The Hofstra University men’s basketball team lost to No. 7 University of Houston on the road, 80-44. Hofstra now holds a two-game losing streak and a 4-2 record.
The Pride turned the ball over 15 times due to the suffocating Cougar defense, which ranks second in the NCAA for total opponent points scored and fourth in opponent points per game.
Hofstra has 35 turnovers in their last two games, dating back to their loss against Florida State University on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
It’s been an uphill battle for the Pride, facing two teams that rank in the top 15 in the nation for forced turnovers. Houston ranked 13th with their opponents averaging over 18 turnovers per game.
“To play against the No. 7 ranked team in the country like that in the second half, I’m super proud,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “This is probably the hardest six-game stretch that I’ve ever had here at Hofstra and for us to be 4-2 right now; I’m for my guys.”
Houston boasted three players with multiple steals on the night. Terrance Arceneaux led the Cougars with four and L.J. Cryer and Emanuel Sharp with three and two steals, respectively. The lack of ball security led the Pride to surrender 17 points off the turnovers.
There were some positives from the game. Sophomore guard Cruz Davis continued to impress in his first season with Hofstra, pouring in a team-high 18 points in the loss. The Plano, Texas, native shot 50% from the field and behind the arc while recording four assists.
“Cruz was good,” Claxton said. “I’m happy for him because he had a lot of family and friends in attendance with him being from Texas. I’m happy with his performance and the way he showed up.”
The Pride went into halftime trailing Houston 48-18. Despite the lopsided final score, the adjustments made by Claxton led to a competitive second half in which Hofstra was only outscored 32-26.
“I’m happy with the way we played in the second half,” Claxton said. “We lost the second half by six. So, I’m proud of the way we defended and battled in the second half. We can build off of this.”
Claxton made sure to relay a positive message to the team after the game due to their effort and competitiveness in the second half.
“I told these guys it’s all like-sized teams going forward,” Claxton said. “We should dominate our opponents.”
The Pride kicks off a three-game stretch as part of the Baha Mar Hoops: Nassau Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, on Friday, Nov. 29. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. against Rice University.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Albin
