Last-second shot hands Florida State 62-60 win over NU
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| Scott Eatherton Slams it HOME.... |
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Northeastern led Florida State for nearly 35 minutes on Sunday night at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, but a last-second fade-away jumper by Devon Bookert delivered the Seminoles a 62-60 victory and handed heartbreak to the Huskies.
Northeastern (2-4) was in control for much of the game at Coliseo Roberto Clemente, and led by as many as eight points. Florida State (5-1), though, used a late second-half run to take a six-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. The Huskies responded with six straight points of their own to tie the score. After a Montay Brandon put-back briefly gave the lead back to FSU, David Walker (Stow, Ohio) calmly made two free throws to again knot the score, this time at 60 with 37 seconds remaining. Following a Seminoles' timeout, the Huskies defense locked in and forced a difficult shot. Bookert, though, corralled the rebound and connected on a desperation fall-away along the left baseline to steal the win.
"We came down to this tournament to find out about ourselves and to compete," said Northeastern head coach Bill Coen. "In that sense, we'll consider our trip to Puerto Rico a success. I know we didn't get the victories we were looking for, but I couldn't be more proud of my team with their effort, their intensity and their togetherness. We told our team in the locker room that if we can build on this, we can end up having a special year. Right now we're obviously a little disappointed; we thought we played a winning effort but really just didn't earn the win. You have to give credit to Florida State, they made some great plays down the stretch and we lost to a terrific basketball team."
Eatherton's 21 points came on 67 percent shooting from the floor and a perfect 5-for-5 effort at the free throw line. Front-cout mate Reggie Spencer (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) continued his impressive play, scoring 13 points and collecting seven rebounds. Walker also scored in double figures with 13 points, while Derrico Peck (Woodstock, Ga.) added eight,Demetrius Pollard (Virginia Beach, Va.) four, and Zach Stahl (Chanhassen, Minn.) one.
Aaron Thomas led Florida State with 16 points. Robert Gilchrist tallied 12 points and Brandon added 10.
Northeastern wasted little time making its presence known. After the Huskies won the tip, Walker connected on a jumper just 21 seconds into the action. On the ensuing possession, Peck blocked a shot then collected a steal that led to a Spencer layup and a 4-0 NU lead. The teams traded baskets until Eatherton slammed home an offensive rebound to give the Huskies a six-point lead at 10-4 with 13:55 to play.
The Seminoles quickly cut the lead to one, but NU again responded. An Eatherton layup was followed by a 3-pointer from Pollard and a lay-in by Spencer to give Northeastern a game-high eight-point advantage.
Florida State rallied to tie the game twice in the closing moments of the first half, but each time the Huskies had an answer and carried a 29-28 lead into the locker room.
Walker opened the second half as he did the first, drilling a shot at exactly 19:39 — this time a 3-pointer. The Seminoles cut the lead to one, but Peck answered with a basket and Eatherton converted a traditional 3-point play to give NU a 37-31 lead with 17:44 remaining.
After Eatherton answered another FSU basket, the Seminoles ripped off eight straight points to take their first lead of the game, 41-39, at the 13:43 mark. Aaron Thomas then hit two free throws to push the margin to four and run the FSU scoring streak to 10.
Spencer hit a jumper to steady the Huskies and ignite a 9-2 run that gave Northeastern a 48-45 lead with just over nine minutes remaining. NU pushed the lead to four before another FSU run — this one 8-0 — handed the Seminoles a four-point edge with four minutes showing on the clock.
The deficit grew to six before the Red and Black stormed back to tie the game and set up the dramatic final sequence. When Ian Miller's jumper clanged off the iron, the result of a stout defensive effort from the Huntington Hounds, it appeared the game was headed to overtime. But Bookert managed to corral the rebound and launch a fade-away jumper that found the bottom of the net.
For the game, Northeastern shot 47 percent (23-49) from the floor, 25 percent (2-8) from 3-point range, and 71 percent (12-17) from the line. The NU defense limited the Seminoles to just 38 percent (23-60) shooting, including 25 percent (2-8) from beyond the arc. FSU connected on 64 percent (14-22) of its free-throw attempts. Northeastern out-rebounded Florida State, 37-33. The Huskies have won the battle of the boards in each game this season.
Northeastern will renew its rivalry with a familiar foe when it travels to former conference rival VCU on Friday, Nov. 29. The Rams lead the series, 6-8, but NU has won four of last seven in the series.
The Seminoles quickly cut the lead to one, but NU again responded. An Eatherton layup was followed by a 3-pointer from Pollard and a lay-in by Spencer to give Northeastern a game-high eight-point advantage.
Florida State rallied to tie the game twice in the closing moments of the first half, but each time the Huskies had an answer and carried a 29-28 lead into the locker room.
Walker opened the second half as he did the first, drilling a shot at exactly 19:39 — this time a 3-pointer. The Seminoles cut the lead to one, but Peck answered with a basket and Eatherton converted a traditional 3-point play to give NU a 37-31 lead with 17:44 remaining.
After Eatherton answered another FSU basket, the Seminoles ripped off eight straight points to take their first lead of the game, 41-39, at the 13:43 mark. Aaron Thomas then hit two free throws to push the margin to four and run the FSU scoring streak to 10.
Spencer hit a jumper to steady the Huskies and ignite a 9-2 run that gave Northeastern a 48-45 lead with just over nine minutes remaining. NU pushed the lead to four before another FSU run — this one 8-0 — handed the Seminoles a four-point edge with four minutes showing on the clock.
The deficit grew to six before the Red and Black stormed back to tie the game and set up the dramatic final sequence. When Ian Miller's jumper clanged off the iron, the result of a stout defensive effort from the Huntington Hounds, it appeared the game was headed to overtime. But Bookert managed to corral the rebound and launch a fade-away jumper that found the bottom of the net.
For the game, Northeastern shot 47 percent (23-49) from the floor, 25 percent (2-8) from 3-point range, and 71 percent (12-17) from the line. The NU defense limited the Seminoles to just 38 percent (23-60) shooting, including 25 percent (2-8) from beyond the arc. FSU connected on 64 percent (14-22) of its free-throw attempts. Northeastern out-rebounded Florida State, 37-33. The Huskies have won the battle of the boards in each game this season.
Northeastern will renew its rivalry with a familiar foe when it travels to former conference rival VCU on Friday, Nov. 29. The Rams lead the series, 6-8, but NU has won four of last seven in the series.
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