Hempstead, NY - Aaron Estrada (22) and Darlinstone Dubar (16) combined for 38 points as Hofstra pulled away in the second half in a wire-to-wire 66-52 Colonial Athletic Association victory over Drexel Monday night at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. The victory was Hofstra's eighth consecutive victory and 20th win of the season.

The 20 wins mark the 25th time in program history that Hofstra has won 20 or more games in a season and the 16th at the NCAA Division I level. It is also the second consecutive season under Head Coach Speedy Claxton that the Pride has achieved that feat.

The eight-game win streak is tied for the 17th longest in program history and the longest since a similar length streak during the 2019-20 campaign.

Hofstra improved to 20-8 overall and 13-2 in Colonial Athletic Association play. Drexel dropped to 15-12 and 9-6 in the league. The Dragons saw a short two-game win streak come to an end.

In addition to Estrada and Dubar, the Pride received 11 points and a team-best six rebounds from Tyler Thomas, and nine points from Warren Williams.Jaquan Carlos had five rebounds, five assists and three steals in the win, while Estrada also grabbed five boards and dealt five assists.   

Leading 4-3 in the opening minutes, Hofstra used a 21-6 run to open a 25-9 advantage with 8:37 to play in the opening 20 minutes. Dubar had nine points in the spurt and a team-best tying (with Estrada) 11 points in the half. The Pride held the Dragons without a basket for 10:17 seconds before Amari Williams scored for Drexel with 7:47 on the clock. That basket started a 9-0 run for Drexel as the visitors pulled within seven,, 25-18, with 4:12 remaining. Estrada sandwiched a mid-range jumper and a three-pointer around a Drexel bucket to put Hofstra up by 10, 30-20, with just over two minutes to go. The Dragons Luke House scored the final basket of the half with 1:37 on the clock as Hofstra settled for an eight-point halftime lead, 30-22.

Hofstra would score the first six points of the second half with baskets from Estrada, Dubar, and Carlos to go up by 14, 36-22, with 18:19 to play. The Dragons got as close as 10 points, 39-29, with 16:23 to go on a three-pointer from Lamar Oden Jr. An 8-2 run from the Pride pushed the lead to 16, 47-31, with 14:28 to play. The Dragons wouldn't quit and made it an 11-point game on a free throw from Williams four minutes later. Hofstra responded with six points in 1:03 to take a 17-point lead, 54-37. Warren Williams had four of the six Pride points. Hofstra would maintain the double-digit lead the rest of the way with the 14-point victory margin being the closest the Dragons would get.

Williams led Drexel in scoring with 13 points, while Oden Jr. had nine points and eight rebounds. 

Hofstra returns to action on Thursday when it hosts Hampton at 7 p.m. For ticket information, visit HofstraTickets.com.

NOTES
- Hofstra is now 50-47 all-time against Drexel. The Pride has won four straight and 12 of the last 13 meetings against the Dragons. The series is Hofstra's second-most played opponent all-time, only bested by Delaware (101).
- Estrada's 22 points gives him 1,094 in his Hofstra career and moved him past Ameen Tanksley into 34th-place all-time.
-Dubar was a perfect 7-7 from the field and was the first Pride player since Isaac Kante, who was also 7-7, accomplished the feat on Jan. 9, 2020 at Northeastern. 
-Hofstra is 9-1 at home this season.
-Hofstra is 46-1 over the past nine seasons when allowing fewer than 60 points in a game. The Pride has won 42 consecutive games in that scenario.