Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

UNC Wilmington Athletics

Scoreboard

Events/Results

okuaru_hofstra_021520
Phil Hinds/Hofstra
64
UNCW UNCW 8-20,3-12 CAA
78
Winner Hofstra Hof 20-7,11-3 CAA
UNCW UNCW
8-20,3-12 CAA
64
Final
78
Hofstra Hof
20-7,11-3 CAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
UNCW UNCW 27 37 64
Hofstra Hof 48 30 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Joe Browning

First Place Hofstra Prevails, 78-64

HEMPSTEAD, New York – Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball leader Hofstra took advantage of UNCW's early foul trouble to carve out a 78-64 victory over the visiting Seahawks on Saturday at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
 
The surging Pride won their 20th game and climbed to 20-7 overall and 11-3 in conference play. The win also gave Hofstra seventh-year head coach Joe Mihalich his 400 coaching victory in his combined career at Hofstra and Niagara.
 
The Seahawks stand 8-20 and 3-12 after dropping both games in the final road trip of the season at the CAA's northernmost outposts. UNCW has just three games left in the regular season – all at Trask Coliseum.
 
Sophomore forward Isaac Kante poured in a career-high 23 points and shared scoring honors with senior guard Eli Pemberton to pace the Pride. Junior guard Tareq Coburn added 12 points to give Hofstra three players in double figures. Kante added 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the year.
 
Freshman point guard Shykeim Phillips anchored four Seahawks in double digits with 14 points. Junior guard Ty Gadsden collected 11 points, sophomore forward Marten Linssen finished with 10 points and sophomore guard Jaylen Sims wound up with 10.
 
"There's a reason they were picked No. 1 in the league," said Rob Burke, UNCW's interim head coach. "They have four exceptional ball players. They've proven it day-in and day-out. I knew it would be tough up there today.
 
"It was just one of those nights. I just can't figure us out offensively. We're so young and so mentally stressed. I thought we had the right energy at the start, but we just have to find a way to score. We got down and couldn't get over the hump. We're doing some good things. When you go against players who have been through the grind and seen a lot, it's tough."
 
Hofstra, which has won six in a row, shot 55.6 percent in the first half to jump out to a comfortable lead and extended the margin to as many as 28 points in the second half behind Kante and Pemberton. The tandem went 13-of-22 from the floor and 19-of-24 at the free throw line on the night.
 
The Pride's largest lead of the game came with 10:21 remaining when senior guard Desure Buie, the team's season leading scorer, dropped in a free throw as the lead ballooned to 66-38. He entered the contest averaging 18.5 ppg, but was limited to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting by the Seahawks.
 
Gadsden and Phillips rallied the Seahawks in the final 10 minutes, but the late surge came up short as the Pride improved to 9-3 at home this year.
 
Hofstra went to Kante early and often and the transfer from Georgia delivered, scoring 12 points in the opening period. He made all three of his field goal attempts and added 6-of-10 at the free throw line to power the Pride, which shot 56 percent in the first half.
 
The Seahawks were plagued with early foul trouble and the Pride capitalized, bolting out to a 13-6 lead and then using a 14-0 spurt over a 5:36 stretch midway through the period to build a big margin. Linssen, Phillips and Imajae Dodd each picked up their second personal in the first seven minutes as the Seahawks were tagged with 14 fouls in the first half alone.
 
After Gadsden sank a pair of free throws to help the Seahawks climb within 17-14 with 13:29 left, Kante kick started the 14-point spurt with a free throw and Buie's three-ball with 7:45 left staked the Pride to a 31-14 advantage.
 
The lead swelled to 48-27 at halftime when Hofstra closed out the final two minutes with seven straight points, capped by Buie's slashing layup through the paint with 13 seconds remaining in the half.
 
The Seahawks return to the North Carolina coast to close out the regular season, beginning with a rematch next Saturday, Feb. 22, vs. rival Charleston at 7 p.m.
 
GAME NOTES: Kante drew 13 fouls on the afternoon as the Seahawks were whistled for 26 personals, one shy of their season high…The Seahawks are 2-6 in afternoon games…The series is now tied at 22-all…Hofstra has won three of the last four matchups…The Seahawks have lost their last three games on Long Island…UNCW stands 8-11 all-time at the Mack Complex…UNCW is 1-12 in true road games and 2-13 overall away from home this season…The Seahawks outscored the Pride in the second half, 37-30…UNCW outscored Hofstra in the paint, 30-26…The two teams combined for 17 turnovers…Buie dished out a game-high seven assists.


 
 
 
 
Print Friendly Version