Northeastern Huskies (23-12 overall, 12-6 conference)
Projected starting five:
Jr. G T.J. Williams
Sr. G David Walker
Sr. G-F Zach Stahl
Sr. F Quincy Ford
Fr. F-C Anthony Green
Important departures:
F Scott Eatherton is the only starter from last season who has departed, although the Huskies will also miss F Reggie Spencer, who also graduated.
Returning:
70.6 percent of scoring and 72.2 percent of rebounding
Additions:
Fr. F Sajon Ford
Fr. F-C Anthony Green
Fr. G Donnell Gresham Jr.
Fr. G Brandom Kamga
Fr. F-C Jeremy Miller
Schedule Highlights:
The Huskies’ non-conference schedule is once again a challenge, and features five home games. While they have one against Division III neighbor Wentworth, the other four are all tough ones: Harvard, Stony Brook, Michigan State and Vermont, the last three right in a row before Christmas. They open at arch-rival Boston University, play three at Miami (Ohio) in the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic, and head south to play ACC foes Miami and NC State. CAA play starts off with a tough stretch: three of four on the road, and they play more of the teams picked near the top early than late. From late January into mid-February, they play six of eight at home.
Projected finish and outlook:
Though the Huskies lose a key player in Eatherton, Bill Coen’s team welcomes back just about everyone else and has a strong recruiting class that will keep them right in contention. Quincy Ford looked more like the player many thought he would be late last season, especially in the CAA Tournament, and he should be primed for a big year. Walker became more aggressive last year while remaining fundamentally the same intelligent, tough player, while Williams had a nice year and Stahl is a unique player that fits this team so well. The freshmen up front will get a chance to play, especially if redshirt junior Kwesi Abakah isn’t ready to jump into a bigger role, and all are capable of helping this team. Devon Begley and Caleb Donnelly will help off the bench, with the former at times making a nice impact as a freshman last year while the latter can be a designated shooter. The biggest knock on last season’s team was that they led the CAA in turnovers, something they won’t want to repeat this year. They led the conference in field goal percentage to make up for it.
