The Hofstra women’s basketball team struggled against one of the Colonial Athletic Association’s best, James Madison University (JMU), falling 89-52 Sunday, Feb. 23 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

Last season, the Pride defeated the Dukes in the quarterfinal round of the CAA tournament. Again playing as the underdogs, Hofstra was unable to rewrite history  and upset the CAA powerhouse to earn their first conference win.

“We needed to work on rebounding, keeping up defensive intensity and taking care of the ball,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos-Atkinson. “We have grown in these areas over the last two games, but we did not do the best job today.”

Sandra Karsten and Ana Hernandez Gil tallied nine points each, while freshman Sorelle Ineza recorded 10 points after a career-high, 18-point performance Friday night against Towson. Ineza nailed a three-pointer a minute into the game to get the Pride on the board first.

“[Ineza] has really stepped into a tough role,” Santos-Atkinson said. “She is not only starting, but leading our team at that point-guard position. She is listening, growing and getting better.”

Following a Hofstra five-second violation a minute later, Kiki Jefferson got the scoring started for the Dukes, continuing an impressive week in which she earned CAA Rookie of the Week accolades. She recorded the visitors’ first eight points, while Ineza matched her with Hofstra’s first six.

At the end of the first quarter, JMU led Hofstra 19-13. The Dukes kept up the pressure in the second frame, entering halftime up 38-22.

JMU took control in the first half, leading for 16:28 and scoring 19 points each quarter. Hofstra struggled to control possession in the frame, committing 10 turnovers, eight more than JMU.

“When facing a great team, you have to be solid and fundamental in what you do,” Santos-Atkinson said.

Both teams played tough down low early, but Hofstra struggled on the boards early in the second half. JMU snagged 12 straight rebounds in the quarter, helping them start the frame hot.

“They are long and they are athletic,” Santos-Atkinson said.

Jakayla Brown gathered the Pride’s first rebound of the half with 9:10 to go in the fourth quarter to end the streak.

JMU co-captain Kamiah Smalls recorded nine points in the third quarter, finishing the afternoon with 20 overall on 6-15 shooting. She supplemented Jefferson’s 16 to give the Dukes a balanced attack throughout the game.

The Pride continued to struggle in the fourth quarter, allowing JMU to increase their lead. An 11-0 Dukes run put the game out of reach and sent the crowd home disappointed.

“When you give up that many easy baskets, it is tough to win a basketball game,” Santos-Atkinson said. “We have to grow in our next few games.”

Hofstra’s losing streak increased to 17 games with Sunday’s loss, marking another difficult chapter in the team’s conference narrative. They fall to 3-23 overall and 0-15 in conference play, while JMU improves to 20-4 on the season and 12-2 in the CAA.

“We are building a foundation,” Santos-Atkinson said. “We have long-term goals and we have to continue to get better every opportunity we have.”

The Pride return to action Friday night at 7 p.m. when they hit the road to take on the College of Charleston Cougars.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics