The Hofstra University men’s basketball team opened the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship in dominant fashion on Sunday, March 8, rolling past the College of William & Mary with a commanding 92-61 victory. The Pride controlled the game from start to finish, led by a standout performance from Cruz Davis, who once again proved why he was named the CAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.
“Great game by the boys,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “I thought German [Plotnikov] really came out and set the tone right away. [Davis] willed us to victory, I thought our big guys, especially Silas [Sunday], really held down the fort. They were doing a lot of switching and he killed them on the offensive glass. Biggie Patterson came off the bench and gave us great minutes.”
The intensity was evident right from the opening whistle. As the ball was tipped, it quickly came loose, and Hofstra veteran Plotnikov dove to the floor to secure it, refusing to let go as players from both teams piled on. The moment sparked an early scuffle between the Pride and the Tribe before even a single second ticked off the clock, setting the tone for a highly physical game.
“I was just playing basketball,” Plotnikov said. “I don’t know why everyone got so crazy all of a sudden, but I was just trying to get the ball. I saw the ball on the floor, I dove, I got it. Then the William & Mary player tried to get it from me. I didn’t think I was supposed to give it to him, so I think I did what I was supposed to do. Happy to come out and set the tone.”
Setting the tone wasn’t the only thing Plotnikov did well; The four-year veteran delivered one of his strongest performances of the season in the biggest game so far for Hofstra. The 6’5 guard from Belarus shot an efficient 6-10 from the field, with five of those makes coming from beyond the arc. Plotnikov finished the night with 17 points and five rebounds.
All eyes were once again on Davis, who delivered a dominant performance from start to finish. The nation’s 28th leading scorer attacked the Tribe’s defense from all areas of the floor, proving nearly impossible to contain. The junior guard finished with a game-high 30 points while shooting an efficient 60% from the field. Davis also knocked down five shots from beyond the arc while adding five assists and two steals, putting the finishing touches on another stellar night.
“Just staying consistent,” Davis said. “Just knowing my teammates believe in me, knowing my coaches believe in me, and just trusting my work.”
The Pride controlled the game on the glass, a formula that has consistently led to success this season: Hofstra outrebounded the Tribe 41-32. Even more impactful was the Pride’s work on the offensive boards, where they pulled down 16 rebounds that turned into 16 second-chance points. That dominance on the glass has been a telling indicator all year, as Hofstra remains undefeated when it outrebounds an opponent by five or more.
Hofstra moves on to the semi-finals round of the CAA Championships as they match up against Towson University on Monday, March 9, in Washington, D.C. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m.
