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Northeastern attack slumbers into conference opener
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Tomorrow marks the first Saturday this season in which all four local Division I teams are in action, another sign of college hoops inching towards a regular routine.
Before the season I noted that three of the teams – Boston College, Boston University and Harvard – were coming off campaigns that could be called disappointing, while Northeastern had seemingly made the strides necessary to take the leap in 2008-09.
The first month of the season has shown just the opposite.
While not rewriting any of Dr. Naismith’s rules, BC, BU and Harvard have each provided enough to believe that they will be improved in league play. But the Huskies on Huntington have fallen on hard times of late, in large part due to an anemic offensive attack that has little to offer when Matt Janning struggles, which he has mightily in the last week.
Since stretching his streak of double-digit scoring games to 24 in a loss to BU on Nov. 25, Janning has totaled just 11 points in two games, making 5-of-25 shots in the process. In a 55-37 loss to South Florida last weekend he had just one basket in 36 minutes, his fewest number of field goals in 58 games, dating to those 98-pound weakling days as a frosh.
NU’s 37 points matched its lowest output since it put up 36 (remarkably, in a win) on Feb. 8, 1982.
Entering December, the Huskies ranked 280th in the nation in scoring (62.0 ppg) and 283rd in field goal percentage (39.7). Not exactly how the Colonial darlings were supposed to get things started.
Frankly, on days that Janning can’t find the stroke the Huskies need to find more scoring options. Manny Adako and Eugene Spates haven't lit it up and point guard Chaisson Allen is shooting 28.3 percent from the floor. Vinny Lima was an intriguing figure before the season, coming off a season in which he made 8-of-16 3-pointers in limited action. He made all six of his shots in a career-high 14-point effort against Rhode Island this week, one of the few bright spots in Northeastern’s third straight loss.
The CAA opener against James Madison on Saturday would be a great place to find Janning some help. It's the first of four straight road games, including visits to Indiana and Memphis.
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Northeastern ·
Harvard ·
Boston University ·
Matt Janning ·
Chaisson Allen
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