BOSTON — Yes, the Coastal Athletic Association isn’t college basketball’s most prestigious conference.
But, as has been the case for several years now, this is a tough league. There are very few easy fixtures, and in what is certain to be a one-bid affair, every game is high-stakes. It might not get the national spotlight, but the CAA’s eventual NCAA Tournament representative could very well be traced back to a few minutes in January.
That’s not to suggest Northeastern’s nail-biting, mind-numbing 80-77 win over Delaware has locked either squad into their respective destinies. All it means is that no game in the conference is to be taken lightly, and the difference between winning and losing any game could be season-defining.
So, when Thursday’s game hung on Delaware’s Erik Timko heaving a potentially game-tying, buzzer-beating half-court shot, you could hear Matthews Arena collectively holding its breath. And, when the ball ultimately ricocheted harmlessly off the back rim and settled sweetly onto the hardwood, you could hear that same crowd exhale, finally able to exalt in a win that should’ve been sealed long before it was.
The CAA opener got off to a good start for the home side; after surrendering a quick bucket to Delaware’s Niels Lane, a Northeastern team which struggled to score their last time out against Northwestern came out firing. Bill Coen’s bunch scored each of their first ten points in the paint, getting there at will; before the Blue Hens were even able to gain a foothold, the Huskies were diversifying, cashing in on threes and jumpers in addition to layups and dunks. By the time an acrobatic Collin Metcalf block gave way to a Youri Fritz fastbreak layup, Northeastern’s lead was 23-10 less than nine minutes in.
Delaware dug in somewhat, but a marauding Husky frontcourt kept them at bay, recording offensive rebound after offensive rebound to keep Northeastern ahead. The Huskies dominated the offensive glass, recording a staggering 16 offensive rebounds in the first half, which helped push the lead as far as 36-20 after JB Frankel converted on a three with 4:39 to play in the half.
The Blue Hens weren’t going to just lie down, though; a John Camden three punctuated a lightning-quick 12-2 run to cut the lead to just six ahead of the two-minute mark. But, as they had all half, the Huskies generated offensive rebounds when they needed them. With the score at 42-34 and less than a minute remaining, Northeastern secured a whopping five offensive rebounds on one possession, ultimately cashing in on a Rashad King tip-in with 19 seconds on the clock. Delaware’s Trent Middleton Jr. was unable to respond, and it was the home side that took a double-digit, 44-34 lead into the locker room.
Northeastern started the second half similarly, using a Masai Troutman heat check to build leads of 15 and 14, respectively. Again, it felt like the Huskies were poised to close a big lead out on their home floor without too much issue.
Every time this team blows a big lead, I have to remind myself not to get too far ahead of myself the next time they take one. And, every “next time”, almost without fail, I neglect to follow my own advice. As a result, I routinely find myself paying the price as the game comes down to the final few possessions. It’s a vicious cycle, but an exciting (and blood pressure-raising) one.
This game, as you know by now, did not buck that trend.
After two Troutman free throws made it 53-39 with 15:46 to play, the Fightin’ Hens came alive, ripping off a 10-0 run to bring it to 53-49. Northeastern steeled themselves, though, and some big shots from Frankel and Troutman combined with a barrage of King free throws kept the cushion between five and 10 for over ten minutes. With 3:31 to play, two Frankel free throws made it a 76-69 game, and the victorious light at the end of the tunnel felt within shouting distance.
What ensued can be described by a variety of terms, but I’ll plagiarize myself and go with mind-numbing. Harold Woods followed up a missed layup with a needless foul, sending Timko to the line for two freebies; moments later, King lost concentration and the ball, leading to a plus-the-foul fastbreak layup for Lane. His subsequent free throw fell off the rim, but LA Pratt’s rebound was quickly nullified by a needless turnover and another Lane layup.
Now a one-point game, a Troutman flub led to another turnover. This time, Delaware’s Izaiah Pasha went to the line, where converted one of his two free throws, and the seven-point lead had stunningly evaporated in ninety seconds. It didn’t stop there, though, as the Hens collected the rebound on Pasha’s missed free throw; superstar forward John Camden was fouled in the ensuing chaos, and his one-of-two trip gave Delaware their first lead since the opening seconds.
Northeastern is no stranger to seismic collapses, but this one felt particularly painful – three turnovers in ninety seconds and poor rebounding is no way to give up a lead, especially at home. Whatever air was in the building had completely evaporated, and the once-confident Huskies now looked prohibitively apprehensive.
In these times, it sure is nice to have Rashad King. An objectively awful off-ball foul by Pasha sent King to the line, where he canned both to put his team back in the lead. A subsequent missed Pasha three was rebounded by Woods, and the Huskies were able to drain the clock down to 10 seconds before a long official’s review gave Northeastern the ball with a one-point lead and the shot clock off. However, a miscommunication between Troutman and Frankel caused an inbounds pass to sail into the Delaware bench, handing possession back to the Hens with a touch over nine seconds on the board.
Trailing by one, Delaware coach Martin Ingelsby drew up an isolation for Lane. To a certain extent, the play worked. The senior guard got downhill on Northeastern’s Fritz, earning himself the look he wanted – a right-handed layup off the glass – but Lane’s spinner came up just short. A ferocious scramble for the rebound ended in Husky hands, leading to two more King free throws before Timko’s last-ditch prayer fell just off the mark. The ending might not have been exactly what Coen envisioned, but it was a win all the same: Northeastern 80, Delaware 77.
It was a quiet night for two of Northeastern’s best players. LA Pratt and Harold Woods scored two and zero points, respectively, but where they faltered, JB Frankel picked up. The sophomore guard played his best game at the collegiate level, notching a career-high 13 points across 26 minutes while making key shot after key shot to keep the Huskies afloat.
“He’s answered the bell coming off the bench, which isn’t an easy thing to do,” said Coen of Frankel. “You have to have a certain type of mental toughness to come in in the heat of battle… he stepped up in so many ways [tonight].”
Elsewhere, Rashad King’s meteoric season took another star turn; the junior tied his career-high with 27 points, making 11 of his 12 free throws to go along with three steals, three blocks, and eight rebounds. King leads all Huskies in points and assists per game, and ranks second in steals and rebounds. The Evans, GA native has become Northeastern’s rock, and continues to impress on what feels like a nightly basis.
“[King] has been terrific, game after game,” Coen said. “Not only has he produced on the court, but he’s been a tremendous leader in the locker room… today, he kind of willed us to victory.”
As mentioned previously, Woods was held scoreless for the first time all season (0-of-7), but made winning plays, recording 15 rebounds and five assists. The forwards chipped in, too — Metcalf added nine points and four blocks, and Nwagha and Fritz contributed four points each. As a team, though, the Huskies looked much-improved, issuing just 11 turnovers compared to the 22 given up at Northwestern.
Five Delaware players (Camden, Pasha, Lane, Middleton, Timko) scored in double figures, but the Hens were ultimately unable to control the boards enough to win. Coach Ingelsby’s crew lost the rebounding battle by a staggering 49-28 margin, simply allowing the inefficient Huskies too many chances to score. It was a missed opportunity to secure a key road win for Delaware, even while missing two of their better players in junior guard Cavan Reilly and senior guard Tahron Allen due to injury.
In other injury news, Northeastern’s William Kermoury missed out for the third straight contest as he deals with a foot issue.; Coen designated him unlikely for Saturday’s game, but appeared to suggest he’s on the road to recovery, and called the injury week-to-week.
Yes, this win was probably too close for comfort, and yes, there are some legitimate concerns going forward about sustaining this style of play. But, for tonight, the Huskies are 1-0, tied atop the CAA. And, with the way they’ve played this season, they’ve earned the right to dream big.
“We’re trying to build something over here,” said King postgame. “We’re trying to go all the way and win the whole thing… whatever it takes, I’m gonna do it.”
If Thursday was any indication, we might want to take him at his word.
Northeastern will look to move to 2-0 in the CAA on Saturday, Jan. 4 when Hofstra pays a visit to Matthews Arena. Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. with Jacob Phillips and Daniel Ku on the call on WRBB 104.9 FM.