MBB: Jenkins 35-Footer Caps Hofstra Comeback

2/16/2011 12:04:00 PM

Hempstead, N.Y. - Senior guard Charles Jenkins (Queens, N.Y.) made the tying three-pointer with 2.7 seconds left in regulation and the winning 35-footer at the buzzer of overtime, as Hofstra overcame a double-digit deficit for the seventh time this season on its way to an 81-78 overtime win over William & Mary on Tuesday evening at the Mack Sports Complex.

Jenkins finished with 28 points (22 after halftime) and junior guard Mike Moore (New Haven, Conn.) added 25 for the Pride. With the win, the Pride improves to 18-9 overall and 12-4 in the Colonial Athletic Association, while picking up its fourth straight victory and pulling into a three-way tie for second place with Old Dominion and VCU (two games behind George Mason). Hofstra also clinches a top-four finish and a bye in the opening round of the CAA Tournament, due to Drexel's loss to UNC Wilmington. William & Mary slips to 7-20 and 3-13 in the CAA with the loss.

The tying three was from the top of the key after Hofstra called timeout with 6.6 seconds left in regulation. Jenkins took the inbounds pass just outside the three-point line, pivoted to face the basket and hesitated momentarily. When William & Mary Kyle Gaillard retreated a half-step, Jenkins rose up over him and swished a three-pointer to force the overtime.

The game-winner came after William & Mary's Quinn McDowell tied the score with two foul shots with 4.5 seconds left. Jenkins took the ensuing inbounds pass, took four dribbles to build a head of steam, and pulled up over two William & Mary defenders from 35 feet. High high-arcing shot then gently crawled through the rim as the buzzer sounded, giving the Pride its first buzzer-beater at home since 2006, when Aurimas Kieza hit a winning three-pointer against Old Dominion.

Hofstra trailed 34-26 at the break, despite jumping out to a 15-3 lead in the opening minutes. William & Mary then scored the first five points of the second half to take its largest lead at 39-26, but the Pride came right back with the next 10 points, capped off when Jenkins hit a jumper and then fed sophomore forward David Imes (Brooklyn, N.Y.) for a lay-up, to get right back in it.

A Jenkins three-pointer at the 14:07 mark knotted the game at 41-41, as Hofstra erased the entire 13-point deficit before the first media timeout of the second half. After William & Mary called timeout, Jenkins hit another three-pointer, this one from 27 feet, to give the Pride the lead back 44-41, capping off an 18-2 run.

Hofstra had previously come back from 15 down against James Madison (Jan. 24) and 14 down against Northeastern (Feb. 5) in the second half of its last two home wins. The Pride also trailed William & Mary by 10 in the first half of the first meeting between the teams back on Jan. 22.

The Tribe battled back and took the lead at 51-49 with 7:45 left on a three-pointer from Julian Boatner. However, Moore knocked down a 15-foot jumper with 6:26 left to put Hofstra ahead at 54-53. A Moore three-pointer in the corner made the score 61-55 with 4:16 left, but Quinn McDowell answered back with a three for the Tribe.

Imes converted two free throws when he was fouled trying to convert off his own offensive rebound, but McDowell fed Marcus Kitts for a layup to make if 63-60. After a Moore lay-up, Boatner hit a three-pointer to make it 65-63. Jenkins was fouled off the ball with 1:22 left and made one of two, and Britt made two at the line with 1:12 left to cut the Hofstra 66-65. Moore missed a three-pointer, and William & Mary called timeout with 40.2 seconds left. Boatner then drew a foul on the drive and made both to give the Tribe a 67-66 lead with 25.3 seconds on the clock.

Kitts then blocked a Jenkins drive with 11 seconds left, and Britt made both ends of a one-and-one to push the lead to 69-66. After Jenkins made the tying three-pointer, McDowell got free for a 30-footer at the buzzer, but it fell way short.

Jenkins had a driving bank shot in overtime to put Hofstra ahead 72-69, and Moore followed with a tough driving bank shot with 2:40 left to push the lead to five. A McDowell three-pointer with 1:05 left, though, capped off a 9-3 run and gave the Tribe a 76-75 lead. Jenkins then spun into the lane and got his floater to drop through from 10 feet out with 31 seconds left, and blocked a shot from Britt at the other end to preserve the lead. Senior guard Brad Kelleher made one of two foul shots with 13.1 left to make it 78-76, and McDowell hit two foul shots with 4.5 seconds left to set up the dramatic game-winner.

Moore started the game on fire, hitting three three-pointers in the first three minutes to get Hofstra off to a 9-1 lead. Jenkins then scored the next six Pride points to stretch the Hofstra lead to 15-3. William & Mary bounced back, though, with an 11-0 run to pull within 15-14 at the 9:12 mark on two foul shots from Boatner.

Freshman guard Shemiye McLendon (Vero Beach, Fla.) stopped the run with a three-pointer, but a three-pointer from McDowell gave the Tribe its first lead at 19-18 at the 7:00 mark. JohnMark Ludwick and Matt Rum closed out the first half with back-to-back three-pointers in the final minute to put the Tribe ahead 34-26 at the break, completing a 31-11 turnaround after the initial 15-3 start.

Jenkins moved into third place on the CAA career scoring list with 2,402 points, passing Johnny Newman of Richmond (and the New York Knicks), who had 2,383.

McDowell led William & Mary with 28 points and 12 rebounds, while Boatner had 16 points. Imes had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Pride for a double-double.

Hofstra will next be in action when it travels to Wright State for ESPN Bracket Buster Weekend, playing an 11 a.m. contest on Saturday that will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

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