The Hofstra University men’s basketball team closed out their season in dominant fashion, cruising to a 70-49 blowout victory over North Carolina Agricultural &Technical State University (N.C. A&T). The Pride controlled the game from start to finish, delivering a statement win on senior day.
Before tipoff, Hofstra honored its three graduating seniors – Michael Graham, German Plotnikov and TJ Gadsden – with heartfelt tributes. Each player was celebrated alongside their family at center court, receiving a framed Hofstra jersey as a tribute to their contributions to the program.
“I’m just happy that we were fortunate to have [Graham] this year,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “You know, [Graham] being here for just this year – I’m sorry to see him go, but he held down the fort all year. [Plotnikov], this is his third year with us. He’s an ‘OG’ now – he has a bright future.”
The Pride was finally able to find offensive life all throughout the roster with four players, Graham, Jean Aranguren, Cruz Davis and Eric Parnell – who came off the bench – scoring in double figures.
Throughout the season, Aranguren often led the Pride in scoring, and he did it once again with a strong 20-point performance on an efficient 8-15 shooting. He narrowly finished second on the team in points per game at 14.1. He was just behind Davis, who led the Pride with 14.6 points per game. Scoring wasn’t the only needle mover for Aranguern as he also was cleaning the glass all game with eight rebounds. The cherry on top was his two steals, closing his regular season on a high note.
Hofstra got a game-changing boost from Eric Parnell off the bench, as he caught fire from beyond the arc. Every one of his buckets came from three, as he drilled four triples at a scorching 57% clip. Parnell finished with 12 crucial points, providing the Pride with a much-needed shooting spark in their dominant win.
“[Parnell] has been great,” Claxton said. “To get 12 points from him and to see him go four-for-seven, and to add another perimeter shooter out there – we need it, and hopefully, he continues to make shots for us. He’s big for us off the bench right now.”
Gritty play and relentless defense have been ingrained in this team’s DNA from the start of the season, and that identity was on full display. The Pride forced 11 turnovers and, more importantly, capitalized on them, turning the Aggies’ mistakes into 14 points.
Hofstra locked down N.C. A&T with a strong defensive effort, holding them to a woeful 28% from the field on the night. The Pride was able to keep most of the Aggies in a straightjacket, with the lone exception of Jahnathan Lamothe, who poured in 25 points – outscoring the rest of his team combined. The Aggies had zero bench points and managed just eight points in the paint, a stark contrast to Hofstra’s dominant 32.
Despite a disappointing 6-12 finish in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play, the Pride now shifts its focus entirely to the CAA conference tournament in Washington, D.C., with hopes of making a deep run and making it to the NCAA tournament.
“We could beat anyone,” Claxton said. “We could beat anyone on any given day if we go out there and play the right way.”
The Pride’s NCAA March Madness hopes begin on Friday, March 7, at 4:30 p.m. with a rematch against N.C. A&T at the CareFirst Arena in Washington D.C.
