The University of Cincinnati Bearcats rolled into Hempstead, New York, on Saturday, March 18, and defeated the Hofstra men’s basketball team 79-65. Those who have followed the Pride all season long know that the loss means the end for one of the most special teams Hofstra has assembled in a very long time.
Through growing pains, grueling road trips and injuries early in the season, the true caliber of this Hofstra team began to show following the New Year. After questions arose about whether or not they were a one-dimensional team that relied too much on 3-point shooting , Hofstra showed they could win basketball games in any fashion they needed to.
“We fought through a lot of adversity, and I’m proud of my guys,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “The only bad part is that we don’t get to be around them anymore. They were a joy to be around and made coming to work fun.”
One of the Pride’s calling cards all season was their dominance when playing at the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition Complex, with an 11-1 record at home. Getting the unlikely chance to play at the Mack this late in the season, Hofstra used the energy in the building to fight through a nine-point deficit midway through the first half.
As Cincinnati led by eight, Hofstra began to chip away at the Bearcats’ lead. After forcing Cincinnati to turn the ball over on three straight possessions, momentum was fully in the Pride’s sails when Bryce Washington made it a four-point game by breaking loose on a fast break and slamming home an outlet pass from Aaron Estrada. Then, late in the half, Hofstra’s old crutch became their lifeline as pair of back-to-back 3-pointers from Tyler Thomas and Darlinstone Dubar tied the game at 31.
Hofstra’s 3-point shooting kept the game close early on. Shooting 6-11 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes, their deficit at halftime was a respectable 40-37. However, the Pride had no answer for Cincinnati’s size on the interior. Once the Bearcats seized their only offensive outlet, Hofstra shot just 1-10 from the 3-point line down the stretch.
Without a solution to Cincinnati’s defense, Hofstra leaned on high-volume shooting, hoping that something would fall. Estrada led the Pride with 18 points in the game but did so by shooting an inefficient 7-24 from the field.
“Ultimately, I think the size and strength just wore on us,” Claxton said. “I don’t think it’s anything they did specifically. [Estrada] is not used to playing against that kind of size and length on a nightly basis.”
After another year gone by, Hofstra bids farewell to centers Nelson Boachie-Yiadom and Warren Williams after both played out their final seasons of eligibility with the Pride. With the duo in Hofstra’s frontcourt departing, the question remains whether or not the one in their backcourt will return for a final season, as both Estrada and Thomas have one more year of eligibility remaining.
While neither player, Claxton nor anyone else privy to that information has shed light on the topic, Thomas spoke about what has made his partnership with Estrada so meaningful.
“[Estrada] is an amazing teammate and a better person,” Thomas said. “We shared the floor together. I think we both had no egos, and that’s why we worked out so well.”
Ultimately, that’s what made this year’s Hofstra team so special. In a sport that encourages egos, Hofstra played as a team and rejected the status quo. Even though future Hofstra squads won’t have the same players, the team-first culture established this year will be the standard going forward.
“It’s all about improvement,” Claxton said. “As long as we take steps and move in the right direction, we’re happy.”
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Evan Bernstein
