North Carolina Tar Heels

Puscia, Occeus lead Northeastern past UNC Wilmington 88-71

Published Jan. 19, 2019 1:59 p.m. ET

BOSTON (AP) — Vasa Puscia scored 21 points, Shawn Occeus added 20 with four 3-pointers, and Northeastern pulled away from UNC Wilmington in the second half to win 88-71 on Saturday for its fourth straight victory.

Jordan Roland hit three 3s and scored 17 for the Huskies (11-8, 5-2 Colonial Athletic Association), who shot 49 percent, made 11 of 30 3-pointers (37 percent) and turned it over just four times. It was Puscia's fifth 20-point game of the season and he made all three of his free throws, extending his streak to 19 straight.

Devontae Cacok's jumper tied it at 40 to open the second half, but the Huskies surged to an 11-point lead, 64-53, on a 24-13 run capped by Jordan's 3 and led by 22 on Occeus' 3 with 3:10 to play.

Thomas Murphy's back-to-back jumpers broke open back-and-forth play and put the Huskies up for good, 18-16, and Northeastern led by as many as nine and 40-38 at the break.

Cacok scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Seahawks (7-13, 3-4). Jeantal Cylla added 17 points and Ty Gadsden had 13.