Nov. 9, 7 p.m. @ Colgate University: Season opener
2020-2021 Record: 14-2 (11-1), Patriot League Champs
The Raiders lost their second game of last season to Army by two points and did not lose again until the NCAA tournament where they were beaten by the No. 3 seed University of Arkansas . They lost Jordan Burns, their leading scorer from a year ago, who averaged 16.8 points per game. However, they are returning the rest of their double figure scorers in Jack Ferguson, Nelly Cummings, and Tucker Richardson. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Raiders went back to the big dance this year.
Prediction: Colgate
Nov. 16, 7 p.m. vs Boston University: Bill Coen Night
2020-2021 Record: 7-11 (6-10), 7th in Patriot League
The Huskies last faced off against the Terriers in the 2019-2020 season opener at Case Gymnasium where they won 72-67, and they will look to build on that result at Matthews Arena. The Terriers are coming off a mediocre season but will return their top three leading scorers from a year ago in Javante McCoy, Walter Whyte, and Sukhmail Mathon. The Terriers should be improved from last year, but the Huskies may prove too much to handle.
Prediction: Northeastern
Nov. 19, 6:45 p.m. vs Duquesne University: Paradise Jam, US Virgin Islands
2020-2021 Record: 9-9 (7-7), 9th in Atlantic 10
The Huskies will take part in the Paradise Jam tournament on the scenic campus of the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas. They will take on Duquesne University (Pittsburgh) in the first round and look to advance in the three-round tournament with the final on Nov. 22. The Dukes graduated all three of their double figure scorers from a year ago when they finished the season at .500. They also lost most of their guards last season with Sincere Carry and Lamar Norman transferring, and Maceo Austin stepping away from the team for personal reasons. Coach Keith Dambrot will lean on a couple of 6’7 transfers in Tre Williams and Kevin Easley to continue the team’s identity of size and physicality in the absence of high-level guards.
Prediction: Northeastern
Dec. 12, 1 p.m. vs Davidson College
2020-2021 Record: 13-9 (7-4), 3rd in Atlantic 10
Steph Curry isn’t walking through those doors and unfortunately for the Wildcats, neither is Kellan Grady. Grady was their leading scorer from a year ago averaging over 17 points per game, and although he is still a Wildcat, he will be in Kentucky blue this year. That means second leading scorer Hyunjung Lee will need to up his scoring which he is more than capable of. Last season as a sophomore, he eclipsed the mythical 50/40/90 mark and will be the top option this year in Bob McKillop’s motion offense. The Wildcats have been remarkably consistent over the last decade and will prove to be a tough matchup for the Huskies.
Prediction: Davidson
Jan. 15, 2 p.m. vs Drexel University
2020-2021 Record: 12-8 (4-5), CAA Champs
Despite finishing sixth in the CAA last season, the Dragons made a surprise run to a CAA championship. In a conference that is as up and down as the CAA, it’s hard to predict which teams will have success year to year, but the Dragons lost key contributors Zach Walton and TJ Bickerstaff who started all 20 games a year ago.
“We lost…almost a third of our scoring and rebounding. I don’t think we have any reason to be comfortable,” said head coach Zach Spiker. On a positive note for the Dragons, they did return cornerstones Camren Wynter and James Butler who should help them make another run.
Prediction: Drexel
Feb. 26, 12p.m. vs Elon University: Final game of conference schedule
2020-2021 Record: 10-9 (4-7), 8th in CAA
Despite finishing the season 10-9 and 4-7 in conference play, the Phoenix made a run to the CAA title game, where they lost to Drexel 63-56. The most important player for the Phoenix is Hunter McIntosh, who earned CAA rookie of the year in 2019-2020, and team MVP honors a year ago. Jerald Gillens-Butler hopes to return at some point from a ruptured Achilles tendon sustained last December, before which he was averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds. This looks to be a tight matchup to end the regular season for the Huskies.
Prediction: Northeastern