From the Boston Globe’s Steve Hewitt on NU hoops ...

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/2018/...ssion=true

Walters settles in

At first, he wasn’t sure, but it was around September when Shaquille Walters, who transferred from Santa Clara to Northeastern this season, expressed an interest to play immediately. He talked to coach Bill Coen, who was deliberate in making sure Walters assessed all the factors in his decision.

Walters was certain he wanted to play, but it requires a process. NCAA rules state transfers must sit out a year at their new school before playing, but exceptions are made. Northeastern’s compliance office applied for a waiver for Walters, and last Tuesday, the Huskies received good news. The waiver was granted, and Walters is eligible to play this season.

The circumstances that allowed Walters to be granted eligibility are confidential, but Coen assured that “if anyone heard the facts of the story, I don’t think anybody would disagree with the ruling.

We’re just so grateful that the NCAA agreed with us that he should be allowed to play immediately.”

Walters, a 6-foot-6 sophomore guard from London, made his debut in Northeastern’s win against Alabama last Thursday and made an impact off the bench. Coen loves his potential.

“He’s got tremendous upside, he’s got size, length, athleticism, and most of all, coachability,” Coen said. “He wants to be a good player, he allows you to coach him, and I think with that type of attitude and the type of effort he puts in, we couldn’t be more excited about him.”

Stuck in limbo

Shawn Occeus and Max Boursiquot, both starters for Northeastern last season, remain out with injuries, and their returns are unclear.

Coen was more optimistic about Occeus, last season’s Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year who suffered an ankle sprain in practice the day before this season’s opener against Boston University. Boursiquot is dealing with a nagging hip injury.