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Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Kelly Loftus
Kelly Loftus scored a career-high 25 points
65
Winner HOFSTRA HOFSTRA 4-3
55
UAlbany ALBANY 3-2
Winner
HOFSTRA HOFSTRA
4-3
65
Final
55
UAlbany ALBANY
3-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
HOFSTRA HOFSTRA 30 35 65
UAlbany ALBANY 22 33 55

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | By Brian Bohl

WBB: Loftus Scores Career High In Win Over Albany

By Brian Bohl

Albany, N.Y. – Sophomore Kelly Loftus connected on a career-high seven three-pointers as part of a 25-point output to lead Hofstra to a 65-55 victory over Albany on Tuesday night in a non-league matchup at SEFCU Arena.

Loftus, who had never made more than three three-pointers or scored more than 15 points in a single game, found a game-long rhythm from long range by going 7-for-9 to help Hofstra improve to 4-3. Albany, which has won the last three America East championships and entered Dec. 2 receiving a vote in the USA Today top-25 coaches poll, fell to 3-2.

Junior guard Asia Jackson contributed nine points off the bench and sophomore forward Elo Edeferioka scored in double figures for the fifth time in seven games with 12 points and six rebounds to lift Hofstra to 2-1 on the road this season. Sophomore guard Krystal Luciano registered 10 points and five assists in sharing the ball-handling responsibilities with junior Darius Faulk, who registered five assists.

Shereesha Richards, the 2014 America East Player of the Year, paced Albany with 22 points and eight rebounds. But the Great Danes committed 25 turnovers and fell to 1-1 at home.

Loftus had never made more than three three-pointers in a single game. She tied that mark in the first half and made four more three-pointers in the second half. She shot 8-for-13 from the field overall and became just the second Hofstra player to record a 20-point game this season.

Hofstra extended its lead by as much as 13 in the second half and Faulk ended any hopes of an Albany comeback when she generated a steal and went in for a layup for  a 46-36 lead.

The Pride forced another stop and Loftus delivered a back-breaking three-pointer that prompted Albany to call timeout with 8:49 left. The Great Danes would not get closer than eight when Richards' free throws made it 49-41 with 7:13 remaining.

Edeferioka's layup put Hofstra ahead by 13 and Albany again made it eight on Richards' post move for a 61-53 game with 1:59 left. But the Great Danes would not move within single digits again.

Loftus has scored 39 points in two games against Albany after she poured in what was then a career-high 14 in last season's win at the Mack Sports Complex. Loftus' previous career-high was 15 set against Norfolk State on Nov. 23.

In the latest edition of the New York State rivalry, Hofstra scored 28 points off turnovers.

The Pride started slow in the first half but used a 13-0 run and a buzzer-beater from Loftus to take a 30-22 halftime edge. Just before time expired, Loftus hit her third three-pointer of the half in front of the Albany bench. Jackson added nine points in just seven minutes while Hofstra hit 7-of-11 three-pointers for the lead. Edeferioka added six points as the trio accounted for 24 of the team's points at the break.

Hofstra misfired on its first six field goal attempts before Jackson drilled a left-wing three-pointer, which was the first long-range shot of the game for the Pride. Hofstra stayed close thanks to generating five turnovers through the first seven minutes and went on a double-digit that that turned a 12-8 deficit into a 21-12 lead. Edeferioka helped Hofstra's persistence with a three-point play that marked Hofstra's first lead of the game and a 14-12 lead. Durant and Edeferioka scored from short range and Luciano's three-pointer extended the run.

Hofstra improved to 5-0 in the all-time series in defeating Albany for a second straight year. Last season, Hofstra posted a New Year's Day victory at home in which Loftus scored 14 points. The Pride's only other previous game in Albany came in 2010-11 when the Pride posted a 90-60 win.

Isoken Uzamere, a former Hofstra Women's Basketball player and 2011 graduate, is in her first season as an assistant coach at Albany.

Hofstra will play its only home game in December when the Pride takes on Robert Morris on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will mark the third straight defending-conference champion the Pride will face. Hofstra fell to MVC winner WKU before taking on Albany. RMU won the NEC title last season.
 
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