Déjà vu struck the Hofstra University men’s basketball team as they suffered back-to-back offensive meltdowns, falling 60-55 to Drexel University on Monday, Jan. 20. For the second straight game, the Pride saw their momentum fizzle away after halftime, which led to another late-game collapse. With this loss, Hofstra drops to 10-9 on the season, with an underwhelming 2-4 record in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play.
“Another tough loss,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “I told these guys before the game that we need to play for 40 minutes and today was another day that we played for 20 just like against [the College of] Charleston and Towson [University]. We have got to find a way to play for 40 minutes.”
Coming off a crushing loss to conference foe Towson, Hofstra entered the game refocused and delivered a stellar first half. The Pride shot an impressive 54% from the field, including a solid 4-9 from beyond the arc, and quickly built a 12-point lead.
It wasn’t just the offense firing on all cylinders, as Hofstra’s defense was equally dominant. The Pride locked up Drexel, holding them to a lackluster 35% shooting from the field and an unimpressive 3-11 from 3-point range.
Hofstra headed into halftime with a comfortable 37-26 lead.
“Everything we did good in the first half went out the window and did the complete opposite in the second half and that’s just not gonna win games,” Claxton said. “Guys just got to step up and be confident and hit shots at the end of the day.”
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Hofstra in the second half. The Pride struggled mightily with their shooting, hitting just 20% from the field and a staggering 6-21 from 3-point range.
“I said they need to step up, get in the gym, get in some extra shots and get comfortable shooting the basketball,” Claxton said. “You got to step up and make them.”
Hofstra’s defensive struggles compounded their woes in a nightmarish second half. Drexel capitalized on the Pride’s defensive lapses, erupting for 34 points while improving their shooting efficiency. The Dragons jumped from shooting 35% in the first half to 44% after the break.
“There were a couple times [Michael Graham] went over to go help and there was no help on the help,” Claxton said.
Despite the rough last two games, Claxton remained optimistic as he looked ahead to the upcoming two-game homestand.
“We’re just trying to get better,” Claxton said. “Everything is just a buildup to March whether we play three or four games everything is a buildup, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
The Pride are currently 10th in the CAA with a conference record of 2-4. Hofstra looked to get back on track with a win against the University of Delaware on Thursday, Jan. 23. Tipoff was set for 7 p.m.
