The Hofstra University men’s basketball team will look to kick its season into high gear with a matchup against Long Island rival the Stony Brook University Seawolves on Monday, Jan. 22, at Island Federal Arena.
Both sides have had mediocre starts to Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play with identical 2-3 records. This game presents an opportunity for both teams to get on track in conference play. The Pride swept the season series last year with a 79-58 homecoming win and a 68-65 victory on the road.
Stony Brook enters the game after a close loss, 71-68, to the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens, a game in which the Seawolves led by 10 points at halftime. Stony Brook was led by guard Tyler Stephenson-Moore, who notched a team-high 15 points. The graduate student averages 14.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and one assist per contest and has led the team all season.
The Seawolves are quite well-rounded offensively, as they boast about six players scoring seven or more points since the start of CAA play. Aaron Clarke averages 12.1 points a game and has three over-20 point games on the season.
Stony Brook has shown its strength on the defensive end. The Seawolves rank third in steals in the CAA and sixth in blocks. They also rank fourth conference-wide in forced turnovers per game. Nationally, Stony Brook ranks 197th in the country, giving up 72.2 points per game and putting them in the middle of the pack.
For Hofstra, the Pride comes in following a comeback victory against the Hampton University Pirates. The Pride have trailed after the first half in four of their first five CAA contests. Darlinstone Dubar had 27 points and 10 rebounds in the victory, while German Plotnikov tied a season high with 10 points off the bench. The Pride have the top scoring duo in the CAA with Dubar and guard Tyler Thomas, with the two averaging 40.7 points per game and continuing to power the Hofstra offense.
The Pride will look to continue to play in transition for easy baskets. The Pride have scored more fast break points than their opponents in four of their last five games.
Tip-off for this inter-conference rivalry is set for 9 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
