For the third consecutive game, a sluggish start proved to be too much for the Hofstra University men’s basketball team to surmount, as the Pride dropped their Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) opener in a 73-61 loss to the College of Charleston Cougars at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Thursday, Jan. 4.

The Cougars quieted the home crowd by opening a 16-4 lead within the first four minutes and later closed out the contest on a 20-4 run to stave off a late Hofstra comeback.

“[It was] a tough night; I think we lost this game in the first 10 minutes,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “The last five games, we’ve had slow starts and spotted teams’ points, and that’s hard to come back from.”

Under head coach Pat Kelsey, the Cougars have become notorious for their high-octane style of offense that thrives in transition, and the Pride had no answers for their speed and quickness in the first half. Senior guard Bryce Butler proved to be a matchup nightmare in transition for Charleston, notching 18 points on a smooth 7-10 mark from the field.

“We know they like to push the ball on every make or miss, and we were slow to get back,” Claxton said. “We didn’t close out on their shooters.”

After digging an early hole, the Pride used a 14-5 run to bring themselves within striking distance in the waning minutes of the first half. Jaquan Carlos then punctuated the opening frame with a 3-point buzzer-beater to shorten Charleston’s advantage to 34-32 at the break. Despite the newfound energy on offense, Claxton maintained that his team’s defense held the key to their best stretches of the game.

“We just started guarding, both off the bounce and in transition,” Claxton said.  

While Charleston’s backcourt handled the bulk of the scoring early on, it was preseason All-CAA honoree Ante Brzovic who put the bow on the Cougars’ victory with a pair of 3-pointers in the final four minutes. The 6-foot-10-inch junior finished with 13 points and three rebounds in the win.

“He’s a great player; he’s a tough matchup both inside and outside,” Claxton said. “We tried guarding him one-on-one to start the game … but then we had to come double him, which freed up their shooters.”

The Pride shot just 20% from 3-point range in the loss while the dynamic duo of Tyler Thomas and Darlinstone Dubar were held to a combined 37% mark from the field. Hofstra’s bench also failed to score a point, while Charleston’s reserves poured in 29.

“This one was definitely a wake-up call,” Claxton said. “But there’s no need to press the panic button; it’s only one game. We’ll be fine.”

After dropping their conference opener for just the second time in the last six seasons, the Pride turns their focus to the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens on Saturday, Jan. 6. The Blue Hens are off to a 1-0 start in league play after dismantling the Hampton University Pirates 80-53. Tip-off from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex is set for 2 p.m.

 Photo courtesy of Alexis Friedman/Hofstra Athletics