WBB: Hofstra Hosts Drexel In Thursday Afternoon Tilt

Hempstead, N.Y. – Hofstra will look to sustain momentum following wins in five of the first six conference games when the Pride hosts Drexel in a rare noon start on Thursday at the Mack Sports Complex in a Colonial Athletic Association matchup.

The early start time for the Colonial Athletic Association matchup will feature almost 1,800 students from local schools ranging from third-to-sixth grade as part of What I Want To Be Day. Before the game, the students will see presentations on careers that will include firefighters, emergency medical technicians, police officers, journalists, and athletes (including appearances by the New York Cosmos) among other fields.

Hofstra (12-5, 5-1 CAA) has lost just once in six January games after defeating UNCW, 71-57. The Pride will be looking for a season sweep against a Drexel squad that is 10-7 and 4-2. Hofstra outlasted Drexel on the road in a 53-52 overtime victory on Jan. 9.

Pride Productions will offer free live video and audio. The game can also be heard on terrestrial radio via WRHU (88.7 FM). For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com or call the Hofstra Athletics Box Office at (516) HOF-TIXX.

All 14 players on the roster saw time against UNCW. Hofstra has won five of the first six CAA games for the first time since 2011-12 and has a chance to start 6-1 for the first time since 2005-06.

Drexel has won four of the last six games, though the Dragons fell to the defending CAA-champion JMU Dukes, 66-51, in the team's previous game. The Dragons are 6-1 at home but just 2-5 when playing on the road (the team is 2-1 at neutral sites).

Freshman Ashunae Durant registered the best game of her career against Drexel when she scored 21 points, including the game-winning basket, and posted a Hofstra season-high 17 rebounds at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.

Drexel's Sarah Curren led the Dragons with 17 points against the Pride. Curren is one of two Drexel players to average in double figures at 12.4 points. Rachel Pearson is the second. She is shooting 42.9 percent from the field and averaging 11.2 points.

Sophomore guard Kelly Loftus leads Hofstra in scoring at 12.6 points per game and already has seven games of 15-plus points. Loftus is one of three Hofstra players to average in double figures, joining Durant (10.8) and sophomore forward Elo Edeferioka, who is nearly averaging a double-double at 10.6 points and 9.4 rebounds.

Edeferioka is shooting 51.5 percent from the field; aided by a 6-for-8 effort versus UNCW. Fellow sophomore Anjie White, a transfer from George Washington, has aided Edeferioka in the low post by becoming a dependable rim protector in her first season with the Pride. White set a career high with seven blocked shots against the Seahawks with all of her blocks coming in the first half. Her total was the highest for a Hofstra player since Jess Fuller also blocked seven shots versus VCU on Feb. 22, 2009.

Hofstra is 29-35 in the all-time series, including a 53-52 road overtime win in the first meeting between the schools on Jan. 9. Drexel is the most-played opponent in Hofstra history with 64 meetings. The second-closest is Delaware with 63.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Ashunae Durant: G; 5' 10"; Freshman

#20 Anjie White: F; 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore

#0 Kelly Loftus: G; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#10 Elo Edeferioka: F; 6' 3"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#2 Ashunae Durant
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: G

#20 Anjie White
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Sophomore
: F

#0 Kelly Loftus
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: G

#10 Elo Edeferioka
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: F