Pusica leads NU to fifth straight win
Vasa Pusica scored 12 of his 21 points from the free throw line and Tomas Murphy and Bolden Brace each added 14 points off the bench as Northeastern won its fifth straight, knocking off Kent State, 81-69, last night in Kent, Ohio.
The Huskies will close out the nonconference portion of their schedule tomorrow at St. Bonaventure.
Kent State (5-6) opened the game on an 11-4 run, but Northeastern battled back to take the lead with an eight-point run by Shawn Occeus, who knocked down a pair of free throws, then converted back-to-back 3-point plays.
Occeus finished with 16 points for the Huskies (74), who shot 26-of-46 from the field (56.5 percent), including 9-of-23 from deep, and were 20-of-23 from the line.
Jaylin Walker and Kevin Zabo each had 18 points for Kent State.
Drexel 72, Quinnipiac 71 — In Philadelphia, Tramaine Isabell scored 23 points and Kurk Lee sank the winning 3-pointer to lift the Dragons (6-6) over the Bobcats (3-8).
Cameron Young led Quinnipiac with 24 points and Abdulai Bundu added 17.
In top 25 action: Michigan St. 107, Houston Baptist 62 — In East Lansing, Mich., Miles Bridges matched his career high with 33 points, and the No. 2 Spartans (111) set a school record with 16 blocks while drubbing the Huskies (4-8).
MSU has won 10 straight since losing to top-ranked Duke. Nick Ward had 20 points, six rebounds and four blocks, and Joshua Langford added 14 points.
Gonzaga 101, IUPUI 71 — In Spokane, Wash., Killian Tillie scored a career-high 27 points, and the No. 12 Bulldogs (10-2) drubbed the Jaguars (2-8).
Kansas 109, Omaha 64 — In Lawrence, Kan., Svi Mykhailiuk hit six 3-pointers and scored 26 points, Devonte Graham added 17 and the No. 14 Jayhawks (9-2) rolled past the Mavericks (3-11).
TCU 91, Texas Southern 72 — In Fort Worth, Texas, Vladimir Brodziansky had 18 points and 10 rebounds, leading the No. 15 Horned Frogs (11-0) over the Tigers (0-12).
Arizona 83, North Dakota St. 53 — In Tucson, Ariz., Deandre Ayton scored 25 points, Allonzo Trier added 15 before leaving with a left knee injury and the No. 18 Wildcats (9-3) overwhelmed the Bison (5-6).
Florida St. 69, Charleston Southern 58 — In Tallahassee, Fla., Phil Cofer scored 19 points, and the No. 24 Seminoles (10-1) bounced back from their first loss with a win over the Buccaneers (4-6).