In the final game of the Challenge in Music City, Hofstra women’s basketball faced off against Stetson University in Nashville, Tennessee and won a 53-50 nail biter on Nov. 25. Hofstra guard Boogie Brozoski was named to the All-Tournament team with an average of 16.9 points per game. The Pride were able to secure their first win of the tournament and improve to 3-4 on the year, while Stetson fell to 0-5.

The game began with fireworks as each team kept exchanging baskets in the first quarter. Still, the Hatters were able to build a small 8-4 lead. That lead quickly evaporated as Brozoski would drain two three pointers to give Hofstra a 10-8 lead. Each team continued back-and-forth until the end of the quarter with Hofstra up 15-14.

Entering the second quarter, the Pride began to pull away from the Hatters. Brozoski went four for six on three pointers and Ana Hernandez Gil added two more three pointers to help increase the lead to 34-23. That 12-point lead was the Pride’s largest of the game.

The defensive work in the second quarter helped as well. The Pride’s three steals resulted in points off turnovers. Rebounding was also key for the team as they increased their lead and prevented the Hatters from scoring throughout most of the quarter.

The third quarter was a defensive affair as the Pride only managed seven points in that time span. The team collected ten rebounds along with multiple steals for a strong defensive showing, holding Stetson to only ten points in the quarter and helping the Pride maintain an eight-point lead entering the fourth.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Hatters started to crawl back into the game. Sarah Sagerer hit an open jumper to begin the comeback and two minutes later, Addi Walters made both free throws to cut the deficit to four.  

The Pride tried to respond but could not find the basket. The game entered a stalemate for the next few minutes as each team was unable to score and relied off few free throws. 

At the halfway mark of the fourth quarter, Sagerer drained another shot to cut the Pride lead to two. The teams then entered another stalemate and neither scored. Stetson entered foul trouble down the stretch, and as a result lost multiple players due to foul issues. 

The Pride capitalized on the foul issues and were able to maintain their lead off crucial baskets by Jakayla Brown and Hernandez Gil. With a small three-point lead and ten seconds remaining, Stetson had a chance to send the game to overtime, but Walters missed a wide open three point shot as the buzzer sounded, finalizing a 53-50 victory for the Pride.

The Pride return home this Thursday, Nov. 29, against Sacred Heart University at 7 p.m.. They then go back on the road for a clash with the College of the Holy Cross on Dec. 5. 

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics