Hempstead, NY- Junior guard Charles Jenkins scored six of his team-leading 31 points in overtime and was one of five Hofstra players to score in double figures as the Pride escaped with a 92-89 win over Rider in a non-conference Bracket Buster matchup Saturday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex.
Junior Greg Washington (Centereach, NY) fell two blocks short of a triple-double, scoring 12 points and adding 11 rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting to help Hofstra move to 16-13. Washington recorded a double-double in points and rebounds for the first time this season and the fourth time in his career. The Pride won its fourth consecutive game and posted a victory for the seventh time in the last eight contests.
Rider (15-14) was led by Ryan Thompson, who scored a career-high 38 points, the highest total for a Hofstra opponent since Keydren Clark of Saint Peter's had 38 on Dec. 23, 2003, matching the most for a Hofstra opponent in the history of the Mack Sports Complex. Jenkins also had 38 points in a home game against Fairfield earlier this year, while Speedy Claxton holds the all-time arena record with 40 points against Hartford on Jan. 16, 2000, two weeks after the building opened.
Jenkins was 6-8 from the floor down the stretch after starting 3-14, and went 10-13 from the foul line to record his third game of 30 or more points in the last four contests. Freshman Chaz Williams (Brooklyn, NY) scored all but two of his 12 points after halftime and grabbed nine rebounds. Seniors Cornelius Vines (Syracuse, NY) and Nathaniel Lester (Brooklyn NY) contributed 10 and 12 points, respectively. Lester also scored six points in the extra session, and freshman Halil Kanacevic (Staten Island, NY) racked up 10 rebounds and nine points in 29 minutes, as the Pride nearly had four players record double-doubles in the same game.
Hofstra Head Coach Tom Pecora picked up his 152nd career victory, tying Paul Lynner (1962-72) for the second most in school history. Pecora only trails Butch van Breda Kolff's record of 215 victories. The Pride also improved to a perfect 5-0 all-time in Bracket Buster games, including four against MAAC schools.
Hofstra never trailed in overtime, as Lester gave the Pride the lead with an 18-foot jumper with 3:23 to play, making the score 79-77. Lester then added two foul shots, before Rider's Novar Gadson scored down low to pull the Broncs within 81-79, but Jenkins hit a 19-foot jumper, then fed Kanacevic in the paint to push the Pride's lead to 85-79. Thompson hit a driving bank shot, but missed the ensuing free throw, and Jenkins went two-for-two at the line.
Justin Robinson hit a three-pointer with 37 seconds left to pull the Broncs within 87-84, then hit a shot in the paint with 15 seconds left to make the score 88-86. Williams, though, hit two key foul shots, and Lester blocked a three-pointer from Patrick Mansell to seal the game.
Hofstra led 44-35 at the half, and led by 11 points on three occasions in the second half before the Broncs rallied late. Thompson's three-point play off an alley-oop dunk with 3:38 left pulled Rider within 68-67, and a Jhamar Youngblood lay-up gave Rider its first second half lead at 69-68 with 2:50 to play. Jenkins put Hofstra ahead 73-71 with a driving lay-up with 1:30 to go, and two Lester foul shots stretched the lead to 75-71, but Rider scored the final four points as Thompson hit two foul shots with 57 seconds left and fed Gadson for a lay-up with 13 seconds left. Jenkins missed a potential game-winner in traffic in the final seconds as the game went to overtime, Hofstra's first overtime game of the year.
Hofstra had five players in double figures for the second time this season, while Rider had four players in doubles, as Gadson had 16 points and Mike Ringgold had 11 before fouling out in regulation.The Pride shot 80 percent from the foul line (32-40), led by Lester's 8-8.
In addition to his 31 points, Jenkins also made three three-pointers to give him an even 100 in his career, making him the 17th player in school history to reach that milestone. He also picked up three assists to give him 305 in his career in that category, moving him into 10th place in Hofstra history. Jenkins already ranks ninth in career scoring (1,649 points) as only a junior.
Hofstra will next be in action Tuesday night when it heads to Boston to take on Northeastern. The Huskies are tied for first-place in the CAA and won the first meeting at the Mack Sports Complex. Game time is set for 9 p.m. and the contest will be televised live on ESPNU.
