MBB: Hofstra Hangs On For Another Key Road Win

2/12/2011 9:08:00 PM

Newark, Del. - Senior guard Charles Jenkins (Queens, N.Y.) had 23 points, including six key ones in the final two minutes, as the Hofstra Men's Basketball team led wire-to-wire for a 61-58 road win over Delaware on Saturday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center.

The win improves Hofstra's record to 17-9 on the year and 11-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association, including 6-2 in conference road games. The Pride can clinch a top four seed and a bye in the first round of the CAA Tournament with two more wins (home games vs. William & Mary and Delaware, and a road game at UNC Wilmington), regardless of what else happens. Delaware slips to 11-14 and 6-9 in the CAA with the loss, and suffers its fifth straight loss in the series with Hofstra.

Delaware trailed 31-20 at the half, but scored the first six points after the intermission to pull within 31-26. However, the Pride took the punch and quickly built the lead back up to 40-28 on a three-pointer from junior guard Mike Moore (New Haven, Conn.) with 14:24 to go.

Hofstra built its lead up to as many as 13 at 43-30 on a Jenkins three-pointer, but the Blue Hens responded to get the lead back down to 45-39. A 6-0 Hofstra run gave the Pride a 53-42 lead with 5:37 left on a Moore drive, but Delaware went on an 11-2 run to pull within 55-53 on a Jamelle Hagins reverse lay-up with 2:45 to go.

Jenkins missed a three-pointer, but Moore grabbed a key offensive rebound, and Jenkins nailed a 17-footer with 1:45 left to push the lead to four. Devon Saddler hit a bank shot with 46.6 seconds left for the Blue Hens to make it 57-55, and Jenkins was fouled with 14.4 seconds left under the basket, hitting both to make it a two possession game. He then blocked a shot and made two more foul shots, before Saddler hit a meaningless three-pointer at the buzzer to close out the scoring.

The Pride took a 31-20 lead into halftime after holding Delaware to only five field goals in the first 20 minutes (5-26, 19.2 percent). Hofstra jumped out quickly 7-0 and never trailed, as the Blue Hens only got as close as 12-8, while the Pride led by as many as 12 (22-10 at the 8:25 mark). Delaware pulled within 27-20 in the closing moments of the first half, but Moore converted a four-point play as he made a three-pointer as he was fouled to push the lead to 11 heading into the break.

Moore finished with 17 points and senior forward Greg Washington (Centereach, N.Y.) added 11 for the Pride. Sophomore forward David Imes (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added six points and 12 rebounds. Saddler scored a career-high 25 for the Blue Hens in the loss.

Hofstra will next be in action on Tuesday when it hosts William & Mary for a 7 p.m. contest.

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