WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Despite having the same starting lineup as their previous game, the Huskies fell short of generating another hard-fought win in a morning match against the Monmouth Hawks.
Both teams entered the game looking for their third CAA win of the season, the Huskies also seeking their first back-to-back win since November. While Northeastern showed some domination and grit in the first half, the game quickly fell in favor of the Hawks, who had successfully done their homework to match the Huskies’ energy and shut down junior guard William Kermoury.
With only nine active players — freshman forward Ty Francis and senior forward Youri Fritz still out with injuries as the most recent losses on the roster — Northeastern head coach Bill Coen relied on all of his healthy athletes to step up. While they built momentum in the first half, they struggled to regenerate their confidence and spark in the latter half of the game.
The contest began with both teams trading unfinished chances back and forth until junior forward Cornelius Robinson Jr. put the Hawks on the board a minute and a half in. The Huskies answered with a 12-0 run, looking promisingly similar to the fired-up team that played the Elon Phoenix at home. The Huskies were lively, capitalizing on fast-break opportunities and the personal fouls of the Hawks. Their backcourt ball movement was especially one to highlight, creating continuous motion early on.
While the Huskies kept Monmouth at a somewhat comfortable distance throughout the first half, the Hawks still remained within single-digit reach of the game. Monmouth had shown great contest in trapping sharpshooter Kermoury and full-court pressuring the Huskies during every transition.
Both teams alternated between scoring droughts and accelerated stints; the Huskies and Hawks played a game of back-and-forth, but the lead stayed consistent. The first half concluded with the Huskies up 38-30, with Monmouth ending the segment shooting 8% from behind the arc.
However, in the second half, the game shifted.
The Hawks came out of the halftime break with a punch, committing a foul that sent junior guard JB Frankel to the line before banking in a three just one second later. The next four Hawks field goals were made by sophomore guard Justin Ray, all threes, to put Monmouth ahead 49-45. Ray would finish with a career-high 27 points.
Due to the physicality of the game, the Hawks had to pull from their bench, sitting senior guard Jack Collins and freshman forward Stefanos Spartalis early.
In the blink of an eye, the Huskies’ game shifted, as they struggled to find their footing and lacked the spark that they once had. This made for some sloppy possessions, leading to turnovers and scoring opportunities for their opponents. While the Huskies tried to maintain their composure, Ray fueled a fire under the Hawks and allowed them to pull away with a double-digit lead.
As for the Huskies, junior guard Mike Loughnane made some contributions on the floor and freshman center Liam Koelsch had some opportune dunks, but Kermoury was clearly studied and had very few looks at the rim. Northeastern did not make a single three in the second half of the game.
The game concluded with a Hawks win, 81-68.
Northeastern had double the amount of turnovers as the Hawks, 18 and 9 respectively; Monmouth scored 24 points on turnovers alone.
From an individual perspective, Loughnane especially shined as he dominated the team’s leaderboard in points, rebounds, and assists, accumulating 15, seven, and four, respectively. Unfortunately, most of his doings were in the first half and no one could exceed his efforts in the second. Freshman guard Xavier Abreu finished with 13 points and Koelsch finished with 10.
Overall, the Huskies shot 44% but just 17% from three, compared to Monmouth’s 46% field goal percentage and an improved 37% from behind the arc.
The Huskies have shown what they are capable of: playing clean defense and working off each other as a team, but with a healthy roster that is stretched thin, it is difficult to maintain that endurance throughout the game. Improving resilience and consistency will be crucial for the team’s future success.
The Huskies will play Stony Brook on Thursday at the Cabot Center. Chase Alexander, Max Schwartzberg, and Aiden Barker will have the call from the 7 p.m. tip.
Emma Shkurti is a writer and color analyst for WRBB Sports.