Dragons Fall in Final Seconds at Northeastern, 54-52

Saturday, March 1

Boston, Mass.

1:00

Drexel University

16-13 (8-8CAA)

Northeastern

10-20 (7-9CAA)

Drexel

Northeastern

Dragons Fall in Final Seconds at Northeastern, 54-52

3/1/2014 2:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)
Boston, Mass. – Northeastern scored the last seven points of the game and rallied to defeat Drexel at Matthews Arena, 54-52. It was the final regular season game for both teams. Chris Fouch scored 26 points to lead the Dragons (16-13, 8-8 CAA). The Dragons and Huskies will meet again next week in the opening round of the CAA Tournament.

The Huskies (10-20, 7-9) trailed 52-47 with 2:08 left after a pair of Chris Fouch free throws. The score remained the same until NU's Zach Stall made one of two from the line with :45 remaining. The Huskies chose to foul Drexel in the final minute and the strategy worked. Frantz Massenat went to the line with :41 remaining and missed the front end of a one-and-one. Drexel came up with a stop and again the Huskies fouled, and again Drexel missed the front end. Major Canady's free throw missed and Northeastern responded with a Demetrius Pollard three-pointer, to cut the lead to just one with :15 to go. Drexel had the ball under its own basket, but there was a miscommunication on the inbounds pass. Tavon Allen threw the ball to midcourt, but no one was there, as one of Drexel's guards cut the other way. Northeastern picked it up and called time. Just when it seemed the Dragons were going to hold on, Dartaye Ruffin fouled David Walker on a three-point attempt. Walker made all three free throws to put NU up by two. After a timeout, Drexel had one last chance, but Fouch's long three-pointer went off the rim and the Huskies won at home on Senior Night.

Drexel had trailed by as many as six early in the second half, but scored seven straight points as part of a 12-1 run. Fouch capped the run with a three-pointer, one of five he had in the game, as Drexel took a 40-35 lead.

Fouch was the only Dragon in double figures as Drexel's offense shot only 35 percent in the game. The graduate student went over the 1,700 point mark in his career. Massenat finished with eight points and four assists. Ruffin and Rodney Williams were saddled with foul trouble throughout the night. Goran Pantovic played 23 minutes, the most since he returned from a hand injury. The senior blocked three shots and had five rebounds and did a good job on Scott Eatherton, Northeastern's top offensive player. Eatherton had 10 points and 15 rebounds, but was held scoreless in the second half and shot just 3-for-15 overall. Drexel's defense again played well, a common theme over the last month. NU was able to make just 29 percent of its shots in the game. Ruffin wa able to grab seven boards and is now alone in seventh place on Drexel's career rebounding list.

The Dragons begin play in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship next Saturday. Drexel will play at 2:30 against the Huskies at the Baltimore Arena. The winner will face either Delaware, Hofstra or UNCW in the semifinals on Sunday.