The Hofstra University men’s basketball team finally snapped their five-game losing streak on Saturday, Jan. 31, with a 73-57 blowout win over Monmouth University. Hofstra guard Cruz Davis bounced back with an impressive 24 points after a season low of seven points against the College of Charleston.
Hofstra moves into fifth place in the Coastal Athletic Association standings with a record of 5-5.
“Great performance by our guys,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “I thought we were locked in, especially on the defensive end. The job [Davis] did on [Jason Rivera-Torres] was outstanding. We got great minutes from Joshua Aaron Reaves off the bench and Silas Sunday played [exceptionally] in the second half.”
The Prides’ defense was on full display with a ferocious effort to stunt any momentum the Hawks tried to build. Monmouth’s offense was put in a straitjacket, shooting 38% from the field and only making three of their 18 3-point attempts.
On the other end of the ball for the Pride, the nation’s 11th leading scorer, Davis, put on another offensive show for all 2,572 fans in attendance at The OceanFirst Bank Center. The junior guard had a game high of 24 points on 9-15 from the field, along with a lethal 57% from deep.
Hofstra’s offense has revolved all season around the one-two punch of Davis and freshman standout Preston Edmead, the other half of the Pride’s two-headed monster, once again turned in a stellar performance. Edmead acted as the floor general for the blue and gold, dishing out a season-high eight dimes to his teammates. Along with facilitating the offense, he also chipped in 13 crucial points.
“He was our floor general,” Claxton said. “We’re going to need him to do that. I thought he got the ball when he needed to, he looked to score when he needed to. All around great ball game by [Edmead].”
A player who often flies under the radar is 7-foot big-man Sunday, who once again proved to be an unsung hero for the Pride. Sunday made his presence felt in the paint, controlling the glass throughout the night with 10 rebounds, including three on the offensive end. He put the finishing touch on his performance with 12 points on a perfect 6-6 shooting, capping off an impressive double-double.
Hofstra’s offensive depth was on full display as Reaves provided an electric spark off the bench. Reaves shot a blistering 83% from the floor, pouring in a season-high 17 critical points while also pulling down four rebounds.
“I’m happy for him because he was in the lineup to start the season and kind of lost minutes,” Claxton said. “He stayed ready, and I think this is his second or third game in a row where I put him in and he produced. I could see him continue to earn more minutes.”
The Pride look to build a new winning streak at home on Thursday, Feb. 5, against Northeastern University at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
