|   Matt Janning led the Huskies in scoring and was named first-team All-CAA. |
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NU enjoys a remarkable 2008-09 season
April 7, 2009
Boston, Mass.
The Northeastern men’s basketball team took a gigantic leap under third-year head coach Bill Coen during the 2008-09 season, cementing its status as both a tough non-conference foe and as a force in the Colonial Athletic Association.
The Huskies began the season with their usual difficult non-conference schedule that has helped them develop the competitiveness needed to play in the CAA. After splitting a pair of games in Ann Arbor, Mich., as part of the 2kSports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, the Huskies took on New England rival Providence at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The Huskies and Friars battled for the full 40 minutes, and Northeastern came out on top 70-66 after Matt Janning’s three-pointer with 1:48 remaining put the Huskies ahead for good. It was Northeastern’s first win over Providence in 82 years. It was also NU’s first win over a Big East team since 2002.
Northeastern followed with its home opener at Matthews Arena, and behind a season-high 27 points from Janning, the Huskies routed Holy Cross 61-49. The Huskies lost their next three games, but came on strong in the middle of December. NU opened conference play with a 60-55 win at James Madison and then won an exciting double-overtime battle at Harvard.
After breaking for finals, the Huskies traveled to Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind., to take on the Hoosiers of Indiana University. Behind a strong defense that held the Hoosiers to their lowest scoring output in Assembly Hall history, the Huskies upset Indiana 55-42. It was NU’s first win over a team in the Big Ten since 1991. It was also a win at an arena that few teams ever win at. Prior to the season, Indiana had an .865 winning percentage at Assembly Hall.
Following a loss at Memphis, the Huskies went on a tear in January for its best ever start to CAA play. The Huskies rattled off five straight wins from Jan. 3-15 and their average margin of victory in those games was 17.6 points. Also of note was the defense, which held opponents to an average of just 49.6 points a game during that stretch. The Huskies were 6-0 in the CAA before losing to Hofstra. However, the Huskies immediately rebounded with a last-second, 58-57 win over George Mason to regain a share of first place.
After their thrilling win over the Patriots, the Huskies went to Old Dominion and fell behind 22-7 before ending the game on an incredible 51-20 run to dispatch the Monarchs 58-42. That setup a showdown between the Huskies and VCU, both at 8-1 and in first place. The game was in the Siegel Center, where the Huskies had never won. Despite a raucous crowd that was clearly behind the Rams, NU opened up a 17-point lead on its opponent and held off Eric Maynor’s efforts to beat VCU 68-63. The win gave the Huskies sole possession of first place for the first time as a member of the CAA. It also concluded a stretch where the Huskies became the first CAA team to ever beat George Mason, Old Dominion and VCU in back-to-back-to-back games. This is of significance because those three teams represent the last six CAA regular season championships and five of the last six CAA Tournament championships.
The Huskies went to 10-1 in the conference with a victory over Delaware, but then faltered in February, losing four of their next five games to fall out of first place. NU rebounded in time for its ESPNU BracketBusters game at Wright State, where the Huskies put up 69 points against what was then the third-best defense in the nation. On national television, the Huskies came up with a 69-57 victory. The following Wednesday, Baptiste Bataille beat Drexel with his last-second jumper to win 47-46. That victory secured a first-round bye in the CAA Tournament for Northeastern.
The Huskies went into the CAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed, but they were at the wrong place at the wrong time, facing a hot No. 11 seed Towson. The Tigers ousted the Huskies 58-54, despite 23 points from Manny Adako, to advance to the semifinals.
As a reward for their extraordinary regular season, the Huskies were invited to the second annual College Basketball Invitational, a 16-team postseason tournament played on campus sites. Northeastern was matched up with Wyoming and traveled to Laramie, Wyo., on 24 hours notice to play the Cowboys. Despite the lack of preparation and the altitude (7,220 feet – the highest altitude of any Division I college basketball arena), the Huskies knocked off Wyoming 64-62. It was NU’s first postseason victory since 1984 and it was just the 27th win ever for a non-conference opponent at Arena-Auditorium – an average of one per season.
The Huskies’ season came to an end in the quarterfinals, losing at UTEP 75-66 despite a career-high 26 points from Chaisson Allen, who willed the Huskies back into the game with 20 points in the second half. However, it wasn’t enough against a Miners team that shot 49 percent from the field for the game.
Many Huskies were individually rewarded for their efforts. Matt Janning was named to the All-CAA first team, the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 10 first team and the CAA All-Academic second team. Manny Adako was named to the All-CAA third team. Chaisson Allen was selected to the CAA All-Defensive team. Nkem Ojougboh and Baptiste Bataille were both named to the CAA All-Academic first team.
The Huskies completed the 2008-09 season with a 19-13 record and, with their 12-6 record in the CAA, they remain as one of only four teams in the conference to have a .500 or better record in each of the last four seasons. The team has taken the steps necessary to compete in the conference each and every season. Below is a list of NU’s accomplishments:
Team Accomplishments
• First win over Providence in 82 years
• Held Indiana to its lowest point total ever at Assembly Hall where the Hoosiers had an .865 winning percentage
• First CAA team to win at Old Dominion and at VCU in the same season since 2002-03
• Was the only team in the CAA to win at VCU; one of only two CAA teams to win at VCU over the last three seasons
• Only team to ever beat George Mason, Old Dominion and VCU in back-to-back-to-back games (those three teams have combined for the last six regular season titles and five of the last six CAA Tournament titles
• Best CAA start in program history (10-1)
• Best month of January since 1987 (9-1)
• One of only four teams to have a .500 or better CAA record in each of last four seasons (Old Dominion, George Mason, VCU)
• Most road victories since 1980-81 (11)
• Traveled approximately 31,634 miles (including preseason trip to Canada)
• Won on national television in the ESPNU BracketBusters event
• Earned the program's first-ever CAA Tournament bye after matching its best-ever CAA record (12-6)
• Made postseason for just the second time in the last 18 years and advanced to the CBI Quarterfinals
• Appeared on television in almost 60 percent of their games
• Only the 27th non-conference team to ever win at Wyoming's Arena-Auditorium (27-year history)
• Only CAA team to place three student athletes on the CAA All-Academic teams
Statistical Achievements
• Second in the CAA in scoring defense (60.4 PPG), first in CAA games only (56.3 PPG)
• Second in the CAA in free throw shooting (.732), second in CAA games only (.751)
• Third in the CAA in three-point shooting (.340), third in CAA games only (.341)
• Second in the CAA in steals (7.4)
• Second in the CAA in assist/turnover ratio (1.44)
• Third in CAA games only in field goal percentage (.449)
