By Ryan McCord
So what's the big deal?
Programs of Hofstra's caliber go on the road and upset ranked teams like Michigan State all the time. In the Pride's paper thin track record of achievements, this is the first time in program history of I-A competition that Hofstra defeated a ranked team. A win like this can lead to a domino effect (watch out Old Dominion and James Madison), because Hofstra has talked the talk all preseason in claiming they can play with anybody. After last Wednesday's monumental victory, Hofstra now has the undeniable proof of walking the walk.
"We're not resting, because we have a lot of goals to accomplish," head coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey said. "Our journey wasn't [just] to the destination of East Lansing, Michigan. We're happy with what we brought to the Pride and Hofstra University but our destination has a lot more stops on the way."
It's never too early, even if the numbers haven't been released yet, to start talking RPI (one of the deciding factors come tourney time). The Michigan State win gave a big time ratings boost to Hofstra's NCAA postseason resume aspirations come March and perhaps gave the CAA another brownie point or two, which can't hurt either. Historically, the CAA only gets one team in the NCAA tournament. This will be the year multiple teams get in on the women's side, with three maybe being a long shot. Stranger things have happened, and Hofstra knows it.
In Sunday's blowout of Rider, the final score was hardly surprising and not impressive by any means. What did impress viewers of the contest was how sharp the Pride looked in shooting and holding onto the ball, having its way with the Broncs despite Cigi McCollin's off-game.
McCollin fittingly was the hero in the school's triumph over Michigan State. The senior picked an ideal night to have her first break-out game of the season, shooting 50 percent from the floor en route to a 24 point, seven rebound stat line against the Spartans.