The Hofstra University men’s basketball team suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Saturday, Feb. 8, falling 80-75 to Stony Brook University in a classic Long Island rivalry matchup. A sellout crowd of 3,819 people packed the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, but the Pride couldn’t capitalize on the home-court advantage, dropping to 4-8 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play. Meanwhile, Stony Brook secured just its second conference win of the season, improving to 2-10 and climbing out of the CAA basement.
The loss marked the first time since Dec. 12, 2007, that Stony Brook defeated Hofstra on its home court, adding to the heartbreak of the Homecoming Day meltdown.
“Until we get some toughness, we’re not gonna win another game,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “It is a serious lack of toughness in that locker room with those kids.”
Defense has been a focal point for the Pride all season, but the CAA’s second-ranked defense failed to show up when it mattered most in this matchup. Stony Brook shot an impressive 48.9% from the field, but the real game-changer came from beyond the arc. The Seawolves caught fire from deep, knocking down nine 3-pointers on a season-best 52.9%.
Junior guard CJ Luster II, Stony Brook’s top performer all season, continued his stellar play with a dominant outing. Averaging a team-high 15 points per game, Luster exceeded his season mark, pouring in 26 points on an efficient 6-9 shooting.
Stony Brook’s success didn’t stop with Luster, as senior guard and forward Andre Snoddy delivered a career night. Snoddy led all scorers with a game-high 27 points and dominated the glass with 12 rebounds, both game highs. He was relentless in attacking the rim, earning 13 of his points at the free-throw line.
“We can usually hang our hat on the defensive end,” Claxton said. “There are certain games where we might struggle to score, but these last two games, we scored more than we normally do, and our defense just hasn’t been there. To give up 80 points in back-to-back games – that’s not like us.”
Despite the loss, the Pride found solid production from Michael Graham and Jean Aranguren. Graham recorded his sixth double-double of the season, finishing with an impressive 13 points and 10 rebounds – six of them on the offensive glass. Aranguren also had a strong outing, contributing 17 points on 6-15 shooting.
Far and away the best player for the Pride was sophomore guard Cruz Davis, who delivered a Superman-esque performance. Davis played all 40 minutes, leaving everything on the court to try and secure the win. He poured in 24 points on an incredibly efficient 9-13 shooting, including a scorching 66% from 3-point range.
“[Davis] has been great,” Claxton said. “We had to play him for extended minutes, he played the whole game and [I’m] happy to see the way he’s playing.”
The Pride are in urgent need of a win as time is running out, with just six CAA games remaining. Hofstra is currently tied for third to last in the conference.
Hofstra looks to snap their three-game losing streak on the road against the College of William & Mary on Thursday, Feb. 13. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
