The Hofstra University men’s basketball team may have only had five players on the floor, but an army of 3,743 stood behind them as they fought to earn a 59-56 victory over Towson University at a sold-out David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Saturday, Feb. 3. The victory marked Hofstra’s fifth in six games, as the Pride improved their record to 6-4 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) play.
“Great job by my guys; that’s the way to protect home court,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “This was an extremely important week for our season, and I’m happy that we got two and played the way we played.”
An artist couldn’t have painted a better atmosphere for Hofstra’s winter homecoming, as a capacity crowd of students, alumni and fans alike roared the Pride to an upset victory over the 7-2 Tigers, snapping their five-game win streak in the process.
“When we can play in front of a crowd like that, that’s gonna be our sixth man,” Claxton said. “Our guys deserve to play in front of crowds like that. That’s a great college basketball atmosphere and a real home-court advantage.”
On the court, Tyler Thomas announced his arrival on the national stage with 23 points on 53% shooting in a statement performance. Hofstra’s star senior used Saturday’s strong showing to punctuate a weekend to remember, as he racked up 49 points and 13 rebounds while knocking down a pair of game-deciding shots. After an ice-cold start to CAA play that included a 2-25 stretch from downtown, Thomas now appears to be turning a corner when it matters most.
“Oh, you mean Big Shot Ty?” Claxton said. “That’s what we expect; him making that game-winner against Stony Brook was extremely important, and I think that carried over today.”
While Thomas has garnered national attention for being one of the most prolific scorers on the team, he added a brand-new dimension to his game on Saturday with nine assists: the highest total of his Hofstra career. Thomas has been at the forefront of an offensive renaissance over Hofstra’s last six games, as the Pride have assisted on over 55% of their made field goals in that time.
“I’m just trying to take what the defense gives me every night,” Thomas said. “They really try to get the ball out of my hands quick, and my teammates made shots tonight.”
It’s not often that teams pull out a victory when posting their second-lowest scoring total of the season, but that’s exactly what the Pride did, as they doubled down on defense and rebounding against the league’s top rebounding team. Towson’s grueling pace and physicality slowly ground the game into a complete slugfest, but the Pride stood tall and went toe-to-toe with the Tigers on the glass despite punching above their weight.
“We showed a lot of toughness and that was the number one key going into the game,” Claxton said. “We knew we had to be the tougher team, and I thought for 40 minutes we were.”
With possessions and points at a premium, every loose ball could define the night, and Hofstra’s bench put forth a valiant effort with a myriad of crucial plays in all facets of the game. Khalil Farmer and KiJan “KJ” Robinson helped keep the Pride within striking distance with a trio of buckets towards the end of the first half, while Silas Sunday tallied two blocks across a ferocious second half on the defensive end.
“Khalil and KJ gave us great minutes off the bench in the first half, and Silas was huge,” Claxton said. “When you’re playing against their bigs and physicality, we needed him tonight and he stepped up in a big way.”
As for Hofstra’s starters, Darlinstone “Dstone” Dubar reached double figures for the 24th consecutive game with 14 points on an efficient 5-11 from the field. With Thomas taking the reins as the Pride’s primary facilitator, Jaquan Carlos slid into the shooter’s role and knocked down a pair of game-changing 3’s.
Hofstra has miraculously climbed above .500 in league play for the first time this season after a disastrous 1-3 start, putting them in position to compete for a double-bye in the CAA Tournament. With just two games separating the conference’s top six teams in the standings, a memorable conclusion to the regular season is undoubtedly in store.
“This put us right back in the mix, we just gotta keep taking it game by game,” Claxton said.
With over half of their conference schedule in the rearview, Hofstra now prepares to hit the road for away bouts against Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University before they embark on a six-game stretch that includes four matchups against the CAA’s top three teams.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Evan Bernstein
