BOSTON (Interstat) — William Kermoury scored a game-high 31 points to propel Northeastern to an 85-78 victory over Elon in a Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball game Thursday night at Matthews Arena. The Huskies, who improved to 6-11, never trailed after Kermoury’s opening 3-pointer. He added five assists. Xavier Abreu contributed 22 points for Northeastern, which led 41-39 at halftime and pulled away late. Elon, which fell to 11-7, was led by Bryson Cokley’s 26 points and seven assists. Chandler Cuthrell added 19 points for the Phoenix. The teams combined for only 811 fans in attendance. Northeastern avenged a loss to Elon from Dec. 29.

BOSTON (Interstat) — William Kermoury scored a game-high 31 points and Northeastern used a decisive second-half surge to overcome a sharp-shooting Elon team for an 85-78 victory in a Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball game Thursday night at Matthews Arena. In a contest defined by offensive runs and defensive pressure, the Huskies (6-11, 2-3 CAA) avenged a 12-point loss to the Phoenix just over two weeks prior, snapping a four-game losing streak. Elon (11-7, 3-2) saw its three-game win streak end despite an efficient shooting performance. The most critical sequence of the game unfolded midway through the second half. With Elon leading 65-63 after a Kacper Klaczek three-pointer with 8:16 remaining, Northeastern unleashed a 10-0 run over the next two minutes to seize control. The burst was fueled by suffocating defense and the hot hand of guard Xavier Abreu, who scored eight points during the stretch, including two three-pointers. His second triple, assisted by Luca Soroa Schaller, gave the Huskies a 73-65 lead with 7:09 to play and forced an Elon timeout. Elon never recovered. The Phoenix, who entered the night averaging just over 12 turnovers per game, committed 18, which Northeastern converted into 23 points. Conversely, the Huskies committed only 10 turnovers. Northeastern also dominated the assist column, 14-5, and recorded 14 steals, led by Mike Loughnane’s four. Kermoury, a junior from Stockholm, Sweden, was the catalyst throughout. He added five assists and three steals to his 31 points, shooting 11 of 22 from the field and 6 of 13 from three-point range. His backcourt mate, Abreu, a Lynn, Massachusetts native, provided a massive spark off the bench with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Loughnane orchestrated the offense with nine assists and eight points. Elon was led by the high-scoring duo of Bryson Cokley and Chandler Cuthrell. Cokley, from Whiteville, North Carolina, finished with 26 points and seven assists, while Cuthrell, of Baltimore, Maryland, added 19 points. The Phoenix shot a blistering 49.1% from the field and 48.1% from three-point range (13 of 27) but were undone by their ball security and a 61.1% clip (11 of 18) from the free-throw line. The first half was a tightly contested affair featuring 10 lead changes. Northeastern built an early 19-11 advantage behind Kermoury’s quick start, but Elon responded with a 14-4 run, capped by a Cuthrell three-pointer, to take a 27-25 lead. The Huskies closed the half on a 7-2 spurt, including a Mike Loughnane three-pointer in the final two minutes, to take a 41-39 lead into the break. The second half saw five more lead changes before Northeastern’s game-deciding run. After Abreu’s flurry put the Huskies up eight, Elon managed to close within four points on two occasions, the last at 77-73 on a Klaczek hook shot with 3:56 left. But Kermoury answered with a clutch three-pointer on the next possession, and the Huskies made enough free throws down the stretch to secure the win. Northeastern’s defense held Elon scoreless for over three minutes during the critical late run and limited the Phoenix to one field goal in a five-minute span. Klaczek contributed seven points, three assists and two blocks for Elon, while Randall Pettus added 12 points. The Huskies finished shooting 46.5% from the field and 36.7% from deep. They out-rebounded Elon 41-34, including a 10-8 edge on the offensive glass. The announced attendance was 811. Elon travels to face Hofstra on Saturday. Northeastern is scheduled for a road game at Drexel, also on Saturday.

Preview: Elon at Northeastern in Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Basketball BOSTON (Interstat) — A surging Elon team visits a struggling Northeastern squad in a Colonial Athletic Association men’s basketball rematch Thursday night at Matthews Arena. The Elon Phoenix (11-6, 3-1 CAA) have won five of their last six games and sit near the top of the conference standings. The Northeastern Huskies (5-11, 0-4), meanwhile, are searching for their first league win amid a five-game losing streak. Elon won the first meeting decisively, 103-91, at home on Dec. 29. The Phoenix shot 56% from the field in that victory, one of four times they have eclipsed 100 points this season. A key player for Elon is guard Kacper Klaczek, who torched the Huskies for 28 points and five assists in the December matchup. Klaczek is coming off a 20-point performance in an 83-82 win over Campbell last Saturday and has scored in double figures in five of his last seven games. Northeastern will counter with guard William Kermoury, who scored 20 points against Elon last month. Kermoury is averaging 21.2 points over his last five contests, including a 28-point, five-rebound, five-assist effort in the loss to Towson. The Huskies have struggled defensively, allowing an average of 89.4 points during their current skid. Containing Elon’s efficient offense, which averages 82.2 points per game, presents a significant challenge. For Northeastern, reversing its fortunes will require improved defense and taking better care of the ball. The Huskies have committed 15 or more turnovers in three of their four conference losses. Elon seeks to continue its momentum on the road before returning home for a two-game stand. Northeastern aims to salvage the finale of a three-game homestand and avoid an 0-5 start in CAA play. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.