The Hofstra University men’s basketball team played the biggest game of the season Monday, March 9, and delivered a moment that will be remembered for years. The Pride stunned Towson University with a 68-65 dramatic, overtime game-winner in the last second during the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Men’s Basketball Championship in Washington, D.C. The win keeps the Pride’s championship hopes alive in breathtaking fashion.
Early in the extra period, the CAA Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, Cruz Davis, fouled out, leaving the Pride without their star guard for the remainder of overtime. With just over four minutes left, and the Pride suddenly missing its best player, the Tigers were handed a golden opportunity to seize control of the game.
“As soon as I went out [of] the game, Preston [Edmead] gave me a hug,” Davis said. “He told me he got me, so just having that– having my teammates– I know they got my back.”
Hofstra needed their other star to rise to the occasion, and he did. The Pride’s backcourt two-headed monster was down a man, but CAA Rookie of the Year, Edmead, didn’t flinch. The freshman guard seized the biggest moment of his young career. Playing like a man on a mission, he refused to let Hofstra’s season slip away.
“The adjustment was simple, get [Edmead] the ball, and get out of the way and try to go rebound it,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton.
The Pride got a hold of the ball tied at 65-65 with the shot clock off and the seconds burning away. Edmead took his time ensuring that Towson did not recieve the ball.
Edmead drifted to the right wing, standing nearly 27 feet from the basket as the final seconds ticked away. With Towson defender Dylan Williamson smothering him and the clock about to expire, the freshman guard rose up and launched a deep 3-pointer.
“Coach said ‘Get one last shot,’ and I [saw] the time ticking down, and I just shot it,” Edmead said.
The shot kissed off the glass and dropped through the net, stunning the crowd and sending the Hofstra bench into chaos. The Pride had sealed the win with just 0.3 seconds remaining.
“Gutsy win by my guys, man,” Claxton said. “I thought [Towson] came out and they fought from start to finish. Credit to Towson, they did not lay down, but we knew that. They’re preseason favorites for a reason. I told these guys before the game this morning that the team that we saw last game is not the same team we were going to see tonight.”
The intensity of the game was evident even before the opening tip. Although the CAA Championship is played at a neutral site and Hofstra entered the matchup as the designated home team, the CareFirst Arena felt anything but neutral, fans of the Towson Tigers– much closer to home– packed the building and made their presence known, creating a booming environment that set the tone for the high-stakes battle.
The energy carried over onto the hardwood, where the first half turned into a defensive grind. Both Hofstra and Towson played with relentless physicality, trading stops and keeping the score tight throughout the opening 20 minutes. The teams produced nearly identical numbers from the field. Hofstra went into the locker room trailing by a single point after shooting 35% from the floor while Towson shot 37%.
Davis struggled to find his rhythm early. The junior guard was held to just two points in the first half, shooting 1-7 from the field. Towson’s defense focused heavily on slowly down Hofstra’s leading scorer.
The all-out war continued into the second half, but Davis, once again, earned that title and fought through the defense. He shot 5-10 from the floor and dropped 16 points in the second half alone. He ended the night with a total of 18 points.
Last season’s CAA Player of the Year, Tyler Tejada of Towson, was electric throughout the game, pouring in 29 points and carrying his team offensively. Tejada nearly delivered the game’s defining moment in regulation, rising for a potential game-winning shot with 31 seconds remaining. The attempt missed the mark, sending the game into overtime.
A championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament will be on the line Tuesday, March 10, as the Pride take on Monmouth University in the nation’s capital for the title game. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
“We’ve got to get ready for a tough Monmouth team,” Claxton said. “They’re playing well also. We know they’re going to be tough. They’re going to be physical. We’ve got to go back to the hotel, get some rest, get some ice baths and be ready to go tomorrow.”
