Nassau, The Bahamas - Michael Graham, who tallied a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, hit a reverse layup at the buzzer to give the Hofstra men's basketball team a thrilling 68-66 win over Arkansas State on Sunday evening in the Pride's final game at the Baha Mar Hoops: Nassau Championship at the Baha Mar Convention Center.  

The victory was Hofstra's first in the final second since Tyler Thomas drained a 17-foot baseline jumper with 0.4 seconds left to defeat Stony Brook, 72-71, on February 1, 2024. 

The double-double was Graham's first of the season. Hofstra was led in scoring by Cruz Davis, who poured in a career-high 24 points.

The win improved the Pride's record to 6-3 this season as Hofstra won two of its three games in The Bahamas. Arkansas State dropped to 5-3 with the loss. 

The first half was tight throughout with neither team able to pull away. The Pride did get two of the final three baskets in the half, courtesy of Davis and German Plotnikov, to eventually go into the locker room knotted at 29. 

Trailing by two early in the second stanza, Hofstra used a 11-2 run to take a 40-33 lead after a dunk from Graham at the 15:06 mark. Arkansas State was able to close the gap to four about a minute later but the Pride answered with a 10-0 scoring run to open up a 50-36 lead with 11:08 left. Davis keyed the run with six points. 

Hofstra still led by 13, 58-45, with 5:55 showing before Arkansas State used a 21-8 run over the next five-plus minutes to even the score at 66 after a free throw from Kobe Julien. 

With 19 seconds left the Pride regained possession and Jean Aranguren would drive the lane and dish the ball to Graham for the winning basket as time expired. 

Davis added five rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Aranguren chipped in with 10 points and four assists for the Pride. 

Derrian Ford led the Red Wolves with 17 points, while Julien added 16 and Joseph Pinion contributed 12. 

Hofstra returns to action on Friday when it hosts St. Joseph's Long Island in a special 11:30 a.m. start. The game is "Class at the Court with Hofstra Men's Basketball" and will feature a fun day of educational activities centered on health, wellness, and fitness, perfect for elementary and middle school students from grades 1-8. 

NOTES
- Today was the first-ever meeting between Hofstra and Arkansas State. 
- Davis previously had a career-high 22 points against Rice on Friday. 
- Hofstra attempted a season-low 12 three-pointers and made a season-low four from beyond the arc. 
- Graham shot 7-8 from the field in the game and is now shooting an incredible 73.8% (31-42) this season.