Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Men's Basketball team, winners of four straight games, will look to continue their stellar play when the Pride head to Columbia on Saturday at 7 p.m.

It has been a special season so far for Hofstra (7-2), which is off to its best start since the 2008-09 squad also began the year with a 7-2 mark. The last time Hofstra began a season with a mark better than 7-2 was during the 2004-05 campaign when the Pride won its first nine games of the season. This year's 7-2 start is the second-best start in the program's Division I history (since 1972-73). 

The current four-game win streak by the Pride is the longest since February 5-15, 2011 when Hofstra also put together a four-game win streak. The last win streak longer than four games was a seven-game streak from February 10 – March 5, 2010.

Hofstra put together an offensive explosion in its last game, a 105-64 victory over Coppin State on December 10. 

Hofstra eclipsed the 100-point plateau in a regulation game vs. a Division I opponent for the first time since February 29, 1992 when the Pride defeated UMBC, 103-87. The total points by the Pride were the most since December 1, 1984 when Hofstra defeated Virginia Wesleyan, 105-74. It is the most points in the program's Division I era.

Junior guard Juan'ya Green flirted with a triple-double against Coppin State as he had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 30 minutes of action. It was his second double-double of the season and the rebounding total marked a new career-high for the Philadelphia, PA native. Hofstra was led in scoring by junior forward Ameen Tanksley with 23 points and sophomore guard Brian Bernardi with 20. Both players also added five rebounds. 

One of the highest scoring teams in the nation, Hofstra is averaging a robust 81.6 points per game to rank 16th nationally in scoring. The Pride has four players averaging double figures as Tanksley (18.3 ppg), Green (18.0 ppg), Bernardi (14.4 ppg) and graduate guard Dion Nesmith (10.6 ppg) all average at least 10 points per outing. 

Tanksley and Bernardi have been tremendous from beyond the arc in the first nine games of their respective Hofstra careers. With that duo leading the way, Hofstra ranks fifth nationally in three-point field goal percentage (43.8) and eighth nationally in three-point field goals per game (9.9). Tanksley is fourth nationally in three-point field goal percentage at 59.6%, while Bernardi is 15th at 50%. In terms of three-point field goals made per game, Bernardi ranks 13th nationally (3.56) and Tanksley is 39th (3.11). Hofstra is the only school in the nation with two players shooting 50% or better from three-point range (minimum 2.5 made per game). 

Columbia is 5-3 this season and coming off an impressive showing as the Lions led #1 Kentucky the majority of the contest before falling, 56-46, on December 10. Maodo Lo leads Columbia with 16.1 points per game, and he is the lone player on the roster averaging double figures. Cory Osetkowski is second on the team in scoring at 8.5 points per game and leads the roster with 7.9 rebounds per outing. 

Hofstra and Columbia have a pair of common opponents this season as the Pride defeated Stony Brook (66-65) and Wagner (93-71), while the Lions dropped a narrow 57-56 decision at Stony Brook and defeated Wagner, 70-56. 

This marks the 12th all-time meeting between Hofstra and Columbia with the Pride leading the series 11-1. The series dates back to the second year of Hofstra Basketball as the teams met during the 1937-38 campaign with Hofstra earning a 43-40 win in the first-ever meeting. The schools have not met since a 64-40 Pride victory during the 2004-05 season. 

Coach Mihalich has never faced Columbia during his 17-year head coaching career and Hofstra is 28-16 against the current members of the Ivy League all-time. 

Hofstra will return home to the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Tuesday, December 23 for its next game when the Pride host La Salle at a special 4 p.m. start. For ticket information call (516) HOF-TIXX. It will be Hofstra's final non-conference home game of the 2014-15 campaign.