Hofstra outduels Towson to move into first place tie in CAA

If you felt tremors on the campus of Hofstra University on Thursday, Feb. 2, they were likely coming from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex as the raucous home crowd roared the Hofstra Pride to a 76-72 victory over the Towson University Tigers in a crucaial conference bout. Wins don’t come much bigger than this one, as the victory improves the Pride to 9-2 in conference play and propels them into a tie for first place in the Colonial Athletic Association.

“A big-time win for us,” said Hofstra head coach Speedy Claxton. “We know we can beat anyone in this league.”

Much like the thrilling win over the College of Charleston on Jan. 28, the Pride dug themselves a hole early on and had to battle back from several large deficits to pull off this victory. Hofstra trailed by as many as 11 points late in the first half and played from behind for over 30 minutes in the contest.

In the end, the timely shooting of Aaron Estrada sparked Hofstra’s second-half surge, as 20 of his 27 points came after the break. Estrada is playing some of the best basketball of his career during the Pride’s four-game win streak, averaging 27 points per game and shooting well over 50% from the field.

“Our team really preaches never giving up always keep fighting,” Estrada said. “We never put our heads down. We just keep playing.”

Estrada’s supporting cast delivered as well, as Bryce Washington and Tyler Thomas combined for 47 points on 57% shooting in the win. Washington’s late-game heroics ultimately became the story of the night, as the senior guard, unfamiliar to crunch time minutes, buried a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the final five minutes to seal the victory. Washington averages just eight minutes per game and has seen his spot in the rotation diminish considerably this season. Still, he accredits his timely performance to his positive attitude and willingness to be prepared.

“You just always have to be ready,” Washington said. “I just try, every day, to put myself in the best position possible.”

The Tigers were not without a stellar individual performance, as senior guard Nick Timberlake exploded for a season-high 32 points. Timberlake was on fire from deep, posting a 7-11 mark from 3-point range while shooting 57% from the field as a whole. Timberlake was the entire offense for Towson on Thursday, as none of his teammates managed to score in double figures. Timberlake and Estrada treated fans to a memorable duel down the stretch as they traded possession after possession and clutch buckets in the final minutes.

The Pride now has a 16-8 record overall and will look to continue their winning streak on Saturday, Feb. 4, and defend the home court against the rival Stony Brook University Seawolves. The Pride is 7-1 at the Mack Sports Complex this season and will play four of their final seven games in front of the home crowd. With a pair of banner wins behind them and a favorable schedule ahead, it’s now Hofstra’s conference to lose as we hit the home stretch.         

Photo courtesy of Lee S. Weissman/Hofstra Athletics