Preview: Hofstra hosts Monmouth in search of three-game winning streak

The Hofstra Men’s basketball team welcomes Monmouth University on Wednesday night, looking to solidify its first three-game winning streak since the outset of the season.

The Pride are currently 10-7 overall and are 3-1 against the CAA after defeating the College of William & Mary last Saturday. It was a thorough beatdown by Hofstra as they shot a combined 55% from the field as a team while being led by a pair of 20-point performances from Aaron Estrada and Tyler Thomas. Those numbers aren’t surprising from Estrada, who is once again the engine driving Hofstra’s offense, as he is leading the conference with 21.8 points per game and was recently named CAA co-Player of the Week. 

While Estrada and Hofstra have become household names within the conference, the same can’t be said for a Monmouth team that has struggled through its first season in the CAA, to say the least. The Hawks enter Wednesday night’s contest at 1-15 overall and are still searching for their first conference victory after losing to Drexel University, 67-35, in their last game. Monmouth is in the midst of a seven-game losing streak and is looking for their first win since beating Manhattan College on Dec. 4. 

The Hawks are led by 11.9 points per game from junior forward Myles Foster and are owners of the worst offense in the conference, averaging just 57.6 points per game while shooting 27% from beyond the three-point arc. Aside from Foster, Monmouth doesn’t have another player averaging double-digit points this season. 

Wednesday will be the thirteenth-ever meeting between Hofstra and Monmouth. The Pride beat Monmouth 77-71 last season in a game during which Darlinstone Dubar was second on the team with 15 points in the win.

Tip-off tonight from the David S. Mack Sports & Exhibition complex is scheduled for 7 pm. The game will be streamed on Flohoops, while WRHU will carry an audio-only broadcast on the Hofstra Alternative Web Channel. Live stats can be found at GoHofstra.com.  

Photo Courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Stephen Galvin