Estero, FL - Tyler Thomas tallied the nation's first 40-point game of the 2023-24 season to carry the Hofstra men's basketball team to a 97-92 overtime victory over High Point in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Wednesday evening at Hertz Arena. Remarkably, Thomas scored 33 of his points in the second half and overtime. It is the 19th 40-point game in program history. 

Thomas added eight rebounds and five assists in the game, while Jaquan Carlos tallied 18 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. 

The Pride picked up its third win in as many days to capture the tournament title and improve to 4-2 on the season. High Point dropped to 3-3 with the loss. 

The inseason tournament title is the program's first since winning the Boca Raton Beach Classic in 2019-20. 

Darlinstone Dubar broke an 88-all tie with a layup just 13 seconds into the extra session to get the Pride back in front. After a free throw by the Panthers, Dubar added two free throws of his own to make it 92-89 with 2:45 left in overtime. 

The Pride would hold a 92-91 lead a few seconds later before Bryce Washington closed the deal with a baseline dunk off a nice feed from Carlos to make it 94-91 with 42 seconds remaining. Washington added a free throw in the closing seconds and Carlos tallied two more with around a second to play to account for the final score. 

Hofstra will have just over a week off before its next game as the Pride will host South Florida next Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. For ticket information visit HofstraTickets.com, call (516) HOF-TIXX, or visit the Hofstra Athletics Ticket Office in the lobby of the Mack Sports Complex during normal business hours. 

NOTES
- Tonight was the first-ever meeting between Hofstra and High Point in men's basketball. 
- Thomas, who was named the tournament MVP,  finished with 91 total points, setting a new Gulf Coast Showcase scoring record. The previous record was set one year ago when Kansas City's RayQuawndis Mitchell had 82 points in the tournament. Carlos joined Thomas on the all-tournament team from Hofstra. 
- The 40 points by Thomas marks the Pride's first 40-point game since Aaron Estrada had 40 against Elon on January 26, 2023. 
- The overtime victory is Hofstra's first since defeating Rutgers, 88-86, in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on March 14, 2023. 
- Thomas went 10-10 from the free throw line in the game. He is the first Pride player to be perfect from the free throw line with at least 10 attempts since Eli Pemberton (10-10) on February 22, 2020.