BRONX, NY – The Hofstra women’s basketball team dropped its matchup with the University of Houston Cougars 54-44 in the opening round of the Fordham Holiday Classic at Fordham University on Sunday, Dec. 29. Three players scored in double-digits for Houston (7-6) as they won back-to-back games for the second time this season while the Pride (3-7) lost for the second time in their last three games. It was the first time the two teams had ever faced each other.
Sorelle Ineza and Marianne Kalin each dropped 11 points while Kalin tied with Jaylen Hines with a team-high nine rebounds for Hofstra.
“Really proud of the way [Kalin] kept fighting,” said head coach Danielle Santos-Atkinson. “She continued to look for her open opportunities and that’s what you have to do as a scorer, as an impact player on our team.”
On the defensive end, the Pride set a season-high with 14 steals in the game, led by three each from Ineza, Kalin and Shawn Mills. Kalin also had the team’s only block.
Houston’s Dymond Gladney scored a career-high 19 points to lead all scorers in the game. Tatyana Hill added a game-high 15 rebounds to add to her 13 points, notching her third double-double of the season. Dorian Branch contributed 10 points as well.
The Cougars started quick out of the gate, scoring 11 of the first 13 points of the game and holding Hofstra to just five points in the first quarter. “We dug ourselves a hole,” Santos-Atkinson said. “It just took us too long to get going.” The Pride came off an eight-day break between games to account for holidays.
The third quarter was by far the strongest for the Pride. They held Houston pointless for over seven minutes and Ineza’s three-pointer with under a minute to go pulled Hofstra within five points going into the fourth.
Leading 38-33 going into the final frame, Houston was able to seal the deal, keeping the Pride from coming within a possession in the final 10 minutes. A layup by Gladney with just under four minutes to go extended Houston’s lead to double digits for good.
“Really proud of how the girls came back,” Santos-Atkinson said. “They didn’t allow themselves to just roll over and allow the game to get away from them.” After the first quarter, the Pride were neck and neck with the Cougars, with a two-point advantage in the final three quarters. “If we’re looking at three quarters – that second, third, fourth quarter – we won the game,” she said.
Up next on Monday, Dec. 30, the Pride concludes the Holiday Classic and non-conference play when they face Samford University at 1 p.m.
“I want to see us put 40 minutes together,” Santos-Atkinson said. “We want to be able to get stops on the defensive end – consecutive stops – [and] be able to execute on the offensive end.”
Samford lost 68-37 to host Fordham University in their opening matchup and have also never faced the Pride.
Image courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
