STONY BROOK, N.Y. — The Stony Brook men’s basketball team contended with Northeastern, ultimately succumbing 70-66, on Saturday evening at Stony Brook Arena. The Seawolves overcame a 14-point deficit in the first half, but stumbled in the end, allowing the Huskies to secure the four-point triumph.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Northeastern came out strong, scoring the first eight points of the game and establishing an early 10-3 advantage.
CJ Luster II started off brilliantly, helping Stony Brook stay competitive early by sinking a pair of three-pointers to get the Seawolves on the scoreboard.
The Huskies pushed their lead back to seven points at the 12:10 mark, but the Seawolves rallied to turn it into a one-possession game on several occasions.
Northeastern unleashed a 16-4 run to forge a 14-point lead, the largest margin between the teams in the first half, spanning over four minutes. The Huskies took a 13-point cushion into halftime.
Stony Brook reduced the deficit to single digits on a Joe Octave jumper early in the second half, but Northeastern countered with a three-pointer on their next possession, pushing the Seawolves’ deficit back into double figures.
Another offensive spurt from the Seawolves made it an eight-point game with over 14 minutes left, as Nick Woodard drained a three-pointer, concluding a 7-0 run to bring Stony Brook within five points of the Huskies.
Stony Brook leveled the matchup at 50 on a basket from Woodard with 8:07 remaining, tying the score for the first time since the opening tip-off.
The Seawolves grabbed their first lead of the night at 52-50, courtesy of a shot inside by Woodard following the under-eight timeout.
Stony Brook extended its lead to five points after a steal and score by Collin O’Connor, causing Northeastern to call a timeout. Defensively, the Seawolves forced five turnovers by the Huskies and held Northeastern scoreless for over four minutes, transforming a five-point deficit into a five-point lead with 5:31 left.
JB Frankel broke Northeastern’s scoring drought with a three-pointer following a second-chance opportunity, but O’Connor responded on the opposite end to re-establish a two-possession game.
Back-to-back baskets by Northeastern followed, tying the game at 57-57 and prompting Stony Brook to take its first timeout of the second half. The Huskies regained the lead, 59-57, with two minutes remaining after Masai Troutman was fouled while attempting a three-pointer, converting two of his three attempts.
Northeastern went on a scoring spree, netting 11 consecutive points, leaving Stony Brook without a point for more than four minutes to wipe out the deficit and claim a 64-57 advantage with less than a minute on the clock.
Leon Nahar and Woodard hit three-pointers, with Woodard’s shot narrowing the Seawolves’ deficit to three points of Northeastern with just 16 seconds remaining. Andre Snoddy also drained a three-pointer after a couple of free throws from the Huskies, closing the gap to a one-possession game again. However, Troutman converted his 13th and 14th free throws of the match, establishing a four-point game with 2.6 seconds left.
Northeastern ultimately overcame the late deficit and completed their comeback, claiming victory over Stony Brook 70-66.
STATS AND NOTES
Luster led Stony Brook offensively, registering a game-high 22 points, scoring 17 in the first half, contributing to half of Stony Brook’s three-point field goals in the game. Luster has reached 20-plus points in three consecutive games and six times overall this season.
Woodard achieved a career-best 16 points, converting 6-of-8 from the field and 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He also contributed six rebounds, the highest for his team.
O’Connor concluded with eight points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Snoddy also added eight points, securing five rebounds and providing three assists.
Northeastern’s Masai Troutman equaled Luster’s achievement, scoring 22 points, completing 14-of-15 from the free throw line, exceeding his prior career best in scoring.
As a collective, Northeastern made 19-of-21 from the free-throw line, closing the game by converting 12-of-14 at the line in the final two minutes.
The Huskies finished the game on a 17-9 run during the last 5:02, erasing a four-point deficit and achieving a comeback victory.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES “We really put up a strong fight tonight. The audience was amazing. We led by five points with five minutes to go but just couldn’t make the pivotal play down the stretch,” remarked head coach Geno Ford. “We have made progress in some areas and just need to keep pushing forward.”
UP NEXT
Stony Brook travels to face Delaware on Thursday, January 16. The Seawolves and Blue Hens are set to begin at 6:30 pm from the Bob Carpenter Center, with the match available for viewing on FloCollege.
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