The Hofstra University women’s basketball team pulled out its first win of the season in a comeback thriller over the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) on Friday, Nov. 8. Hofstra pulled ahead 74-69.
Both teams struggled on the field but finished out the first quarter even with 19 points, 10 total rebounds and four turnovers each. Freshman forward LaNae’ Corbett took over early, scoring six of the quarter’s 19 points while grabbing five rebounds. Hofstra ended the quarter with a one-handed mid-range buzzer beater by Ramatoulaye Keita.
The Highlanders took over in the second, outscoring the Pride 22-11 behind a strong performance from Alejandra Zuniga. NJIT’s use of the pick and roll was the focus of their offense in the second quarter with Zuniga as the main ball handler. She finished the half with 13 points and a handful of three-pointers. Hofstra’s Zyheima Swint dominated the paint in the quarter, finishing the half with eight rebounds.
Down 10 at the halfway point, Hofstra needed to adjust. Right from the start of the third quarter, the Pride made a statement on defense, forcing three straight misses and a turnover in the first three minutes. They also switched their focus on offense, settling for jump shots instead of points in the paint. The Pride, who trailed by as much as 12 at this point, opened the quarter with three straight-made jumpers, all in the mid-range. Hofstra’s defense continued to stay aggressive, forcing six turnovers in the quarter alone. The Highlanders only had four in the first half.
Hofstra kept the intensity on defense to start the fourth, forcing an early turnover and a miss both from NJIT’s Olivia Kulyk. Hofstra took its first lead since the first quarter with seven minutes remaining at 62-61. Emma Von Essen heated up in the fourth, shooting 2-3 from the field making both three-point shots. She finished the game with four makes from downtown. After Von Essen’s latest basket with just over four minutes to go, putting the Pride up 67-65, Hofstra held NJIT to 1/5 from the field with two turnovers. Both turnovers were committed by Zuniga, who the Pride was determined to shut down after her first-half breakout. The Highlanders couldn’t break through Hofstra’s defense, and the Pride completed the comeback and sealed the victory.
The comeback couldn’t have been completed without the strong performances from Swint and Chloe Sterling. A new addition to the Pride this season, Sterling led the Pride in points and assists with 21 and four, all while shooting 2-5 from downtown. This is now her second straight game with at least 15 points, after going all last year without a game over her best, 11, at James Madison University. The junior seems to be finding her groove in the new system.
Swint stayed strong on the boards, leading both teams with 13 rebounds, six being offensive. After only grabbing four in the Pride’s previous contest against Sacred Heart University, the starting center was determined to get back on track. The senior averaged a career-high of 8.1 rebounds per game last season while logging 24.5 minutes per game through 29 games.
Corbett, the freshman from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, had another great game to start her career at Hofstra. Finishing one rebound short of a double-double to go along with 13 points, she could have had a chance to tack on even more if it wasn’t for early foul trouble in the second quarter. Now averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds on the season, Corbett looks to continue her exceptional freshman season.
The Pride will look to win back-to-back games when they take on Yale University at home on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 5 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
