Game 21 - Northeastern 68, VCU 63

ESPN billed it as the game of the year in the CAA. A battle for breathing room atop the conference table with critical tournament seedings looming in the background. What looked to be a match up between two high powered CAA programs turned out to be a sluggfest dominated by streaky shooting and a lot of questionable officiating.

The tone would be set early. Not by stifling defenses or by the play of Eric Maynor. It would be the officiating crew that would leave its mark all over this one. It started early. Larry Sanders was whistled for charging 17 seconds into the contest. Three more fouls would be assessed to VCU's bigs in the opening 30 seconds of the game. With that, Larry and Kirill were effectively religated to the bench and would be non-factors for the remainder game.

If it wasn't the officiating that did us in it then it was NU's ridiculously hot shooting. They were 5 of 6 from the three point mark in the early stretches of the game. and quickly opened up a 15 point lead. The huskies passing was crisp and unselfish. They found the open man every time. Even if the man wasn't open they were knocking down shots like Billy Hoyle against the King and Duck Johnson.

The Rams would close the deficit to 4 at the half behind the guard play of Brandon Rozzell and Eric Maynor.

However it wouldn't matter in the end, the Huskies came out of the locker room and picked up where they had left off. They continued their hot shooting extended the lead to 16 early in the second half and were able to hold off several VCU surges.

The Huskies take over first place in the league, as well as, claim the only meeting between the two teams this year, giving them the critical head to head tiebreaker. If the Rams end the regular season tied for first place Northeastern will reserve the number 1 seed in the tournament. Possibly putting the Rams and George Mason in the same end of the tournament bracket.

Now the good!
Eric Maynor scored 30 points and was seeming unstoppable during stretches of the second half. Brandon Rozzell was having flashbacks to his Highland Springs days dropping a career high 16. I need more of this!!

Now the bad.
Matt Janning added 11 for the Huskies. NOTE: Janning only scored 1 point in the second half.

And the ugly...
The VCU Bigs were nowhere to be found. Larry had 8 and 11. VCU's remaining post players brought in a combined 4 points and 2 rebounds. All three, Sanders, Kirill and Santil, would foul out. Thats more fouls then points.

Next up its Hofstra!