GAME NOTES: Northeastern will finally play its first game of the season at Matthews Arena as the Huskies open their home slate against the Fairfield Stags on Saturday afternoon.

These two teams are meeting for the 11th time in history. Northeastern has dominated the series with eight wins in the previous 10 matchups.

Northeastern's fast start to the season was quelled when the Huskies suffered a 79-54 drubbing at the hands of Massachusetts on Wednesday.

After averaging 70 points over their first four games -- all wins -- the Huskies were limited to 37.3 percent shooting against UMass. David Walker picked up 14 points while T.J. Williams scored 12.

The club had assisted on over 70-percent of its field goals before handing out just 11 helpers and turning it over 20 times in the setback.

Scott Eatherton, who was putting up 19.0 ppg over the previous three games, was held to 11 points and saw his team-high average drop to 15.2 ppg on the season. Eatherton also leads the team in rebounding (6.4 rpg) while Walker is dropping 14.6 ppg.

Fairfield got some much needed rest after playing its first five games in over a 10-game span. The Stags went 2-3 in that stretch, including pulling out an 80-72 overtime win over South Dakota on Sunday.

Tyler Nelson scored a game-high 24 points, Mike Kirkland added 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Amadou Sidibe recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in the win.

The Stags outscored the Coyotes at the free throw line, 25-12.

Marcus Gilbert, the team's leading scorer in each of its first four games, chipped in 12 points against South Dakota and is averaging 14.4 ppg on the year. Nelson ranks second at 11.3 ppg, and no one else is logging more than nine points in the early going.

Fairfield, which upended Northeastern last year, is making just 38.8 percent of its shots and is getting outrebounded by nearly seven boards per contest.

A win would give Northeastern five victories in November for the first time in program history. Shutting down a porous offensive club like Fairfield should come easy, and if Eatherton can rediscover his scoring touch, the Huskies will cruise in their home opener.