Jan. 2, 2004

Box Score

BOSTON - Junior guard Marcus Barnes scored 26 points - 23 in the first half - to lead Northeastern to an 82-63 win over Stony Brook in the America East opener for both teams at Solomon Court on Friday night.

The win avenges losses NU suffered to the Seawolves in both of last year's meetings.

Sophomore guard Jose Juan Barea added 18 points and eight assists for the Huskies, who improved to 7-5. NU's Javorie Wilson added 13 points, making three 3-pointers. Cori Spencer was 8-for-11 from the field and had 23 points to lead the Seawolves (3-7), while D.J. Munir netted 18. It was Stony Brook's fourth straight loss.

Barnes made his first four shots, including three 3-pointers, as the Huskies jumped out to a quick 16-4 lead just 4:14 into the game. Stony Brook came back with a 10-5 run to cut the lead to 21-14 with 12:27 left in the first half, but Barnes remained hot, scoring five of six straight NU points to make it a 27-14 edge with 11:22 to go before the break. The Huskies led by as many as 18 in the first half and took a 45-30 lead into intermission.

The Huskies maintained their 15-point edge through the first seven minutes of the second half and led 53-38 before putting the game away with an 11-0 run. Wilson had eight points in the surge, including a pair of 3-pointers and a layup to cap the run, which made it a comfortable 64-38 cushion with 10:52 left. NU eventually led by as much as 27 (69-42) before the Seawolves neared as close as 15 in garbage time.

NU had a late casualty as Wilson was carried off the floor after suffering cramps in both legs while committing his fifth foul with 1:22 to go.

Barnes made 8-of-12 field goal attempts in the first half, 6-of-10 from beyond the 3-point arc, and had 23 points to fall just one short of the NU record for points in a half. His total of six three-pointers was also just one shy of the Husky single-game mark.