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Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Rokas Gustys
Rokas Gustys had a CAA record 23 rebounds to go along with 18 points Monday night
80
Winner #2 UNCW UNCW 25-7
73
#1 Hofstra HOFSTRA 24-9
Winner
#2 UNCW UNCW
25-7
80
Final
73
#1 Hofstra HOFSTRA
24-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
#2 UNCW UNCW 34 34 12 80
#1 Hofstra HOFSTRA 41 27 5 73

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

MBB: Hofstra Falls In Overtime In CAA Championship Game

Baltimore - Second-seeded UNCW outscored Hofstra, 12-5, in overtime to post an 80-73 win in the Colonial Athletic Association championship game Monday night at Royal Farms Arena.
 
Hofstra, which was the top seed, slipped to 24-9 on the season with the loss and saw its eight-game winning streak snapped. UNCW, which won the CAA Championship for the fifth time in program history, improved to 25-7 with the win. Hofstra was making its first appearance in the CAA Championship game since 2006, when it lost to UNCW, 78-67.
 
The teams started out quickly, combining for 27 points in the first 5:57. The Seahawks led 16-11 at the first media timeout behind nine points from Denzel Ingram. UNCW went up 18-11 with 13:47 to go but the Pride responded with a 7-0 run over the next 1:35 to tie the score at 18 on freshman Desure Buie's three-point play with 11:43 to go. The run extended to 14-0 to give Hofstra a 25-18 lead with 10:14 on the clock. After a UNCW basket ended the run, the Pride scored five straight points on a three from senior Ameen Tanksley and a layup from sophomore Rokas Gustys to take a 30-20 lead with 7:33 remaining. The Pride took their largest lead of the half, 34-23, on a layup from junior Brian Bernardi with 5:43 to go. UNCW would get as close as six, 38-32, but the Pride took a 41-34 lead into the half behind 58-percent shooting.
 
Hofstra connected on three of its first six shots and all four of its free throws to open the second half and held a 10-point advantage, 52-42, with 14:48 to play. UNCW cut the deficit to six, but a layup from Gustys put the Pride back up by eight, 54-46, with 12:53 on the clock. A 12-6 run by UNCW brought the Seahawks to within two, 60-58, with 6:59 to play on a pair of free throws from Chris Flemmings. Two free throws from senior Juan'ya Green put the Pride back up by four, but Craig Ponder hit a three at the other end to get UNCW within one, 62-61, with 6:05 to play. The Seahawks forced a shot clock violation on the defensive end and then came down and took their first lead since midway through the first half after two free throws from C.J. Bryce gave UNCW a 63-62 lead. After a Flemmings layup pushed the advantage to three, Tanksley hit a pair of free throws to make it a one-point game, 65-64, with 3:57 to go.
 
A Ponder three put the Seahawks back up by four before Green ended an 0-for-12 field goal drought for the Pride with a layup to make it 68-66 with 1:43 to play. Green would tie the score at 68 with 32 seconds left with a pair of free throws. Hofstra forced a turnover on UNCW's final possession, but missed a long shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
 
The teams were tied at 73 in overtime when UNCW converted a three-point play from Bryce to take a 76-73 lead with 1:20 to play. After a Hofstra miss, Ingram hit a three and Bryce closed the scoring with one free throw.
 
Tanksley finished with a game-high 24 points and added six rebounds. Gustys posted his 21st double-double this season with 18 points and a career-high and CAA Championship record 23 rebounds. Green joined the pair in double-figures with 13 points and added eight assists.
 
Ponder led four Seahawks in double figures with 20 points. Flemmings had 19 points, while Ingram had 17 points. C.J. Gettys chipped in 10 points.
 
Hofstra, which earned an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament as a result of its CAA regular season title, will find out its opponent Sunday night after NCAA Tournament selections are announced. The Pride has earned four NIT bids previously, the last being in 2007. Hofstra advanced to the quarterfinals in 2006.
 
Notes:
 
-Hofstra Coach Joe Mihalich coached his 100th game at Hofstra tonight.
 
-The overtime game was Hofstra's third all-time in the CAA Championship.
 
-The three games with UNCW this season were decided by a total of 11 points.
 
-Rokas Gustys' 47 rebounds during the CAA Championship was a tournament record, besting the previous mark of 40 set by Larry Sanders of VCU in 2009. His 23 rebounds tonight eclipsed the previous record of 20 held by Robert Nwankwo (Towson) and Sanders.

-Juan'ya Green, Ameen Tanksley and Rokas Gustys were named to the All-CAA Championship Team

 
 
 
 
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