Eli Pemberton scored a career-high 35 points on Senior Night as the Pride men’s basketball team won their second Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title in as many seasons by crushing the James Madison University (JMU) Dukes, 97-81, on Saturday, Feb. 29, at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
“We played with an edge,” said Hofstra head coach Joe Mihalich. “We’re on a mission here.”
Pemberton scored the first nine points for the Pride, including an impressive fast break layup after prying the ball loose from Dukes’ guard Deshon Parker. Pemberton’s solo run gave the Pride a 9-6 lead just 2:31 into the first half.
The Pride led for the remainder of the game and went up by as much as 34 in the second half.
“This is where I hoped we would be,” Mihalich said. “We’re going to enjoy this for a couple of days and then we’re going to prepare like crazy.”
Senior guard Desure Buie scored 26 points for the Pride, including seven made threes, which ties the record held by his former teammate Justin Wright-Foreman.
The Pride also set the school record for most threes made in a game with 20 while shooting an eye-popping 56% from that area. Buie tied the former record with his sixth made three and broke the record later when he made his seventh.
“It takes focus,” Buie said. “Every game is a battle.”
After an opening three-pointer from JMU guard Matt Lewis, Pride senior Connor Klementowicz saved the Pride’s first possession by diving out of bounds, grabbing the offensive rebound and throwing it behind his back, which led to an open three for Pemberton and the Pride’s first points of the game.
Hofstra hopped out to a double-digit lead midway through the first half and was able to maintain it for the entirety of the game.
For the Dukes, they had strong showings from Lewis and Parker. Both players shot over 50% from the field and each made three shots from beyond the arc.
Lewis had 22 points and Parker added 18. Fortunately for the Pride, they were able to force both JMU guards into coughing the ball up four times each for a total of eight turnovers.
The Pride themselves played a relatively clean game, only turning the ball over once the entire first half. They finished the game with five turnovers.
“The thing about this league is anybody can beat anybody,” Pemberton said. “We like that feeling of having a target on our back.”
Pemberton and Buie weren’t alone in the scoring department for the Pride as Tareq Coburn put together a complete game scoring 14 points, making four threes and nabbing four steals.
Jalen Ray also finished in double digits, finding the bottom of the net four times for 12 points.
“These guys were locked and ready to go,” Mihalich said. “I’m really proud of our guys.”
The Pride won the conference title for the second year in a row, finishing with a 23-8 record, including 14-4 in the conference. JMU dropped their seventh game in a row and finish with a 9-20 record and 2-16 in the conference.
“It speaks to the kind of guys we have in that locker room,” Mihalich said. “They’re better people than they are players.”
The Pride is back in action on Sunday, Mar. 8, at noon in the quarterfinal round of the Hercules Tires CAA Men’s Basketball Championship when they off against the winner of the game between Drexel University and University of Delaware.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
