Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Hofstra University Athletics

THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
THE PRIDE OF LONG ISLAND
Brian Bernardi
E
76
Winner Charleston COFC 20-8 (11-4 CAA)
72
Hofstra HOFSTRA 13-15 (5-10 CAA)
Winner
Charleston COFC
20-8 (11-4 CAA)
76
Final
72
Hofstra HOFSTRA
13-15 (5-10 CAA)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Charleston COFC 40 36 76
Hofstra HOFSTRA 34 38 72

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

MBB: Hofstra Rally Falls Short In Loss To Charleston

Hempstead, NY - Justin Wright-Foreman scored a game-high 26 points and Brian Bernardi added 21 points on seven three-pointers but it wasn't enough as Charleston held on for a 76-72 win Thursday night at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. Hofstra had rallied from down 15 to get within two in the closing seconds. 

Hofstra slipped to 13-15 overall and 5-10 in the Colonial Athletic Association with the loss. The Cougars improved to 20-8 on the year and 11-4 in league play.

Rokas Gustsys, in his second game back after missing four due to injury, added 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Pride. Deron Powers had 11 assists for the Pride, which was a season-high.

In a highly-entertaining first half that featured 10 lead changes and seven tied scores, Charleston led by six, 40-34. Both teams started out hot from the field. Nearly five minutes in, with the score tied at 10, both teams were shooting better than 66 percent from the field. Charleston was at 80 percent (4-5), while the Pride was at 67 percent (4-6). After the Cougars took a 12-10 lead, Bernardi sank the first of two consecutive three-pointers that would give the Pride a 16-14 lead with 12 minutes to play.

The six-point halftime margin was the largest of the opening 20 minutes. Hofstra had led by five, 31-26, with 3:54 to go following a Gustys layup. But Charleston outscored the Pride, 14-3, over the final 3:35 to go into the half leading. Bernardi led the Pride with 12 points in the half, while Wright-Foreman chipped in with 10 first half points. Though their shooting cooled after the torrid start, Charleston did shoot 57 percent in the first 20 minutes, while Hofstra clocked in at 50 percent.

The Pride would score six of the first eight points of the second have to get within two, 42-40, with 18:57 to go on another three-pointer from Bernardi. But Charleston responded with a 7-1 run to go up by eight, 49-41, on a layup from Joe Chealy with 15:48 to play.

The Cougars would maintain a comfortable cushion for much of the rest of the game, going up by as many as 15, 64-49, with 8:41 to go. The Pride was scoreless for more than four minutes during the Cougars 10-0 run. Hofstra would use a 7-0 run to get the deficit back to single-digits, 64-56, with 6:08 to go on Bernardi's sixth three-pointer of the game.  

A tip in from Gustys made it a five-point game, 68-63, with 4:14 remaining but Chealy answered right back with a jumper to put the Cougars back up by seven. The Pride then used a 4-0 run to make it a three-point game, 70-67, with 2:17 to go. Charleston responded with a near minute-long possession that resulted in a Grant Riller layup. Gustys followed his own miss on the Pride's next trip to again make it a three-point game with less than a minute to go.

After Nick Harris hit one of two free throws, Bernardi drained his seventh three-pointer to make it a one-point game, 73-72, with 16 seconds to play. After another one-for-two from the line for the Cougars, the Pride got the ball back with a chance to tie or win. Hofstra got a shot off, but it was off the mark and went out of bounds with .1 second left. Hofstra was assessed a bench technical which resulted in two free throws for the Cougars and accounted for the final score.

Chealy led four Cougars in double-figures with 18 points. Jarrell Brantley added 17, while Riller had 10 and Marquise Pointer chipped in with 10. Harris had six rebounds to pace the Cougars.

Hofstra will be back in action Saturday at 4 p.m. in its home finale against CAA-leading UNCW. Prior to the game, which will be televised on the American Sports Network, the Pride will honor its two seniors – Powers and Bernardi. Tickets are available by calling (516) HIF-TIXX or visiting HofstraTickets.com.

NOTES:
-Bernardi's seven three-pointers were one off his own school record.
-Wright-Foreman's 26 points marked his 22nd game in double-figures (18 consecutive).
-Gustys' double-double was the 32nd of his career and ninth of the season.
-Hofstra shot 49 percent from the floor compared to 55 percent for Charleston.
-Charleston swept the season series with the Pride and the all-time series is now tied at 4-4.
 
 
 
Print Friendly Version