Hempstead, NY – Junior Eli Pemberton scored a game-high 24 points and senior Justin Wright-Foreman added 19 to lead four Pride players in double-figures as Hofstra recorded its 13th consecutive win with an 87-72 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the UNCW Seahawks at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex Thursday night. The win streak is the third-longest in the nation and the second-longest in the program's NCAA Division I history (since 1966-67). 

Hofstra improved to 16-3 on the season and 6-0 in the CAA. UNCW fell to 7-12 on the year and 3-3 in conference play. The win was also Hofstra's 14th straight at home, the 12th-longest active streak in the nation. 

Pemberton, who tallied his second 20-point game of the season, recorded 14 of his 24 points in the second half and grabbed six rebounds. Wright-Foreman, who recorded his 72nd consecutive game in double-figures, tallied just four points in the first half before erupting for 15 in the second period. Junior Tareq Coburn notched his ninth double-figure scoring game of the season with 15 points while senior Desure Buie posted 11 points and a game-high seven assists. Graduate-student Jacquil Taylor grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and added six points for the Pride.

UNCW had three players in double-figures led by junior Jeantal Cylla with 16 points. Senior Devontae Cacok tallied 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds for his 48th career double-double including 13 this season. Sophomore Ty Gadsden added 12 points for the Seahawks, who shot 47% (28-60) from the field.  
 
Both teams came out on fire in the first half with each team shooting 65% through the first six minutes. But while the teams were battling, it was a half of runs. After UNCW scored the first four points, the Pride answered with a 12-2 run to open their first of two six-point leads at 12-6 after a Buie driving lay-up at the 16:50 mark. The Seahawks responded with a 9-2 spurt with Jay Estime's four-point play giving UNCW a 15-14 lead. Hofstra then tallied seven consecutive points to take a 21-15 lead after Buie sank three free throws at the 12:31 mark.

After the Seahawks regained the lead 22-21 at the 10:53 mark, Hofstra went on a 9-5 spurt to build a 30-27 advantage after Wright-Foreman's lay-up with 5:31 remaining. UNCW then went on a 10-0 run, behind two treys from Gadsden, to take a 37-30 advantage with2:58 to play. The Pride replied with an 11-2 spurt to regain the lead at 41-39 with 0:44 to play. Ty Taylor hit a three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining to give UNCW a 42-41 lead at halftime.

The second half started out slow with UNCW grabbing a 49-46 lead at the 16:50 mark on a Cacok's jumper. But the Pride got going on both ends of the court and went on a 16-2 run over the next 7:42 including 12 unanswered points to open up a 62-51 lead at the 8:47 mark after Dan Dwyer's lay-up. Gadsden ended the run for UNCW with a lay-up.

The Pride scored 12 of the next 16 points, including eight from Wright-Foreman, to boost their lead to 74-57 with 5:05 to play. While the two exchanged points, Hofstra didn't take their feet off the pedal and opened up their biggest lead of the contest at 81-62 after a Pemberton three-pointer with 2:31 to play. UNCW could not get any closer than 14 before the Pride closed out the game with an 87-72 decision.

Hofstra will the Cougars of the College of Charleston on Saturday, January 19 in another key CAA contest at the Mack Sports Complex. Game time is 4 p.m. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com, call (516) HOF-TIXX or stop by the Hofstra Athletics Ticket Office in the lobby of the Mack Sports Complex. 

Notes
- Thursday's contest was the 41st meeting between the Pride and the Seahawks. UNCW leads the series, 21-20.
- Wright-Foreman, who entered the game as the third-leading scorer in Division I averaging 26.9 points per game, recorded his 72nd consecutive game in double-figures, tying Purdue's Rick Mount (1968-70) for 20th on the all-time NCAA Division I list. 
- The Pride outscored the Seahawks, 30-20 in the paint and 21-8 off turnovers.
- With his 24 points, Pemberton now has 1,136 points to move into 28th place on the Hofstra all-time career scoring list, passing Mike Moore (2010-120 at 1,128 and Wandy Williams (1966-69) at 1,132.