Hofstra University Athletics

HOFSTRA HOSTS HOME OPENER TONIGHT AGAINST FARMINGDALE STATE

11/20/2009 1:00:00 PM

Hempstead, NY - After playing its first three games away from home, including road games at No. 1 Kansas and No. 12 Connecticut, the Hofstra Men's Basketball team will host its 2009-10 home opener when it faces Farmingdale State this evening at 7 p.m. at the Mack Sports Complex.

The Farmingdale State game will be free of charge to all fans, since Hofstra did not host an open exhibition game this year. Both of the Pride's exhibition dates were against other Division I teams, which are closed to the public per NCAA rules.

Hofstra comes into its home opener with a 1-2 record, but is riding a wave of confidence after taking No. 12 Connecticut down to the wire at Gampel Pavilion on Tuesday. The Pride led UConn by nine points (54-45) midway through the second half, and trailed by just one point with a minute to play, before the Huskies closed on a 9-1 run to capture a 76-67 win.

Junior guard Charles Jenkins (Queens, NY) had 21 of his 25 points in the second half to nearly lead Hofstra to the upset win. Jenkins, who is averaging 16.7 of his 21.7 points so far this season in the second half, also added eight assists and three steals, while senior guard Cornelius Vines (Syracuse, NY) matched his career high with six three-pointers, one shy of the school record.

Through three games, Jenkins is averaging 21.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists, ahead of the pace that he had last year, when he was one of only six players in the country who averaged at least 19 points, four rebounds and four assists per game (19.7 ppg, 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists). Freshman forward Halil Kanacevic (Staten Island, NY) nearly averages a double-double through his first three games, averaging 9.3 points and 10.3 rebounds, including 12 points and 12 rebounds at Kansas in his college debut.

Hofstra Head Coach Tom Pecora had his first head coaching job at Farmingdale from 1989-1992, back when it was a two-year institution. Pecora helped the Rams to a 62-24 record over his three seasons, including a 20-9 mark and a Region 15 championship in 1991-92. After that season, Pecora left to take an assistant coaching position at UNLV under Rollie Massimino, along with Jay Wright.

Farmingdale State, which is playing its first game of the year, is coming off a 27-4 season in which it made the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

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