Baltimore – Hofstra graduate forward Denton Koon capitalized on senior guard Juan'ya Green's pass for layup on the low left block with 8.5 seconds remaining to break a tie and propel top-seeded Hofstra to a 70-67 victory over fifth-seeded William & Mary in the Colonial Athletic Association Championship semifinals on Saturday afternoon from Royal Farms Arena.

Senior forward Ameen Tanksley scored 23 points and added seven rebounds for his sixth 20-point game this season to help Hofstra improve to 24-8. Hofstra will be making the program's second-ever appearance in the CAA Championship title game on Monday at 7 p.m. against the winners of UNCW-Northeastern. The game will be televised on NBC Sports Network and on radio via WRHU (88.7 FM) and streamed online via Pride Productions. William & Mary, which defeated James Madison in the quarterfinals on Saturday, fell to 20-11.

Green scored 10 of his total 14 points in the second half and tallied six rebounds and five assists – with the last leading to the winning basket. With the scored tied at 67, Green took the inbounds pass at the top of the key and dribbled as the clock ticked down before finding a cutting Koon on the low left block to set up the lay-in. The basket helped Hofstra secure its first CAA Championship finals appearance since 2006 when the Pride fell to UNCW. The winner of Monday's game will earn an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

Koon was one of four Hofstra players to score in double figures, joining Tanksley, Green and junior guard Brian Bernardi, who scored 14 points in 39 minutes while knocking down four three-pointers. William & Mary's Greg Malinowski scored 22 points off the bench to pace the Tribe.

Hofstra shot 11-for-32 from three-point range. The Pride shot well in the second half in going 14-for-25 to erase a four-point halftime deficit. 

William & Mary's David Cohn put the Tribe ahead, 67-65, on a layup with 2:55 left. Green, who was named the CAA Player of the Year before the tournament started, showed the skills that earned him the award by nailing both free throw attempts to tie the game at 1:49.

Hofstra then forced a missed shot that sophomore center Rokas Gustys rebounded to set up Koon's winning basket. Gustys finished with 13 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass. Tanksley added a free throw with 1.2 seconds left, and the Pride knocked away the ensuing inbounds pass to prevent the Tribe from trying for the potential game-tying three-point attempt.

The Pride raced to a quick 12-6 lead in the first half that included three-pointers from Koon and Green. William & Mary's Omar Prewitt, who was held to 1-for-12 shooting for the game, eventually knotted the score at 14 before Bernardi answered for Hofstra on the squad's next possession with a three-pointer to make it 17-14 with 10:35 left before intermission. 

Down 34-30 at the half, Hofstra came out strong to start the second half with consecutive three-pointers from Bernardi and Green. The Tribe would answer back and go up, 50-46, on Malinowski's free throws before the Pride responded with back-to-back three-pointers from Bernardi and Tanksley to put the higher seed ahead, 52-50.

Sean Sheldon's tip-in capped a 6-0 run for the Tribe and put the squad ahead, 56-52, with 9:20 left, before Hofstra's late run. 

NOTES
- Hofstra's 24 wins tied the 1999-00 team for the second-most in the team's Division I era (starting with the 1972-73 season). The 2000-01 and 2005-06 squads won 26.
- Hofstra won all three meetings against William & Mary this season, posting victories at home, on the road and on a neutral site.
- Tanksley finished one point away from matching his season high of 24 set at St. Bonaventure on Nov. 28.
- All eight players who saw game action for the Pride scored. 
- Hofstra made more than 10 three-pointers in a game for the 12th time this season. 
- Hofstra attempted more than 30 pointers in a game for the sixth time.