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.