Hempstead, NY – Sophomore Kelly Loftus scored a game-high 22 points and three Pride players recorded double-doubles as the Hofstra Pride recorded an 85-83 Colonial Athletic Association overtime victory over the Northeastern Huskies at the Mack Sports Complex Tuesday night.

Hofstra, which won for the sixth time in seven games and the second consecutive contest, improved to 9-4 overall and 2-0 in the CAA, Northeastern, which dropped its third straight contest, fell to 3-9 on the year and 0-2 in conference action.

Loftus, who hit six three-pointers in the game, also posted three boards for the Pride. Sophomore Krystal Luciano recorded her first career double-double with 14 points and tied the school mark of 14 assists set by Candice Bellocchio against St. Francis in 2009. Sophomore Anjie White posted her second consecutive double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds while freshman Ashunae Durant notched her third double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The three Pride players in double-figures marked the first time that feat was achieved since Shante Evans (19-10), Marie Malone (10-10) and Bellocchio (14 pts, 11 assists) turned the trick against William and Mary on February 2, 2012.

Northeastern, which also had four players in double-figures, was led by junior Samantha DeFreese with 21 points and 10 rebounds and senior A'Lece Mark with 21 points, five assists and five rebounds. Senior Amencie Mercier also posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists while sophomore Francesca Sally chipped in 13 points.
 
After regulation time ended with the score tied at 73, Durant for Hofstra and Mercier for Northeastern exchanged baskets to open the overtime. Loftus then hit her sixth three-pointer of the contest at the 3:09 mark to give Hofstra a 78-75 lead. White added a free throw 34 seconds later to bump the Pride lead to four. Mark brought the Huskies back to within two at 79-77 with a jumper at the 1:31 mark.

After exchanging turnovers, Darius Faulk hit two free throws for Hofstra to boost the lead to 81-77 with 35 seconds in the overtime. Mark then recorded a three-point play nine seconds later to close to one at 81-80. But Faulk hit two from the foul line three seconds later to boost the lead back to three at 83-80.

Mark then hit a three-pointer for the Huskies with 13 seconds remaining to tie the contest. Faulk was fouled for Hofstra and hit one of two with 8.8 seconds remaining with the missed shot going out of bounds off the Huskies. Asia Jackson was fouled for the Pride and hit one of two free throws with 0:06 on the clock. Northeastern's final chance at a shot never materialized as the Huskies turned the ball over near midcourt with 0:02 on the clock. Hofstra ran out the remaining time on the clock for the win.
 
The first half featured just two lead changes and one tied score as the Pride held a small lead for most of the period. Hofstra opened up their biggest lead of the half right from the start on three-pointers by Luciano and Loftus. But the Huskies, behind four points each by Sally and Mark, scored 11 of the next 14 points to take an 11-9 lead at the 13:12 mark.

Loftus then hit consecutive three-pointers as part of a 10-3 Pride spurt to put Hofstra in front, 19-14 on an Elo Edeferioka lay-up at the 10:35 mark. Northeastern closed to within one three times in the final 10 minutes of the half, the last at 32-31 with 58 seconds remaining on two Maureen Taggart free throws. But Jackson boosted the lead to four with a three-pointer 20 seconds later before DeFreese hit a lay-up with 26 seconds to play to close out the scoring in the half.

In the second half, a Mark jumper tied the game at 35 for the Huskies. But Hofstra responded with a 7-1 run as Loftus' three-pointer at the 17:18 mark giving the Pride a 42-36 lead. Northeastern battled back to within two at 44-42 on the second of two consecutive Sally jumpers, the second at the 15:18 mark.

Hofstra then went on a 14-6 spurt to open their biggest lead of the game at 58-48 with 11:01 to play on an Edeferioka free throw. Jackson had four and Luciano had three in the run. But Northeastern clawed back behind a 10-2 run, with Sally scoring five, as Taggart's three-pointer closed the deficit to 60-58 at the 8:46 mark.

The Pride boosted the lead to five on a three-point play by Edeferioka 63 seconds later. Once again, Northeastern battled back and scored the next six points on three free throws and a three-pointer by Mercier at the 6:15 mark to take a 64-63 lead.

The contest became a see-saw battle from that point. Luciano hit two from the charity stripe to put the Pride ahead before DeFreese's jumper gave the Huskies a one-point lead at the 4:21 mark. Loftus and White each hit another two at the foul line to give Hofstra a 69-66 lead with 2:58 to play. But Mercier's three-pointer 15 seconds later tied the contest at 69-all.

DeFreese would sandwich two jumpers around a Loftus three-pointer to give the Huskies a 73-72 lead with 46 seconds left in regulation.  Durant tied the game 15 seconds later by hitting one of two free throws. Northeastern had the final shot in regulation with two seconds remaining but DeFreese's turnaround jumper went off the rim and out to send the game into overtime.

Hofstra returns to action this Friday, January 9 when they begin a three-game, conference road trip against the Drexel Dragons in Philadelphia. Game time is 7 p.m.