Tareq Coburn led the Pride in both scoring and rebounding with 19 points and eight rebounds as the Hofstra men’s basketball team notched their second win of the season and their fifth consecutive triumph over the rival Stony Brook University Seawolves 72-67 on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
“[It was a] great battle tonight,” said Hofstra acting head coach Mike Farrelly. “Scoring, defending, we played really well.”
For the Pride, freshman guard Vukasin Masic only played a total of five minutes, matching a career-high, but scored a crucial basket with 31 seconds to go.
The basket gave Masic his first career collegiate points and gave Hofstra a five-point lead, putting the game out of Stony Brook’s reach.
“It showed the confidence that the kid has to be able to make that play in a key spot,” Farrelly said. “We certainly have high hopes for him.”
Masic wasn’t the only member of the Pride to hit a big shot late in the game. Senior guard Jalen Ray hit one of his own during the possession before Masic, pulling up and fading toward the left elbow to make it a two-possession game at 66-61 with 1:26 remaining.
“That’s what we expect out of [Ray]. He’s been ‘Mr. Clutch’ over the course of his career,” Farrelly said. “It was time for him to get the ball and he’s gonna come up big in those situations.”
Ray finished the game with 10 points, five assists and three steals.
“I know the team looks to me to make big plays,” he said. “I love stepping up in big moments.”
Hofstra trailed 8-7 with 17:57 to go in the first half. Following a free throw made by Isaac Kante, Hofstra went on to lead for the remaining 38 minutes.
The Hofstra lead ballooned to as wide as 23 in the second half, but Stony Brook went on an impressive 22-2 run to cut the lead to as close as three points in the final minutes.
Caleb Burgess had another strong performance, totaling 12 points, six assists and no turnovers in his fourth consecutive start to begin the season.
“He works hard,” Farrelly said. “We have complete confidence in him.”
For Stony Brook, Frankie Policelli, a transfer from the University of Dayton, continued to make an impact in his first few games with the team by scoring 16 points while knocking down three triples and grabbing six boards. Mouhamadou Gaye also contributed with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in his double-double effort.
The Pride now moves to an even 2-2 on the season with the win. Stony Brook drops their second game in a row and falls to 1-3 on the year.
The Pride is back in action on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at Monmouth University at the OceanFirst Bank Center at 7 p.m. This game is a makeup from the cancellation on Wednesday, Nov. 25 due to a Monmouth player testing positive for COVID-19 just hours before both teams were set to play their first game of the season.
Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
