Saint Mary’s Defeats Northeastern in Overtime

It took the Gaels overtime to do it, but Saint Mary’s eventually outlasted Northeastern on Monday night, defeating the East Coast mid-major school 72-68.

After trading buckets for most of the game (there were 20 lead changes and 13 ties throughout the contest), a layup by Brad Waldow with 1:57 remaining in the second half put the Gaels up 63-61. After holding the Huskies for 1:44, Zach Stahl finally broke through for Northeastern, converting on a transition layup to tie the game at 63. Saint Mary’s was unable to get a shot off at the end of regulation and the game went into overtime.

Although Northeastern struck first in overtime with a Quincy Ford layup, Aaron Bright took over with seven of the Gaels nine points in the extra period and the Gaels survived at home with a four point victory. Northeastern was held scoreless in the last 3:38 of overtime, missing on all five of their final five shots.

Brad Waldow scored 18 points and 10 rebounds in the victory, his eighth double-double of the season. Kerry Carter and Aaron Bright chipped in 17 and 16 points apiece. Bright led the team in assists with six, while Desmond Simmons recorded three steals in the overtime win.

Northeastern’s leading scorer and rebounder Scott Eatherton was held to only 11 points and five rebounds against the Gaels. Saint Mary’s did a fantastic job of limiting his looks today, although the senior center connected on all three of the shots he attempted. Quincy Ford was the Huskies leading scorer with 18 points, while Ford and Reggie Spencer finished with a tied for the team-high in rebounds with six apiece.

Notes:

• Calvin Hermanson played a season and career high 28 minutes in tonight’s victory. His previous career/season high for minutes was 12 in a blowout victory versus Cal Poly. There was a great deal of hype surrounding Hermanson before the season, with many claiming him to be the answer at the small forward position for the Gaels in 2014-2015. The 6-foot-6 forward from Lake Oswego, Oregon has appeared to carve out a spot for himself in the rotation from here on out.

• After shooting 59.1 percent from the field and scoring 40 points in the first half, Northeastern shot just 34.8 percent and scored only 23 points in the second half. The Gaels ramped up the defensive pressure in the second period and kept the Huskies from running away with the game.