Pennsylvania Native Hopes To Upset Notre Dame In NCAA Tourny
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) — Scott Eatherton, a native of Hershey, Pennsylvania, averaged 14.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 34 starts this season to lead Northeastern to its first NCAA Tournament birth since 1991.
The 6'9", 234 pound, red shirt senior, returns to Pennsylvania with hopes of upsetting No. 3-seeded Notre Dame in the second round at Consol Energy Center on Thursday.
Despite going up against a red hot Notre Dame team that's coming of of five straight wins, including beating Duke and North Carolina on consecutive nights to clinch the ACC Tournament title, Eatherton finds comfort in returning to his roots for the big game.
"I've had a decent amount of people text me for tickets and stuff like that. So I'm sure I'll have a good support base," Eatherton said. "I like Pittsburgh, my sister went to school here, so it's nice to know that it's so close to home."
Prior to transferring to Northeastern, Eatherton played two seasons at St. Francis University in Pennsylvania and led the team in rebounding and finished second in scoring as a sophomore.
Eatherton has made a habit of showing up in big games, including a huge performance in a win against UNC Wilmington in the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals, with 21 points, five rebounds and three blocks.
If his shot is falling, the No. 14 seeded Huskies will have a legitimate chance of beating Notre Dame in the second round. Notre Dame has struggled in the NCAA Tournament in recent years, winning just 2 games in the last six appearances, five of which the Irish were the higher seeded team.
"They go on a lot of runs, so it will be important for us to stay together and stop those runs," Eatherton said. "If we can do that, it would give us a better chance to win."
The Irish average 78.8 points per game and have four players averaging double figures this season. Northeastern head coach Bill Coen said the Irish are possibly the best passing team in college basketball and it's going to take an elite all around performance offensively and defensively to get the win.
"When you do turn it over, they are elite at making you pay and just really transitioning quickly and turning turnovers into points," Coen said. "So I think if we're going to have any chance, it's going to start with us taking care of the basketball."
The Irish and the Huskies open up tournament play at Consol Energy Center at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday.