Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will resume Colonial Athletic Association play on Sunday when the Pride takes on the College of Charleston at 3:30 p.m. from TD Arena.
The game, which will be televised in the New York area on SNY, will mark the third road game in a four-game stretch as Hofstra (10-11, 5-5 CAA) will look to earn a split in the season series against the Cougars (12-11, 5-5 CAA).
The game will also air on Comcast SportsNet-Mid Atlantic (CSN-MA), Comcast SportsNet-New England (CSN-NE), CSS and TCN-P. The audio only broadcast can be heard via PRIDE ZONE on GoHofstra.com, the GoHofstra mobile app, WRHU.org, the WRHU mobile app and locally in the New York area on WRHU (88.7 FM).
The Pride has won four of the last five games. Defensively, Hofstra is coming off a strong effort in which the Pride held William & Mary to just 36.5 percent shooting and posted a 51-31 rebounding advantage in the win over the Tribe. Head Coach Krista Kilburn-Steveskey's team has not allowed a team to shoot 50 percent or better from the field and has held 12 opponents to less than 40 percent shooting. The Pride already has four 50-rebound games this season.
Sophomore guard Asia Jackson is coming off back-to-back games in double figures, including a 10-point effort and a season-high four assists against the Tribe. Jackson also tied a personal best with 20 points last week at Towson and is averaging seven points.
In her first season with the team, sophomore Jakelle King-Gilchrist has scored at least six points in two of the last four games after doing that just twice in her first 13 games. The Florida State transfer notched six rebounds and 11 points in the win over UNCW on Jan. 31 and has become a solid contributor as a reserve.
Senior guard Annie Payton, who was named the CAA's Player of the Week on Feb. 3, scored 19 points off the bench for the Pride against William & Mary. Despite playing as a reserve in 11 of Hofstra's 21 contests, Payton's is the team's second-leading scorer at 11.1 points behind senior Anma Onyeuku (11.6 PPG).
While Payton and Onyeuku provide veteran leadership off the court and productivity on the hardwood, Hofstra has looked to its three-member freshmen class to play major minutes as starters. Elo Edeferioka, Kelly Loftus and Krystal Luciano have teamed with Jackson to give Hofstra four starters who are underclassmen. Edeferioka is Hofstra's leading rebounder at 7.1 boards-per-game while Luciano has taken over the starting point guard responsibilities.
Hofstra lost a close matchup to the College of Charleston at the Mack Sports Complex on Jan. 17 when the Cougars posted a 62-59 win in what was the first-ever all-time meeting between the schools. Edeferioka had her first career double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. The announced attendance of 1,527 was a season-high for the Pride.
Both schools had its respective Thursday games postponed because of weather. Snow wiped out Hofstra's scheduled non-conference meeting versus NJIT while the Cougars could not play at Delaware.
CofC has lost three of the last four games, though the Cougars won, 71-65, versus Drexel on Feb. 7. Two players are averaging in double figures for the Cougars with Afreyea Tolbert notching 14.1 PPG and 8.8 rebounds and Alyssa Frye averaging 13.8 points. Frye's 60 three-pointers have doubled up the next-closest teammate and she is connecting on 33.1 percent of her long-range attempts.
