Charleston, SC – Sophomore Eli Pemberton had 23 points and seven rebounds, while senior Rokas Gustys added 11 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists for the Hofstra Men's Basketball team, but an early second half run for Auburn proved to be the difference in an 89-78 setback to the Tigers on Sunday evening at the Charleston Classic at TD Arena. 

Hofstra, which slipped 3-2 with the loss, had five players in double figures as junior Justin Wright-Foreman (16), sophomore Stafford Trueheart (10) and junior Kenny Wormley (10) joined Pemberton and Gustys. Auburn, which got 22 points, four rebounds and three steals from Mustapha Heron, improved to 3-1 with the win. 

An entertaining first half saw the teams combine for 99 points as Hofstra took a one-point lead (50-49) into the break as Pemberton drained a jumper with 27 seconds left in the half to account for the halftime lead. It would be all Auburn in the first seven minutes of the second stanza as the Tigers scored the first 18 points of the half to take a 67-50 lead with 13:07 left in regulation following a layup from Heron. The Pride would answer with a 12-2 run of their own, culminating with a basket from Gustys to make it 71-64 with 7:57 left. That would be as close as the Pride could draw, though, as the Tigers kept Hofstra at bay the remainder of the game. 

Hofstra returns to action on Saturday, November 25 when it travels to Siena for a 2 p.m. game. 

NOTES
- Today's game was the first-ever between Hofstra and Auburn. 
- Trueheart's 10 points were the first of his Pride career. 
- Junior Desure Buie dished out a game and career-high six assists for Hofstra. 
- Hofstra hit a season-high 11 three-pointers in the game. 
- The Pride finished fourth in the eight-team Gildan Charleston Classic.