Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra Women's Basketball team rallied from a nine-point deficit with 2:27 to play to defeat the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure, 71-68 in a non-conference game at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex Thursday afternoon.

Senior Ashunae Durant tallied 20 points to lead four Pride players in double-figures as Hofstra improved to 6-5 on the season with their fourth win in the last six contests. Sophomore E'Lexus Davis added 15 points, senior Aleana Leon added 12 points and seven rebounds while junior Sica Cuzic chipped in with a career-high 10 points. Durant, Leon and sophomore Marianne Kalin each grabbed seven rebounds for the Pride. Junior-transfer Boogie Brozoski added seven points and four rebounds in her Hofstra debut.

The Bonnies (5-8) were led by sophomore Danielle Migliore with a game-high 23 points and four steals while grabbing six caroms. Senior Mariah Ruff contributed 18 points and four assists. Migliore and Ruff each hit four three- pointers as St. Bonaventure shot 25-for-53 (47%) from the field including nine-for-20 from the three-point line.

Trailing 52-42 entering the fourth quarter, Hofstra tallied 29-fourth quarter points including 14 in the last 2:15. The Pride trailed 66-57 with 2:27 to play after freshman Abigail Johnson's lay-up for the Bonnies. Durant and Cuzic then followed with baskets for Hofstra before Leon hit two free throws at the 1:23 mark to close to 66-63. Cuzic then added consecutive baskets 25 seconds apart to give the Pride their first lead since midway through the first quarter at 67-66 with 0:52 remaining. Durant added a lay-up eight seconds later to cap the 12-0 run and boost the Pride lead to 69-66.

Ruff added two free throws for the Bonnies with 43 seconds left to close the gap to 69-68. But Brozoski drew a big charge with 6.9 seconds remaining and then sank two free throws with five seconds to play to seal the 71-68 victory.

The Pride's shooting in the first quarter was as chilly as the season, hitting just five of 16 shots from the field. Despite that cold shooting, Hofstra led by as many as three midway through the quarter. The Bonnies, meanwhile, hit on seven of 12 shots but could only open up a four-point lead at 15-11 with 1:39 to play before Durant hit a jumper at the buzzer to close the gap to 15-13 after one period.

The Bonnies opened the second with a 9-0 run over the first 1:28 to take a 24-13 lead as Migliore tallied six of the nine in the spurt. But Hofstra answered with a 9-2 run of their own behind four points from Durant to close to within four at 26-22 after a Kalin lay-up with 2:47 to play in the half. But St. Bonaventure responded by scoring eight of the last 12 points in the half to take a 34-26 lead at halftime.

St. Bonaventure opened the third quarter like they closed the half, going on an 18-8 run, behind nine points from Migliore, over the first 7:44 to open up their biggest lead of the contest at 52-34. The Pride scored the last eight points of the quarter, including two three-pointers by Davis to close to 52-42 after three quarters.

Hofstra will break for the Christmas holiday before returning to action on Friday, December 29 when the Pride begin their Colonial Athletic Association schedule by hosting the Dukes of James Madison. Game time at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex is 7 p.m.

Notes
- Thursday's game was just the second meeting between Hofstra and St. Bonaventure with the series now tied 1-1.
- Durant tallied her seventh double-figure scoring game of the year and the 76th in her career. It was also her second 20-point game of the season and the 16th of her career.
- Hofstra forced the Bonnies into 29 turnovers which resulted in 35 Pride points.