After finishing their non-conference schedule with an 8-5 record, the Hofstra University men’s basketball team and Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton will ring in the new year with a pair of Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) matchups this weekend.
Hofstra ended their non-conference schedule with a 75-69 overtime loss at Quinnipiac University on Dec. 29, 2024. Cruz Davis and Jaquan Sanders rejoined the Pride’s lineup after sitting out against Temple University on Dec. 15, 2024. Along with Jean Aranguren, the trio of guards combined for 40 points, with Aranguren continuing to dominate offensively with 23 points and six assists while also grabbing six defensive rebounds. Michael Graham, a graduate transfer from Loyola Marymount University, has established himself as Hofstra’s big man, averaging 7.4 rebounds per game and making 13 rebounds against Quinnipiac.
The Pride welcome the College of William & Mary on Thursday, Jan. 2, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the opening of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
The Tribe enter their CAA schedule with a 6-7 record after welcoming the United States Naval Academy with an 82-76 victory. Gabe Dorsey and Keller Boothby each put up 16 points for the Tribe. Noah Collier, William & Mary’s top scorer with 13.2 points per game, had 14 points, while Gabe Dorsey’s older brother Caleb Dorsey put in 11 points from the bench. Chase Lowe, who also scored 11 points, led the Tribe with eight rebounds and five assists.
William & Mary has not yet won a game on the road this season.
Hofstra has a 29-15 record against the Tribe since 2002. The most recent matchup between the two teams, a Jan. 25, 2024, Hofstra home game, was a 64-55 victory for the Pride and the only meeting of the two teams last season. This season, the Pride and the Tribe are slated for a second game on Feb. 13, in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Tipoff for Hofstra’s first matchup with William & Mary on Thursday, Jan. 2 is set for 7 p.m. at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. The game will be broadcast on both FloCollege and MSG2, while an audio-only broadcast will air on WRHU’s Hofstra Alternative Web Channel (HAWC).
Hofstra will then travel to Boston to face Northeastern University on Saturday, Jan. 4. The Huskies also enter conference play with an 8-5 record as of Dec. 31, 2024.
Like Hofstra, Northeastern is currently on a two-game losing streak, after taking an 85-60 loss to Northwestern University to close their non-conference slate. Despite the Huskies being outscored 50-27 in the second half, guard LA Pratt put on a show in Evanston, Illinois, leading Northeastern in the three major statistics. Pratt scored 18 points, grabbed seven of the team’s 25 rebounds, and dished out four assists. Masai Troutman was the only other Husky to score in the double-digits with 17 points.
Hofstra also has a winning record over Northeastern with a 31-25 record going as far back as 1994. The Pride most recently defeated the Huskies 82-62 at home on Feb. 17, 2024.
Northeastern will host the University of Delaware on Thursday, Jan. 2, before the Pride arrive in Boston for their matchup with the Huskies.
Tipoff for Hofstra’s matchup against Northeastern is set for noon on Saturday, Jan. 4, at Matthews Arena on Northeastern’s campus. This will be Hofstra’s final time at the historic Matthews Arena, as this is its final season in operation. Fans can watch the game on FloCollege or listen to an audio-only broadcast on WRHU’s HAWC.
