Hempstead, NY – Three Pride players scored in double-figures, including senior Ashunae Durant who hit six-of-six free throws in the final 1:42, as Hofstra defeated the Crusaders of Holy Cross, 69-63 in a non-conference game at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Tuesday night.

Hofstra, which stopped a two-game losing skid, improved to 2-2 on the season while Holy Cross had its season record evened at 2-2. Durant led the Pride with 15 points and eight rebounds while classmates Aleana Leon and Olivia Askin each tallied 14 points. Askin also grabbed seven boards for Hofstra.

Holy Cross was led by sophomore Lauren Manis with 28 points and six rebounds while senior Infiniti Thomas-Waheed had 14 points and 11 rebounds and sophomore Nicole Morris added 11 points.

It was a nip-and-tuck affair in the first quarter with the Crusaders opening up three-point leads on three different occasions, the latest at 15-13 after a Thomas-Waheed layup with 2:35 to play in the period. But Hofstra, behind three points each from Askin and sophomore Sandra Karsten, went on a 7-0 run to close out the period and take a 19-15 lead after one quarter. Askin had six and sophomore E'Lexus Davis had five in the period for the Pride while Manis had eight for Holy Cross.

After Morris opened up the second quarter with a layup for the Crusaders, Leon hit a three-pointer and Kalin followed with a layup to give the Pride their biggest lead of the half at 24-17. But Holy Cross scored the next six points behind three-pointers from Morris and Smith to close to within one at 24-23 with 6:00 to play in the half. Hofstra then went on a 9-4 spurt the rest of the quarter, with Durant getting four points, to build a 33-27 lead at the break. 

Holy Cross climbed back into the contest in the third quarter, tying the game twice, the last at 42-all after a Morris three-pointer with 2:13 to play. But sophomore Marianne Kalin's jumper started a 9-1 Pride run to close the period that gave Hofstra a 51-43 lead after three quarters.

The Pride extended the spurt to 17-3 with an 8-2 run to open the fourth quarter with Karsten and Leon sinking three-pointers for Hofstra and opening up a 59-45 lead with 8:40 to play. But while the Pride had a 6:58 field goal drought, Holy Cross went on a 15-0 run to take a 60-59 lead on a Manis lay-up with 2:02 to play.

Durant hit two free throws and Askin hit a three-pointer to give Hofstra a 64-60 lead with 90 seconds remaining in regulation. Manis hit another layup 31 seconds later before Leon and Thomas-Waheed exchanged free throws to boost the score to 65-63 with 0:25 remaining. Durant then sank two free throws with 11 seconds to play and added another two with five seconds remaining to seal the 69-63 victory.

Hofstra will return to action on Saturday, November 25 when the Pride travel to Las Vegas to face the Lady Rebels of UNLV in the semifinals of the Lady Rebel Round-Up. Game time is 3 p.m. (EST).


Notes:
- Tuesday's game was the eighth meeting between Hofstra and Holy Cross. The Crusaders lead the series, 6-2.
- Durant recorded her fourth game in double-figure scoring this season and the 73rd time in her career.
- The Pride hit 23-of-55 shots (41.8%) including 10-of-29 from the three-point line.  Holy Cross hit on 21-of-54 shots (39.9%) including 5-of-11 from the three-point line.
- Hofstra is 2-1 this season when three players score in double-figures.
- After having 27 turnovers in a loss at Hartford on Saturday, the Pride had just 12 against Holy Cross.