With 3:49 left and his Huskies trailing 61-53, freshman guard Xavier Abreu went to the scorers table to sub in for his first collegiate minutes.
When his first career stint came to a close, Abreu walked off the court a winner, having helped spur a shocking, narrative-shifting 15-4 run that earned Northeastern their first win of the season in a 68-65 triumph over Colgate.
Similarly to Monday’s loss at home vs. BU, the Huskies got on the front foot early against Patriot League opposition, earning an 11-2 advantage after freshman forward Xander Alarie knocked home a baseline jumper. The two freshmen in the lineup — Alarie and guard Miles Newton — scored nine of the opening 11.
Northeastern wouldn’t score again for more than five minutes. Colgate made it a one-possession game, and took the lead with 7:14 remaining when star junior guard Jalen Cox put down a jumper. The Raiders wouldn’t let up from there, extending the lead to eight before halftime when junior forward Sam Wright kissed home a layup.
The second half began with the Huskies whittling down the Colgate lead, pulling within three when Newton hit a layup on a nice backdoor feed from Alarie. Moments later, Northeastern actually took the lead on two Alarie free throws, in front 42-41 with 12:11 to go.
Colgate snatched back control, using an 8-1 run later in the half to take a 58-51 lead at the 5:48 mark. A free throw extended the lead to eight moments later, and the Huskies were staring down a substantial deficit with a mere 3:49 remaining.
Enter Xavier Abreu.
Nine seconds into the freshman’s debut, Fritz knocked in a layup. Colgate’s Andrew Alekseyenko made a short jumper, but Northeastern star senior guard LA Pratt’s first three of the game cut the margin to five. Seconds later, Pratt picked senior guard Brady Cummins’s pocket and fed Abreu, who slammed it home to bring it to a three-point game. On the ensuing possession, it was Abreu’s turn to make a steal, and the freshman fed Pratt, who got fouled. Pratt made both free throws, and in the blink of an eye, a 61-53 game had become 63-62.
After two Wright free throws, Alarie converted a pair for the Huskies. Cummins’ wild layup fell off, and Alarie grabbed a board. A Northeastern timeout led to an Abreu-Fritz two-man action, and the debutant dropped in a perfect pocket pass to the senior, whose floater was pure. 66-65, Northeastern.
Colgate drew up a play, but Alarie got his hands on it, leading to a tie-up. With possession favoring the visitors, the Huskies got the ball inbounds to Abreu, who was immediately fouled. With a steely look on his face, the freshman — with less than four minutes of collegiate game time under his belt — swished both free throws.
Down by three, the Raiders had one last-ditch effort, but a half-court heave from senior guard Kyle Carlesimo came up well short. Improbably, impossibly, the scoreboard read 68-65 in favor of the visitors, with zeros across the clock.
It was an unexpected end for Abreu, who spent 36:11 — and all 45:00 on Monday — sitting on the bench. He was ready when it counted, though, and played a massive role in what could turn out to be an incredibly important victory.
“In our pregame talk, the staff [and I] felt a vibe from him… it’s hard, because we have some experienced guards… so proud of him that he seized the moment.”
The win was Bill Coen’s 300th in charge of Northeastern, extending a school record. The 300-win plateau was a rare one, and even though Coen knew he’d get it at some point this season, it was a welcome sight to see it come so early in the season.
“A number’s a number, but what really matters to me is to earn the respect and the love of the players I’ve coached, the men I’ve coached with on our staff, all the people at Northeastern that’ve supported us,” said Coen. “It’s a moment of gratitude and reflection of how fortunate I’ve been.”
On Monday, it felt like the Huskies let one slip away. Friday, it was the opposite; this time, it was the Huskies rising from the dead, putting themselves in position to steal a game before finishing the job.
And, even though it’s early, it might’ve been exactly what the doctor ordered.
Northeastern will return to action on Veterans Day, when they take on Harvard in Allston. Jacob Phillips, Webb Constable, and Chase Alexander will have the call, with tip set for 7 p.m. on 104.9 FM.
Jacob Phillips is the Sports Director for WRBB Sports. He’s been covering Northeastern athletics for over two years, focusing primarily on men’s basketball. Follow him on Twitter here and Instagram here. He also writes for Mid-Major Madness, and you can find his work here.