Hempstead, NY- Senior center Jess Fuller (Queens, NY) and freshman forward Shante Evans (West Chester, PA) each logged double-doubles to lead Hofstra to a 62-49 win over Albany in a Wednesday non-conference matinee at the Mack Sports Complex.
Fuller recorded a game-high 15 points and 15 rebounds for her 14th career double-double while Evans chipped in 12 points and 10 rebounds for her second double-double in three career contests as the Pride improved to 3-0. Hofstra is off to its best start since starting the 1997-98 campaign 4-0.
Sophomore forward Joelle Connelly (Arcade, NY) hauled in nine rebounds and scored seven points. Sophomore guards Nicole Capurso and Candice Bellocchio finished with nine and eight points, respectively, as the Staten Island natives provided the complementary scoring. Albany's Ebone Henry (13 points) and Charity Iromuanya (11 points) were the leading scorers for the Great Danes, which fell to 2-2.
Fuller and Evans became the first Hofstra teammates to register double-doubles in the same game since Fuller and Niki Williams accomplished the feat against Towson last season. Evans' first double-double came in Hofstra's season-opening win over Buffalo Nov. 16.
Hofstra broke open a close game with a 14-4 run nine minutes into the second half, capped by Fuller's layup off freshman guard Candace Bond's lead-in pass in the key for a 50-34 Hofstra lead. Bond (Fort Washington, MD) finished with four steals, five rebounds and two points.
Albany cut it to 10-point game before Fuller ended the comeback hopes with a three-point play with 3:10 remaining. Capurso worked the ball near the Hofstra sideline before finding Fuller with a crisp bounce pass on the low-right block. Fuller immediately went up and hit the layup while drawing Keyana Williams' fifth foul to hand the Pride a 59-47 edge.
Before the second-half run, Evans and Connelly set the tone down in the paint early. The Pride built a 28-17 rebounding advantage in the first half, with the frontcourt duo combining for 15 boards, including nine on the offensive end to lead Hofstra to a 30-26 halftime lead. The teams combined for 25 turnovers and both schools were held to less than 35 percent shooting from the field.
Despite the low-scoring half, Evans nearly achieved the double-double before intermission, compiling eight points and seven rebounds despite shooting 1-6 from the field. Henry and Iromuanya each scored nine points before halftime, accounting for 18 of Albany's 26 points.
Hofstra's shooting improved in the second half while the defense stayed strong on the perimeter and down low. The Great Danes shot just 28.6 percent from the field in the second half as Hofstra held Albany to just 30 percent shooting overall.
Hofstra will now head to Storrs, CT for the 2009 WBCA Classic following a one-day Thanksgiving break. The Pride will face No. 1 Connecticut, Clemson and Richmond in the three-day tournament. The match-up with the Huskies Friday at 7:30 p.m. will be Hofstra's first-ever game against the nation's top-ranked team. The highest ranked Division I team Hofstra has ever faced was also then-No. 8 Connecticut on Dec. 22, 2005 (an 86-49 Connecticut win).
