The Hofstra University men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to four with a road victory against the North Carolina A&T State University Aggies on Saturday, Feb. 10. The Pride dominated throughout, rolling over the Aggies 81-49 due to their success from beyond the arc and in the paint, creating an all-around team performance.
Hofstra improves to 15-10 overall and 8-4 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play.
“Great finish to the week and total team effort,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “We got double-digit scoring by four guys.”
German Plotnikov had the hot hand once again, leading all scorers with 20 points, going 8-9 from the floor, including four made 3-pointers. Plotnikov also added seven rebounds on the day.
“We were trying to get him to shoot the basketball when he’s open because he’s such a good shooter, but you know when he gives us point production like that, we’re a hard team to beat,” Claxton said.
Tyler Thomas notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 8-16 with three coming from downtown. Jacco Fritz had one of his finest games of the season, putting up 13 points, four rebounds and three assists, being a main contributor to the Pride’s effectiveness from down low.
Through the first 10 minutes of play, Hofstra disrupted all offensive advancements by the Aggies, holding North Carolina A&T to only two points in the game while pushing themselves ahead 16-2. The Pride continued to control all aspects of the game, keeping the Aggies’ head below water by going into the halftime break with a 34-15 lead.
“If we want to win a championship we’re going to have to rely on our defense,” Claxton said. “In the first half, our defense was outstanding. We limited, we gave up maybe four field goals in that first half and we relied heavily on our defense, and it allowed us to fuel our offense.”
Even though North Carolina A&T got out to a faster start in the second half, nothing put Hofstra in a frenzy, as the Pride supported and extended their lead for all 40 minutes of the game, picking up another CAA win.
In the loss, Camian Shell led the Aggies with 14 points and the only other player to score in double figures was Ahmad Hamilton, who added 11 points. Both combined for 15-16 from the free throw line.
The CAA standings continue to be a jungle of madness, with the Pride now moving into a three-way tie for third place with the University of Delaware and Drexel University. A logjam continues throughout the standings, with many teams in close range of finishing in the top four. The top four teams in the conference get a double-bye in the CAA Tournament.
Conversely, North Carolina A&T sits at 5-7 in conference play and 7-18 overall, with the Aggies dropping their third consecutive game. Through the final stretch of the season, the Aggies will hope to avoid playing as many games as possible in the CAA Tournament, with an unfavorable first round berth currently in position and room to move up in the standings.
The Pride will be put to the test in another marquee road matchup in Philadelphia against the Drexel Dragons. Despite both teams being in the thick of things for the double-bye, the Dragons are struggling, having lost three games in a row, making this contest even more significant.
“My second home, love the City of Brotherly Love, so I’m looking forward to going down there and playing Drexel,” Claxton said.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Emily Webb
