TOWSON, Md. – Senior forward Mary Cuevas tied her career-high with 23 points and led the Towson University women's basketball team in a 70-61 loss to Northeastern University on Friday night in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) opener for both squads. Cuevas posted her second straight game with 20 or more points and her third of the season.  

THE BASICS
Northeastern 70, Towson 61
SECU Arena, Towson, Md.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Towson opened up a 10-2 lead as Cuevas connected on a jumper at 6:23.
• Junior guard Danielle Durjan led the Tigers with six points during that stretch.
• A three-pointer from Cuevas gave Towson a 13-7 advantage with 4:48 to go in the opening period.
• An 8-0 run that featured five points from Claudia Ortiz gave Northeastern (6-6, 1-0 CAA) a 15-13 edge with 2:19 left in the period.
• A lay-up from sophomore forward Nukiya Mayo pulled the Tigers even at 15-15 with 2:01 left on the clock.
• A bucket from Ortiz gave the Huskies a 17-15 advantage after 10 minutes of play.
• Northeastern scored five of the first six points in the second quarter and took a 22-16 lead with 6:57 showing on the clock.
• Sophomore guard Mariah Gray drained a three-pointer at 6:26 which started a 6-0 run by the Black and Gold which tied the game at 22-22 with 4:37 to go till the half.
• The two teams traded baskets and found themselves tied at 27-27 following a basket from senior center Daijha Thomas at 1:54.
• Northeastern closed the second quarter on a 6-1 run and took a 33-28 lead at the half.
• A 12-5 run by the Tigers to open the third quarter gave the home team a 40-38 edge with 6:53 to go in the stanza. Redshirt senior guard Raine Bankston led the Tigers with five points during that stretch.
• The two teams continued to go back-and-forth as Durjan's lay-up at 5:03 gave Towson a 45-42 advantage.
• Northeastern scored seven of the final nine points in the period and took a 49-47 lead with 10 minutes to play.
• The Huskies took a 55-51 lead with 6:09 to go in the stanza on a lay-up from Gabby Giacone.
• A jumper from Mayo pulled the Tigers (5-7, 0-1 CAA) to within one, 55-54 with 5:39 left in the game.
• Northeastern used a 7-0 run to take a 62-54 lead with 3:16 left on the clock. Ortiz had three points during that stretch.
• Towson responded by scoring the next five points and pulled to within three, 62-59 with 2:10 remaining. Cuevas scored three points during that scoring run.
• Northeastern closed the game on an 8-2 run and claimed a 70-61 victory.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Northeastern shot 45.9 percent from the field and connected on six three-pointers in the contest. Towson posted a 32.8 field goal percentage and made 14 shots from the foul line.
• The Huskies held a 43-42 edge in rebounds. It was the first time in 12 games that the Tigers lost the rebounding battle.
• Northeastern has now won four straight against the Tigers in a series that is tied at 18-18.
• The Tigers grabbed a season-high 16 steals in the game as seven Tigers recorded at least one steal. Mayo led the Tigers with four swipes. It was the most steals in a game by a Tiger squad since they had 17 against UMBC last year.
• Cuevas matched her career-high with 23 points and added 10 rebounds. It was her fifth double-double of the season.
• Mayo added 10 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the year.
• It was the first time the Tigers had two players with a double-double in the same game since Cuevas and Maia Lee did so against William & Mary in January of last year.
• Bankston contributed 12 points and was the third Tiger in double figures.
• Ortiz led Northeastern with 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

The Tigers are back in action when they host College of Charleston on Sunday, Dec. 31 at noon.