BOSTON — Facing a Charleston team that pressures on defense for the entire game, Northeastern had no answer, committing 24 turnovers in a lopsided 83-46 loss Sunday afternoon at the Cabot Center.
The Cougars’ style of play is to press in the backcourt and aggressively trap and hunt for steals. Their average turnover margin of 7.1 is by far the highest in the CAA (the second-highest, Drexel’s, is 2.9). With Sunday’s contest being their only game of the weekend, the Huskies had a full week to prepare, but folded right out of the gate against the stifling defense.
A layup from senior forward Deja Bristol 2:30 into the game tied the score at six, but Northeastern would make just one field goal in the following 12 minutes of game time, a 34-4 Charleston run that effectively put the game out of reach before the halftime break.
“We just didn’t come out ready to go,” said Northeastern head coach Priscilla Edwards-Lloyd. “I was disappointed with our shootaround this morning. I didn’t think we were focused, and a lot of the first quarter looked like our shootaround today.”
The Cougars went 5-for-8 from three-point range in that first quarter, with two of those made shots coming from freshman guard Taryn Barbot, who finished the game with a career-high eight treys. Sophomore guard Alexis Andrews hit four threes on the day and fifth-year guard Jenna Annecchiarico chipped in two, the first one putting her over the 1,500 career points mark.
The Huskies, meanwhile, went 1-for-8 from three in the first half, with the lone make coming from sophomore guard Marian Turnbull, who has hit a deep shot in four consecutive games.
“Marian’s having to step up and play more just with the injuries we’ve had,” Edwards-Lloyd said. “I’ve been pleased with her effort and what she’s bringing.”
Bristol led the way for Northeastern with 18 points on the game and grabbed 10 rebounds, five of those coming on the offensive end. Her third double-double of the season was a bright spot for the Huskies, as she was often able to draw contact on putback layups, going 6-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Northeastern showed some signs of life in the second half, putting together a 14-3 run late in the third quarter that included a three-point play from Bristol, but they were never able to cut the Charleston lead to less than the halftime margin of 26.
The dominant showing from the visitors spoiled the Huskies’ Alumnae Game festivities, with former Northeastern players attending a reception Saturday and an on-court ceremony at Sunday’s contest.
The Huskies travel to Delaware to take on the Blue Hens Friday night at 7 p.m. WRBB returns to live coverage of Northeastern women’s basketball on Sunday, Jan. 28 with a matchup against Campbell. Jordan Walsh and Max Schwartzberg will have live coverage on WRBBSports+.