Offensive struggles for women's basketball leads to loss against UNCW
The Hofstra women’s basketball team couldn’t overcome a slow start on the road against the UNC-Wilmington (UNCW) Seahawks and ended up falling 89-54 on Friday night, Feb. 1. The Pride was led by Sandra Karsten, who had 10 points.
Hofstra was unable to find the offensive rhythm they developed during their recent win against Northeastern University. They struggled from the field early, starting 1-7 and finishing the quarter shooting 29.4 percent, shooting 34 percent from the field for the whole game.
The Pride struggled to recover their own misses, recording only three of their 10 offensive rebounds in the first half. This rebounding advantage allowed for the Seahawks to get out in transition and score easy baskets, resulting in a 44.4 percent shooting clip from the field in the first quarter and 55.9 percent in the first half.
Also holding back the Pride from maintaining the momentum gained from their win against Northeastern was their poor passing. Against Northeastern, Hofstra dished out 19 assists, their second-best mark of the season. On Friday, however, they tied their worst, with only seven assists on 21 made baskets. The last time they recorded seven assists was in a 77-64 loss against Elon on Sunday, Jan. 6. Adding to the struggle, the Seahawks were active in the passing lanes the entire time, forcing 16 turnovers. They were able to deny Hofstra any kind of good looks at the basket, forcing more isolation-driven sets on offense, making it tougher to get everybody in rhythm.
The tough defense made for a rough night for Hofstra scoring leader Boogie Brozoski, who was able to muster only three points on 1-for-9 shooting from the field. Alongside Karsten’s team-high 10 points, Marianne Kalin added nine on 4-8 shooting, while Ana Hernandez Gil posted eight points including six from beyond the arc.
UNCW’s efficient attack put pressure on the Pride defensively. In the first half, the Pride struggled to stop the Seahawks’ half-court offense. They were only able to force three first half turnovers, which merely resulted in one point for the Pride. This allowed the Seahawks to run their offense comfortably and find good shots for their players, four of whom reached double-digit scoring on the night.
GiGi Smith led the Seahawks with a game-high 18 points while also contributing with six rebounds. Other players in double-digit figures were Shrita Parker (15), Chinyere Bell (13) and Lacey Suggs (12). Paige Powell led UNCW in rebounds with eight.
Hofstra’s on-ball pressure improved in the second half, as they ran a full-court press more often, causing 13 turnovers that resulted in nine points. Unfortunately, even with the improved pressure, the Seahawks still played well, shooting 53.8 percent from the field in the second half. The 89 points scored by the Seahawks is the third-most points the Pride has given up in a game this season.
A positive takeaway for Hofstra in this matchup was the play of their bench. The Pride scored 26 bench points, tied for their third-highest mark this year.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics
