huskies led 32-27.
In the second half, the teams would exchange scoring runs down to the last second of regulation. The Huskies led 60-53 with 49 seconds left to play when Harvard took a timeout. What they drew up was a deep three-pointer by Drew Housman to make it 60-56. After Chaisson Allen knocked down two free-throws, Jeremy Lin hit a three of his own to make it 62-59. The Huskies then turned it over and Housman kept his hot streak alive, nailing another three to tie things up at 62. With 2.8 seconds left, the Huskies inbounded the ball from the baseline to Nkem Ojougboh, who finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and his shot was partially blocked to end regulation.
Ojougboh would again get the call, this time in the overtime period. He sank a hook shot that tied the game at 66 with 2.8 seconds left, and after a Harvard miss, the teams went into double-overtime.
The double-overtime period belonged to Manny Adako. Adako hit the first two shots in the period, pushing the Huskies to a 70-66 lead with 1:59 left to play. But the Crimson would not go away, and Peter Boehm stroked a three to bring the score to 70-69. Janning then hit a tough shot in the lane to put the Huskies up 72-69. Lin then answered for the Crimson with a 2 of his own, making it 72-71 with 48.9 to play.
Chaisson Allen then took one of the most important shots of his young career, hitting a fade away jump shot with 19 seconds to go in the game. Boehm then turned it over, and Janning, who finished with 17 points, hit 2 free throws to ice it and the Huskies came out on top 76-71 in a wild game.
Coach Coen was happy after the game, most of all because it was finally over and the Huskies had won. Although they did squander a lead late, he told the players that he was happy with the way they again found away to win in a tough position on the road.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)