Hempstead, NY – Freshman LaNae' Corbett had an eye-popping performance against visiting Iona on Sunday, scoring a career-high 24 points on 11-16 shooting as the Hofstra women's basketball team concluded the 2024 calendar year with a wire-to-wire 59-43 win over the Gaels from inside the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex in the final non-conference game of the season.
 
Hofstra heads into 2025 and conference play with a 5-6 overall mark, while Iona drops to 4-8 on the year.
 
In addition her 24 points, Corbett finished the game with six rebounds, four steals, two assists, and one block. Chloe Sterling finished in double-figures with 11 points against Iona and pulled down six rebounds and a trio of takeaways. Zyheima Swint led the Pride with eight rebounds to go with her five points.
 
Corbett scored the first six points of the game for the Pride to help the hosts jump out to an early 6-4 lead. Hofstra's lead grew to nine with a 7-0 run thanks to a Swint free throw and three-pointers from Sterling and Sabrina Larsson at 5:10 of the opening frame. Iona scored eight of the next 10 points to cut Hofstra's lead to four with 2:24 left in the quarter, but Corbett converted a tough layup at 1:34 and Sterling scored on a pull-up jumper with 32 seconds left to give Hofstra a 20-12 lead.
 
The Pride offense continued to press the pace against Iona, opening up a double-digit lead early in the second quarter with a 9-2 run lasting from a Janaia Fargo bucket at 7:46 until a layup by Corbett at the 3:13 mark. After Iona's Mya Zaccagnini connected on a three-point attempt at 2:39, Hofstra enjoyed another scoring burst, scoring six of the final nine points of the second quarter to go into halftime leading 35-20.
 
Hofstra's lead remained in double-digit territory heading into the fourth quarter despite being outscored, 17-12, by the Gaels in the third. The Pride cut off the Iona momentum with back-to-back Corbett baskets and excellent defensive play in the fourth quarter, limiting Iona to 37.5% from the floor and no three-pointers on three attempts. Baskets from Fargo and Sterling, plus four points in the final minute of play from Kassidy Thompson, helped the Pride to the 16-point win.
 
Judith Gomez was the leading scorer for Iona with 13 points, and Erin Leary pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
 
Hofstra opens its Coastal Athletic Association schedule with a contest against Monmouth on Friday, January 3, in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Tip-off begins at 7 p.m. against the Hawks.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra improves to 10-10 all-time against Iona, and today's win snaps a two-game losing streak versus the Gaels.
-The Pride limited Iona to 28.1% (18-64) from the floor while connecting on 41.9% (26-62).
-Her 11 field goals and four steals are also career-highs for Corbett.
-Corbett is the third Hofstra player to score 20 points in a game this season.
-Hofstra went until 2:24 of the fourth quarter without allowing a free throw attempt by Iona.