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Hofstra University Athletics

Eli Pemberton
Eli Pemberton had 20 points in his Hofstra debut
72
Coppin State CSUM 0-1
74
Winner Hofstra HOFSTRA 1-0
Coppin State CSUM
0-1
72
Final
74
Hofstra HOFSTRA
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Coppin State CSUM 36 36 72
Hofstra HOFSTRA 28 46 74

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | By Len Skoros

MBB: Hofstra Gets Past Coppin State In Season Opener

Hempstead, NY - Freshman Eli Pemberton had an impressive debut with 20 points and junior Rokas Gustys added 10 points and a career-high tying 23 rebounds as Hofstra rallied to defeat Coppin State in the season opener for both teams at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex Friday night.

Senior Deron Powers, who was also making his Pride debut, had 12 points and five assists in helping Hofstra pick up the win.

Hofstra trailed the Eagles by eight, 36-28, at halftime following a cold-shooting first half.  The Pride shot just 27-percent from the field compared to 43 percent for Coppin State. Powers led the Pride with 11 points on 4-5 shooting. The Eagles used a 10-0 run late in the half to take a 33-23 lead with 1:54 to go. Lucian Brownlee scored five points for Coppin State in the run.

The Pride would cut the Coppin State lead to three on several occasions in the early going of the second half. But each time the Eagles would answer. After a Justin Wright-Foreman layup made it a 40-37 game with just over 16 minutes on the clock, Coppin scored five unanswered to take a 45-37 lead with 15:41 to play.

Hofstra would trail by nine, 50-41, following a Josh Treadwell three-pointer with 13:11 to play before an 11-0 run gave Hofstra its first lead (52-50) since 23-22 in the first half. The run was sparked by a Hunter Sabety dunk and capped off by a fast break dunk from Wright-Foreman with 9:42 to play that put the Pride ahead. Desure Buie had tied the game with 10:22 on the clock with a three-pointer.

Neither team would take control down the rest of the way as the biggest lead on either side was two points. But with the score tied at 66, Pemberton drained his fourth three-pointer of the game to put Hofstra up, 69-66, with 2:22 remaining. Brian Bernardi extended the lead with a pair of free throws with 1:35 to play to make it a 71-66 advantage.

Hofstra would lead 72-68 with 25 seconds remaining following a Powers free throw, but Treadwell hit another three to make it a one-point game with 18 ticks left. A pair of free throws from Bernardi pushed the lead back to three with 11 seconds to go, but on Coppin State's ensuing possession Dejuan Clayton was fouled on a three-point attempt with two seconds to go. The freshman missed his first attempt, hit the second and missed the third on purpose in order to set up a final shot attempt. But the rebound went long and time expired before a shot could be attempted.

Pemberton, who shot 7-12 from the floor, also added four rebounds and a steal. Wright-Foreman chipped in with nine points, while Buie added seven.

Treadwell led all scorers with 25 points, while also adding eight rebounds. Clayton was the only other Coppin State player in double figures with 11 points.

Hofstra is back in action Tuesday when it travels to Sacred Heart for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

Notes:
-Gustys' double-double was the 24th of his career and the 23 rebounds marked the seventh time in his career that he has amassed 20 or more rebounds in a game.
-Hofstra is now 2-0 all-time versus Coppin State.
-The Pride is now 46-36 all-time in season openers and 3-1 in openers under Coach Mihalich.
 
 
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