Kevin Carroll — ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Asia Jackson exploded for a game-high 20 points off the bench, as the Hofstra women’s basketball team came alive down the stretch, fighting off a feisty Towson team 64-60 on Sunday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex.
“She’s [Jackson] been playing with a lot of freedom this year,” said Hofstra head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey after the game. “To have that kind of depth coming off the bench, it’s really nice.”
Kelly Loftus added 14 points and seven boards for the Pride, and Anjie White posted her first double-double of the season, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Darius Faulk added 12 points and seven assists.
Both teams got off to sluggish starts offensively, with Hofstra’s only point in the first five minutes of play coming from a Faulk free throw. The Pride relied heavily on the junior White in the first quarter, as she scored eight of the team’s 11 points in the quarter.
Shanea Butler hit a three-pointer with just four seconds left on the clock to make it a 17-11 Towson lead as the first quarter drew to a close.
Jackson started the second quarter on the floor, and wasted little time in making her presence felt. After the Pride was able to draw within three points of the Tigers’ lead, Jackson knocked down her first three-pointer, tying the game at 18.
The Tigers couldn’t answer, and Jackson hit a layup coming back down the floor, putting Hofstra ahead for the first time since early in the first quarter.
Towson was able to regain the lead, leading 27-23 with under a minute left in the half. Kelly Loftus hit a jumper to make it a two-point game, and the Pride was able to capitalize on a steal from Darius Faulk, as well as some offensive rebounds, to find Jackson for a three, and she knocked it down to put the Pride ahead 28-27 heading into halftime.
The teams traded leads back-and-forth for much of the third quarter, with neither team able to open up a lead larger than four points. Jackson hit another three-pointer, her fourth of the afternoon, to give the Pride its first lead of the quarter, 35-34.
Towson looked to take control late in the quarter, mounting a 7-0 run to take a 43-39 lead, but Darius Faulk went on a mini-run of her own, scoring four straight points to knot things up at 43 heading into the fourth quarter.
Momentum swung back-and-forth in the final quarter, but it would be Kelly Loftus to provide the first real separation for Hofstra. The junior, who had been relatively quiet for much of the game, hit back-to-back three-pointer to give the Pride an eight-point lead, the largest of the game for either team.
From then on, Hofstra relied on its defense to hold Towson off down the stretch. The Tiger made it interesting, closing the gap to just four points, but were ultimately unable to catch the Pride, who won its fifth straight game, and improved to a perfect 8-0 at the Mack.
“We had to work hard tonight to get this one,” said Kilburn-Steveskey. “[I’m] very proud of these guys gritting it out.”
For Towson, Raven Bankston led the team with 19 points, and Dominique Johnston added 13. Daijha Thomas pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds.
Next up for the Pride (15-3, 6-1 CAA) is a trip to the City of Brotherly Love, as the team heads to Philly to take on conference foe Drexel on Friday, Jan. 29. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
