Hempstead, NY – Junior JaKayla Brown scored a team-best 16 points as the Pride were in complete control in a decisive 63-45 victory over Albany from inside the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Friday, Dec. 11. The win moves the Pride to .500 with a 2-2 record, and the Great Danes drop to 0-1 in their first game of the 2020-21 season.

Hofstra finished the game with a 40.3-percent clip from the floor and 41 rebounds as a team, tying its season-high in rebounding. Brown led all players in scoring, while redshirt junior Jaylen Hines posted 14 points and 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season and ninth of her career, and junior Jahsyni Knight dropped 10 points on the afternoon for her fourth straight game in double-digit scoring.

The teams traded baskets in the opening stages of the first period before redshirt junior Jaala Henry scored the first of four straight Hofstra baskets to give the hosts the lead until eight consecutive points gave Albany a one-point lead halfway through the action. The Pride ended the first period on an 8-0 run that spanned the final 2:45 with baskets by Knight, Brown, freshman Zyheima Swint and junior Vanerlie Valcourt giving the Pride the edge going into the second stanza.

Hines scored from the free throw line at 7:47 to start a 12-0 Hofstra run that lasted until 21 seconds remained on the clock. Hines scored six points for Hofstra during the lengthy run, while Knight buried a late three and Swint finished a close lay-up. The Pride shot 33-percent from the floor with two three-pointers and forced Albany into five turnovers to end the half ahead by 31-20.

Hofstra picked up right where they left off in the third period as they continued to hold the Great Dane offense in check. The Pride maintained its double-digit lead throughout the period with strong interior shooting, as all but three of Hofstra's 17 points scored came from inside the three-point arc. Moving into the fourth period, a 13-2 run against the Great Danes increased the Hofstra lead to 21 points as the Pride coasted to the finish.

The Pride will travel east for a meeting with Stony Brook on Monday, Dec. 14, in the Long Island Rivalry. The game is closed to the public and there will not be tickets available for purchase. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3 and Pride Productions live audio will also be available..

NOTES:
-This was the sixth all-time meeting between the two teams. Hofstra now holds a 6-0 advantage over the Great Danes.
-Three players for Hofstra finished with double-digit figures, making this the fourth consecutive game of 2020-21 with multiple players scoring 10 or more points.
-Albany was held to 45 points, the fewest points allowed by the Pride this season and the fewest points scored by an opponent in a Hofstra victory since a 51-39 victory over Morgan State in December 2019.
-Hofstra finished with 36 points in the paint, their second-highest total of the season.
-The Hofstra defense posted their fourth straight game with 20 or more turnovers forced, with 25 Albany turnovers. It was also the fourth consecutive game where Hofstra committed fewer turnovers than their opponent.