Hofstra University Huddle. Photo by: Stacy Podelski/1495Sports
Senior Jalen Ray led all scorers with 25 points for Hofstra, but Delaware pulled away late for a 74-56 win over the Pride on Friday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Junior Isaac Kante was also in double figures for the Pride with 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Ray added five rebounds and three assists.
Hofstra slipped to 6-6 and 2-3 in Colonial Athletic Association action with the loss, while Delaware improved to 4-5 and 2-2 in league play.
Delaware broke open a tight first half about midway through the stanza as they turned a 14-13 lead into a 26-15 advantage with the use of a 12-2 run. Ebby Asamoah had eight points during the run to help the Blue Hens.
The Pride would gradually chip away at the deficit as a pair of free throws from Ray ended the run for Delaware and with the score 30-21 in favor of the Blue Hens, Ray kick-started an 8-0 scoring run to get Hofstra to within 30-29 with around a minute left. Ray, who had 13 first half points, had six of the Pride points during the run. Ray added another bucket in the final seconds of the stanza to make it a one-point game at the break.
After Delaware pushed the lead to five early in the second half, four quick points from the Pride, including a basket from Kante, made it a one-point game (38-37) with 15:17 left in regulation. Delaware would stay in front and extended the lead to seven, 50-43, after a dunk from Andrew Carr with 11:14 left before Hofstra scored six straight to make the deficit one once again at 50-49 with 9:35 to play. The Pride got the six points via three from each sophomore Caleb Burgess and senior Tareq Coburn.
The Pride would be unable to get over the hump, though, as Delaware quickly answered and used a 10-4 run to lead 60-53 with 6:03 remaining on the clock. A three-pointer from Coburn with 4:26 left got Hofstra back to within four, but Delaware scored the game’s final 14 points to pull away for the victory.
Burgess finished with eight points for Hofstra, which also got six points and seven rebounds from freshman Kvonn Cramer.
Dylan Painter posted 18 points and 19 rebounds for Delaware, while Ryan Allen and Carr each scored 19 for the Blue Hens.
Hofstra and Delaware will face each other again on Sunday at 1 p.m.
NOTES
– Hofstra leads the all-time series with Delaware, 61-34. The Blue Hens are the Pride’s most-played opponent all-time.
– With his 25 points, Ray now has 1,104 career points to move into 33rd place all-time at Hofstra. He passed Ameen Tanksley, who had 1,090 from 2014-16.
– Ray has now scored at least 20 points in a game six times this year and eight times in his career.
For more information on the Hofstra University Athletics Department fans are encouraged to click on the link seen here:
Hofstra University Athletics – Official Athletics Website (gohofstra.com)