Pregame Charleston Notes:
· Snapped 22-game home win streak, losing to Drexel, bounced back against Delaware.
· Brevin Galloway is a spot up shooter that is gaining confidence
· Rebounding, Defense, Protect the Ball. Principles of Earl Grant.
· Marquise Pointer needs to guard Serbian stud Vasa Pusica.
· Zep “Honey Badger” Jasper (great nickname)
Pregame Northeastern Notes:
· Bill Coen has a winning record over every current CAA member with the exception of Charleston, where he is 5-5.
· Vasa Pusica is pronounced VAH-sah poo-SHEETZ-ah
· Injuries have decimated the Huskies, but they are now mostly healthy with the exception of Maxime Boursiquot who is missing this season with a Hip injury.
· Shawn Occeus is the reigning CAA Defensive Player of the Year and is finally healthy.
· Star player Vasa Pusica represented Serbia in International play in the summer of 2016.
· Matthews Arena is historic, former home of Celtics and Bruins.
1st Half
Intensity right from the opening tip from both clubs. Vasa Pusica ends up on the recieving end of a fast break to start tonight’s scoring. Huskies play great D and force a desperation trey attempt by Marquise Pointer, but he banks it in! The next Charleston possession, same thing happens at the end of the shot clock - this time its Brevin Galloway with the heave at the shot clock buzzer and he swishes it. WOW. Anthony Green of Northeastern answers with a three on the other end.
1st Media Timeout - Charleston 8, Northeastern 4
Both clubs are playing excellent defense. Sam Miller of Charleston hits a big three. Cougars bench is really fired up early on. Jarrell Brantley connects, he has four points early on. Bolden Brace with an answer for Northeastern.
2nd Media Timeout - Charleston 15, Northeastern 10
Jeremy Miller of Northeastern hits a shot to get Northeastern closer. Vasa Pusica adds two more. Northeastern has their first lead since 2-0. Charleston answers with a dunk from Nick Harris. Northeastern in transition kicks the ball over to Pusica who delivered a sweet dish to Anthony Green as he was streaking down the lane. Green is fouled and will shoot two when we come back.
3rd Media Timeout - Charleston 17, Northeastern 16
Green makes both free throws. Charleston is getting cold from the field of late. Green goes for a dunk attempt, but great defense by Galloway to strip him as he went up. Pusica picks up his second foul with 5:52 left in the first half, could be a factor - he goes to the bench. Bolden Brace now has two as well for the Huskies after going over the back trying to get a rebound. Shawn Occeus picks up a charge call. And this is now becoming a bit of a foul fest. Finally Jaylen Richard breaks the ice with a nice stroke. Occeus misses a three but Donnell Gresham gets a big offensive rebound and puts it in plus is fouled. Gresham will have one foul shot when we return.
4th Media Timeout - Northeastern 20, Charleston 19
Gresham sinks the free throw. Brantley gets the ball on the wing and takes his man to the cup and finishes, what an impressive move. Cougars get the ball in transition and this time Grant Riller finishes on the other end. Occeus answers for the Huskies. Huskies get it back for the last shot of the half, and turn it over.
Halftime - Northeastern 23, Charleston 23
2nd Half
Occeus takes the opening possession to the rack and draws a foul by Brantley. Makes one out of two thanks to a lane violation by the Cougars, otherwise he would’ve missed both. After a Charleston miss, Brace backs his man down and hits a straight away bank shot from about six feet. Brantley responds by hitting a nice jumper. On an in bounds pass under their own basket, the Huskies find Occeus underneath and he jams it home. Pointer shoots an airball as the shot clock expires and the students let him have it a little bit. Pusica connects on a driving layup. Riller responds by driving and laying in a bucket while getting fouled, misses the free throw however. Brace hits a big three after faking like he was going to drive. Brace gets a steal and goes coast to coast, finishing with a euro-step and hits a beautiful layup. Grant Riller hit a jumper on the other end.
1st Media Timeout - Northeastern 35, Charleston 29
Bolden Brace has been amazing already in this half. From about 16 feet away from the basket near the baseline he shoots a fadeaway and it rattles home, wow. Green draws a foul down low, goes to the line, and makes both shots. Huskies lead by 10, largest of the game for either team. Jordan Roland of Northeastern hits a nice mid-range jumper. Occeus breaks his man down off the dribble and drives to the lane, finishes with his left hand. That was pretty. NE up by 14 now. Charleston is looking flat. Pusica hits a layup off the drive. Marquise Pointer finally stops the Cougar bleeding with a three ball. Roland answers with a jumper. Sam Miller with a dunk for Charleston off a pretty dish from Pointer. Pusica hits a three, and that has to hurt Charleston.
2nd Media Timeout - Northeastern 50, Charleston 34
Brantley draws a foul and makes both free throws. Next time down for Charleston, Brantley connects on three point play and does a power flex move toward the Northeastern student section. Charleston suddenly is within 11. Occeus picks up his third foul and now Charleston is in the bonus. Riller goes to the line anc converts his one and one. Another Northeastern turnover and Charleston creates yet another three point play. This time by Miller.
3rd Media Timeout - Northeastern 50, Charleston 43
Miller finishes off the three point play. Occeus made a miraculous shot while fouled by Brantley as he was fading out of bounds toward the baseline, huge shot. Occeus misses on the foul shot. Charleston’s Zep (Honey Badger) Jasper is called with an offensive foul. After a Husky miss, Cougars draw another foul. Richard is at the line for a one and one. Richard converts on both. Pusica with a beautiful alley oop to Green and finshes with a slam. Steal by Occeus but he missed the layup. After a blocked shot by Brace, Occeus recieves a long outlet pass from Brace and finishes a contested layup. Riller draws a foul, double bonus now for Charleston. He makes both. Pusica draws a foul, makes both free throws. Lead is back to ten for the Huskies. Richard hits a corner three ball for the Cougars. Pointer hits a running layup. Timeout Northeastern.
4th Media Timeout - Northeastern 58, Charleston 53
True to form, Bolden Brace hits a big time three to stretch the lead to eight. Riller hits a three for the Cougars, Charleston has a furious press going. Creating bcak to back turnovers. Brantley gets denied on a lay-in though. The ball ends up in the trusted hands of Pusica and he is fouled. Pusica hits both foul shots. Huskies by seven now. Richard called for a key travelling call. Only 44 seconds remain. Occeus is fouled and will head to the line. Makes one of two. Riller is fouled unnecessarily by Green. Down to 27 seconds to go now. Riller makes both, lead is six for Northeastern. Pusica is going back to the line after a foul by Pointer. Pusica delivers again on both shots. Pointer misses a three and Brantley fouls out, Green to the line. This should pretty much wrap things up. Green makes one.
Final Score - Northeastern 69, Charleston 60.