By Ryan McCord
March Madness has returned! But with Selection Sunday just days away, about the only thing the Hofstra men’s basketball team will be cutting down anytime soon is slices of Lackmann delivered cake topped with a message in frosting that reads: “Welcome Back to the NIT!”
But Pride fans still have reason for optimism, because there’s another 20-win hoops team on campus, who according to some “Bracketology” experts are included in the field of 65. The Pride is led on the court by a quartet of seniors and sophomore point guard Niki Williams, who has successfully made the transition of playing for a new coach and running the point from the opening tip rather than by substitution.
“Right now it’s NCAA or bust,” said Williams, who leads the Pride in steals.
The recent mock bracket rumors that have been spreading via office water cooler chatter, ESPNU and Facebook tournament pools may not even be possible if it weren’t for the lineup change around midseason that saw Williams’ instant energy off the bench take on an expanded role.
“When I originally became a starter the hardest part to deal with was the team meshing,” said Williams, who permanently stepped into the starting lineup on Jan. 7 after Jeanell Hughes was suspended from the team. “I think we’re doing a lot better playing together now than the first couple of games I was starting.”
The Pride did, however, manage to win the first two games in which Williams was appointed to the starting lineup. But then came a brutal stretch in the schedule that included conference powerhouses James Madison, Old Dominion and Delaware. Hofstra was unable to beat any of those teams in five efforts combined this season.
Will the fifth time be a charm? Well, if the Pride can manage to win the first two games of the CAA Tournament, they’ll almost certainly get that opportunity. Despite coming up empty-handed against the best of what the CAA has to offer thus far, Williams and the rest of her teammates are still confident that they can earn an automatic NCAA berth.
“None of these teams beat us, we feel like we beat ourselves in all these games,” Williams said. “When somebody out plays you, that’s different. But when you go in and make careless turnovers, don’t play good defense and don’t execute on offense, you can look back and say we did that to ourselves. We’re definitely ready for that challenge.”
According to Williams, a big reason why the program is having their most successful season ever can be attributed to the coaching philosophy and leadership of rookie head coach Krista-Kilburn Steveskey.
“She’s someone that you want to play for,” Williams said. “You get on the court and you don’t want to lose for her. That’s when you know you’re playing for a good coach. I admire her on and off the court. She’s been nothing but consistent all year ’round.”
If any further evidence is needed to prove those comments, check out the line in Williams’ recent stat-stuffing performance against Drexel. The team’s assist leader fell just two dimes shy of a triple double, allowing numbers to speak for her style of play for a change.
“Hard work and hustle,” explained Williams, who also said she had no clue of her assist total until after defeating the Dragons. “It’s nice to put up numbers, but most of what I bring to the court you won’t see on the stat sheet.”
Kilburn-Steveskey acknowledged that she is proud of the effort Williams has provided this season, but also suggested that the Pittsburgh native could shoot for some improvement.
“She really became a student of the game,” Kilburn-Steveskey said. “She just needs to keep working, get stronger and improve on her shot.”
The Pride is hoping its floor general has enough left in the tank to shift the intensity into another gear in attempt to capture the program’s first ever CAA championship.