Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Men's Basketball team will head south for the first time this season as the Pride will take on North Carolina State of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday.
Game time from PNC Arena is slated for 7 p.m. and the contest will air on ESPN3 with Roy Philpott and Stan Lewter on the call. In addition, WRHU (88.7 FM) will have coverage as well with Dan Savarino and Anthony Notarile calling the action.
The game will be the Pride's first road test of the 2014-15 campaign as Hofstra (1-0) opened the season with a resounding 94-61 victory over Jacksonville on Friday evening.
It was a total team effort for the Pride as five different players scored in double figures led by 22 points from sophomore guard
Brian Bernardi. It was one of several impressive debuts by members of the Pride as freshman center
Andre Walker posted game-highs of 11 rebounds and six blocks against the Dolphins, while junior guard
Juan'ya Green had 14 points, nine assists, five rebounds and no turnovers and junior forward
Ameen Tanksley added 16 points for the Pride. No player on the squad played more than 27 minutes and seven different members of the team played at least 20 minutes in the season opener.
It marked the most points in a season opener for Hofstra since the Pride scored 102 against Farmingdale State in 2010-11. It was also their most against a Division I opponent in a season opener since 1994-95 when the Pride scored 97 against New Hampshire. The 53 first half points by Hofstra were the most in a first half since the Pride poured in 54 against UNCW in a 93-54 win over the Seahawks on January 27, 2010. In addition, Hofstra had an incredible 24 assists and just eight turnovers in the game to fall one assist shy of tying the school record for assists.
Bernardi's six three-pointers were one shy of tying the school record, while Walker's six blocks were the most by a Pride player since Greg Washington had eight against Rider on February 20, 2010 (several players have had six since).
North Carolina State (1-0) had an impressive showing in its first game of the season as well as the Wolfpack easily defeated Jackson State, 93-58, on Friday. Anthony Barber led NC State with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Trevor Lacey added 22 points.
This will mark the second all-time meeting between Hofstra and North Carolina State as the Wolfpack captured an 82-56 win in Raleigh during the 1983-84 season. Coach Mihalich has never faced NC State during his head coaching career. All-time, Hofstra is 4-27 against the current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference with the wins coming against Boston College, Georgia Tech and Virginia (twice).
Following the game against the Wolfpack, Hofstra will return home to host Long Island rival Stony Brook on Friday, November 21. The game will mark the first between the schools since a 61-56 Hofstra win during the 2008-09 season. The Pride leads the all-time series, 18-4. For ticket information call (516) HOF-TIXX.
