Missed layups and turnovers by the Hofstra Pride helped the Drexel University Dragons earn a 61-47 win in conference play at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Center on Friday, Feb. 11.  

The Pride entered Friday’s game against the Dragons looking to push their winning streak to three games. Drexel was aiming to avenge their recent one-point loss against the College of Charleston.

After a defensive stop to begin the game, Jahsyni Knight gave the Pride the lead with a three-pointer. She then followed up with a steal and a layup, giving Hofstra a five-point lead.

Drexel’s Hannah Nihill put the Dragons on the board with a mid-range jump shot and kicked off a 10-0 run for Drexel.  

The Pride and the Dragons battled back and forth throughout the remaining time in the first quarter. At the end of the quarter Drexel led 15-14 against Hofstra. 

The opening minutes of the second quarter were also close, as both teams traded baskets and the lead. Then Maura Hendrixson from Drexel scored a three-pointer to tie the game at 23. On the Dragons’ next possession, they took a two-point lead on a Tori Hyduke mid-range jump shot with 5:05 remaining and soon after that added on with a Jasmine Valentine mid-range jumper.

The Pride’s offense went stagnant as the team missed five straight field goal attempts, until Knight stole the ball from Nihill and hit a fastbreak to bring Hofstra’s deficit to two. A little over one minute later, Hendrixson ballooned Drexel’s lead to five with a three-pointer.

Continuous missed shots from the Pride didn’t help in the final minute as the Dragons led the Pride 30-25 going into halftime.

After Hofstra’s Rosi Nicholson went 1-2 from the free-throw line, Keishana Washington connected on a mid-range jumper adding to Drexel’s lead. Even after Jaylen Hines added two points for the Pride, the Dragons built up a nine-point lead.

The Pride’s shooting woes continued in the third quarter, but they were able to cut the deficit to two points with help from Knight, Hines, Zyheima Swint and Selma Markisic. Ultimately the Dragons held a 42-37 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Caria Reynolds started the scoring in the fourth with a layup, and then went to the free-throw line a little over one minute later, to bring the Pride’s deficit back to two points.

Mariah Leonard added a layup for Drexel, but Rosi Nicholson hit a three-pointer on Hofstra’s next possession to bring the Pride within one point of the Dragons.

That was the closest the Pride got to taking the lead for the remaining time, as the Dragons went on a 12-0 run for the next five minutes.

Hines added a layup for Hofstra with 2:15 remaining to which Drexel responded with a 7-2 run in the remaining time of the game. When the whistle blew, Dragons had defeated the Pride 63-47.

Knight led the Pride with 14 points and tied a team-high in assists with three. Hines added a double-double with 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. 

“[Jahsyni Knight] played with confidence and that’s what we need her doing,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “She was very aggressive, looking to attack from the start, [and] we’ve got to continue to have that from her.”

Photo courtesy of Evan Bernstein/The Hofstra Chronicle