Elon, NC – Sophomore center
Rokas Gustys had arguably the best game of his young career with a career-high 19 points, along with 12 rebounds and four blocks, to lead the Hofstra Men's Basketball team to an 80-76 win over Elon on Saturday evening at Alumni Gym.
The double-double was the sixth of the season for Gustys, who has two straight double-doubles and double figure rebounds in five of Hofstra's last six games.
Senior forward
Ameen Tanksley was huge in the second half as he scored 13 of his 17 points after intermission to help Hofstra to the victory. Senior guard
Juan'ya Green had another outstanding outing as he nearly contributed a triple-double with 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
The win improves Hofstra's record to 11-5 overall and 3-1 in Colonial Athletic Association play. The Pride has won five of its last six games. Elon falls to 11-6 and 2-2 in league play.
The game was close early on with Christian Hairston tying the score at 17 with just over 13 minutes left in the opening stanza. Following that Elon basket, Hofstra would score 13 straight points to lead 30-17 following back-to-back three-pointers from junior guard
Brian Bernardi. In total, Hofstra got a trio of trifectas during the run as Green added one and the lead was 13 with 11 minutes left in the half.
Elon battled back later in the half and closed the gap to two, 32-30, with 4:27 left before Hofstra reeled off seven straight points to push the advantage to 39-30 at the 2:37 mark. Green showcased his abilities with two assists and a basket during the run.
A thunderous dunk from Gustys nearly at the halftime buzzer would allow the Pride to take the eight-point lead into the locker room.
A Gustys basket at the 18:26 mark of the second stanza would make it an eight-point lead (45-37) once again for the Pride before the Phoenix used a 7-1 run to close the gap to two, 46-44, heading into the under-16 media timeout with 15:43 left in regulation. The run would continue after the break as Elon tied the game at 46 on a basket from Dmitri Thompson before an offensive rebound and put back from senior forward
Malik Nichols put Hofstra back in front with 13 minutes left.
Elon would take its first lead of the second stanza on a layup from Luke Eddy at the 11:44 mark to make the Pride have rally in the second half.
Trailing by two, 62-60, Hofstra would rally and score seven straight points to open a narrow five-point lead, 67-62, with just under five minutes to play in the second half. Tanksley keyed the run with four points, while Green added an old-fashioned three-point play to get the spurt going.
The game would be knotted at 73 heading into the final two and a half minutes after Tanner Samson drained another three-pointer for the Phoenix.
Tanksley would come up big down the stretch, as he followed that three-pointer with two straight buckets to give Hofstra some much needed breathing room at 77-73 with exactly a minute left.
Hofstra would push the lead to six in the final seconds before Elon closed the scoring with a layup in the final second.
Bernardi finished with 13 points for Hofstra, while also got nine points and eight rebounds from graduate forward
Denton Koon.
Samson led all scorers with 23 points for Elon, including seven three-pointers. Hairston had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Phoenix.
Hofstra heads home for a pair of upcoming games at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex as the Pride host Drexel on Thursday, January 14 at 7 p.m. and then James Madison visits on Saturday, January 16 at 4 p.m. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com, call the Hofstra Athletics Box Office at (516) HOF-TIXX or visit the ticket office in the lobby of the Mack Sports Complex.
Notes
- Hofstra is 4-0 all-time against Elon, including 3-0 against the Phoenix when both are members of the CAA.
- Gustys' previous career-high in points was 17 against Sacred Heart on December 28, 2015 and the blocked shots total marked a new season-high.
- Hofstra outrebounded Elon, 44-39, and has now outrebounded three straight opponents.
