Huskies make deep impact

Doing more with less has become the new normal for the Northeastern basketball program. The backcourt tandem of Jordan Roland and Donnell Grisham Jr. orchestrated a second-half surge that lifted the undermanned Huskies to an 81-67 victory over Eastern Michigan yesterday at Matthews Arena. The Huskies have adjusted to the loss of two key players. Junior guard Shawn Occeus, the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, has missed the opening eight games with an ankle injury. All-CAA First Team Honoree Vasa Pusica missed his third straight with a wrist problem. “I thought the energy in the building was exactly what we needed,” said NU coach Bill Coen. “Thankfully to Jordan’s play and Donnell’s play and really everybody stepped up in our shorthanded situation.” NU outscored Eastern Michigan 47-30 in the second half to improve to 4-4 going into Tuesday night’s nonleague clash at Syracuse. Roland connected on five treys to lead NU with 24 points while Gresham had 21 with five rebounds and three assists. Huskies big men Tomas Murphy and Anthony Green combine for 23 points and 15 rebounds as NU shot 56.3 percent from the floor. Elijah Minnie led the Eagles with 24 points. “Shawn and Vasa are huge players for our team and other people have to step up and try and score,” Roland said. “I feel we have done a good job collectively, I feel we are really unselfish as a team and everyone is taking good ones.” NU took its first lead of the game, 41-38, on a 3-ball by Gresham with 17:51 remaining. The Eagles kept pace on consecutive corner treys by Minnie as the game took on an intense competitive tenor. Green’s consecutive plays in the paint put the Huskies up 51-46 but he soon exited the floor after picking up a fourth personal with 12:23 to play. Minnie scored seven straight points to tie the game 53-53 with 11:55 on the clock. Green returned to put NU up 66-59 with a dunk from the baseline with 7:05 to play. Murphy, who played the pivot away from the basket, had consecutive floaters from the key. Gresham put the game away with two from the line and a transition layup with 1:36 to play. “(Murphy) did a great job in the middle of the zone and it’s not easy to play that spot and you have to have a feel for it,” Coen said. “You are turning your back to the guards and you have to see the whole court. “He really showed his basketball IQ and created easy baskets for the team.”