The Hofstra University men’s basketball team delivered a masterclass of dominance in their Friday, Dec. 6, matchup against Saint Joseph’s University, New York – Long Island, securing a historic 114-46 victory. The win marked the largest margin in program history, a staggering 68-point win showcasing the Pride’s dangerous offensive depth. Hofstra’s 114 points were just four points shy of a program record.
The Pride’s victory was driven by an extraordinary performance from sophomore guard KiJan Robinson, who had a career-high afternoon while coming off the bench. Robinson came out firing, surpassing his previous career high of 13 points by halftime. He finished with a new career high of 28 points, leading the charge for Hofstra. Robinson also shattered his old career high for 3-pointers made, hitting an incredible 8 of 9 from beyond the arc. His shooting was just short of perfection, shooting 83% from the field.
“[Robinson] played outstanding, he’s a really great player,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “He was due for a game like this, I’m so happy he had it.”
Robinson’s all-around game was equally impressive. In addition to his scoring flurry, he set a career-high in assists, dishing out seven dimes. It was a performance that highlighted both his scoring and playmaking abilities.
“I was really just taking what the defense was giving me, pretty much my whole career I’ve had times where I passed up shots,” Robinson said. “I think I’m just more mentally prepared, I’ve been putting in a lot of work behind the scenes. I do admit last year I would be kind of nervous and antsy, versus this year I’m letting the game flow.”
The Pride showcased exceptional depth this season, arguably the best in Claxton’s tenure. That depth was on full display Friday afternoon. Five players came off the bench to score in double digits. KiJan Robinson led the charge with a career-high 28 points, followed by Khalil Farmer with 16, Eric Parnell with 19 and Joshua DeCady with 12, all career highs. German Plotnikov also added a season-high 12 points. Plotnikov has been building up to his typical workload after having an offseason shoulder surgery, and hit his season high in points, shots made, assists, blocks and steals.
Remarkably, none of the Pride’s starters reached double figures, every key contributor came from the bench, proving the team’s depth as a major strength.
“We’re deep, we know that we have multiple guys coming into this game having big nights,” said Claxton “Tonight was evident of that.”
The Prides defense was also on full display, shutting the Golden Eagles offense down from tip-off. The Golden Eagles shot a woeful 25% from the field, turning the ball over a staggering 14 times. Hofstra took full advantage of this, scoring 24 points from turnovers alone.
The Pride will look to build off this big win on Monday, Dec. 9, when they travel to take on Norfolk State University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Ethan Albin
