The Hofstra University men’s basketball team has been at the top of their game throughout the sizzling month of February, but the red-hot Pride met their match on Thursday, Feb. 15, falling 79-77 in an instant classic to the Drexel University Dragons.
The 40-minute affair was an absolute roller coaster for the Pride, as they led by as many as 13 points and trailed by as many as eight during the contest. Hofstra took a commanding 42-32 lead into the locker room at halftime, thanks to arguably their most complete offensive half of the year, shooting 68% from the field and 67% from 3-point range. The Dragons proceeded to roar back with an offensive explosion of their own in the second half, dropping 42 points on 62% shooting to storm back for the victory.
“That’s a tough one, I told my guys that the tougher team would win the game,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “In the first half, we were the tougher team, but in the second half, they were tougher than us.”
Although Tyler Thomas has been in peak form over the past four games, Thursday night’s effort might have been his most masterful this season. Thomas was a one-man army on offense, totaling 34 points, six rebounds and six assists on 52% shooting. Hofstra’s star senior also showed up on the defensive end, tallying a pair of blocks at crucial junctures of the contest. Still, despite his late heroics, a secondary scorer could not step up to cement the victory for the Pride.
“Tyler is playing like a first-team all-league guy, we just need the other guys to step up and play alongside him,” Claxton said. “We gotta get that second and third guy to be more consistent.”
While making just nine field goals in the final 20 minutes, Hofstra used 17 trips to the free-throw line to protect their lead as long as possible. However, the lead quickly evaporated due to a combined 27 second-half points from Drexel’s Lucas Monroe, Jamie Bergens and Amari Williams.
A bevy of clutch buckets from Williams and company put the Dragons up eight points with just over a minute left to play, but Hofstra mounted one last furious comeback to bring the game within two points on the final possession. Thomas was given a chance to win the game at the buzzer for the Pride after a missed free throw by Mate Okros, but left a corner 3-pointer just short, capping off a 2-7 second half from beyond the arc.
“I thought Tyler should have stayed on the wing and probably would have been open, but he drifted to the baseline,” Claxton said. “[Jaquan Carlos] left his feet, and it was hard to get the ball around a seven-footer. Tough way to end the game, but we had our chances.”
Hofstra’s conference record moves to 8-5 with the loss, while the 9-4 Dragons earned sole possession of third place. With a three-game road trip in the rearview, the Pride will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 17, when they welcome the Northeastern University Huskies to the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Although Thursday’s loss ended a four-game winning streak for Hofstra, Claxton remains steadfast in his belief in the Pride.
“We’re playing some good basketball when the time is right,” Claxton said. “We just have to keep our heads down and keep our focus.”
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco
