BOSTON – Coming off of the thrill of their first home win of the season, Northeastern’s hopes for a winning streak were not answered against Towson. Without redshirt sophomore guard Abby Jegede, the Huskies offense faltered in the face of a hot Tigers team falling 67-51.
Jegede, the CAA Basketball Player of the Night for Feb. 16, was wearing sweatpants during pregame warmups, and did not switch them out for shorts throughout the contest. In addition, the Huskies ran a six woman rotation with 5-foot-7 graduate student guard Bailey Williams sidelined and wearing a boot.
“It’s game-by-game,” said Northeastern head coach Priscilla Edwards-Lloyd when thinking about the timetable for the returns of Jegede and Williams. ”Hopefully sooner than later.”
It was freshman guard Samia Greene who got the call to help out with the severely reduced roster. Greene had played just 54 total minutes during the season going into the game, comfortably sitting at the fewest on the squad.
Former Husky and current Towson graduate student forward Deja Bristol returned to the Cabot Center for the first time after two years at Northeastern, and finished with 12 points and six boards. The game was mostly played in the paint, seeing a tough battle between Bristol and Northeastern’s center Alyssa Staten. However, the Huskies’ freshman had the edge on rebounds, corralling 10.
“I mean, Alyssa’s had to step up all season,” Edwards-Lloyd said. “I thought she had a really good game today, and showed what she’s capable of. So I’m proud of her effort and her fight today.”
A sluggish first quarter led to a blitz of a second, seeing Northeastern capture its first lead of the night after a momentum-shifting three pointer splashed from the left handed stroke of senior guard Camille Clement.
In an otherwise closely played game, the final quarter was where the Huskies unraveled. Entering the fourth, Northeastern trailed by just four points following seven points and two rebounds from sophomore guard Yirsy Quéliz in the third alone. All of those points came in the final two and a half minutes of the quarter.
During the last 10 minutes of play, Northeastern shot just 6-21 (.286) from the field and beyond the arc combined, while Towson hit 10-20 (.500), punctuated by a trio of three-pointers from junior guard India Johnston, senior forward Anasia Staton, and freshman guard Shariah Baynes. All told, the Huskies were outscored 24-12 during the fourth quarter.
The Huskies starting five of Quéliz, Clement, redshirt junior Natalie Larrañaga, freshman guard María Sánchez Pitarch, and Staten were forced to play extended minutes. Pace of play and fatigue certainly played a role in the collapse of the final quarter.
Even with a limited roster, Northeastern contested Towson on both ends of the floor closely.
“I felt like they fought hard,” Edwards-Lloyd said. “They battled. I have no complaints about their effort.”
The Huskies travel to Williamsburg, Virginia to face the William & Mary Tribe on Friday night at 7 p.m. Stay tuned to WRBB for full coverage of the 2024-25 women’s basketball season.