Hempstead, NY – Behind a career-high 17 points by LaNae' Corbett and 50 team rebounds, the Hofstra women's basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 55-52 victory over Howard from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Sunday.
 
Hofstra improves to 3-5 with the win over the Bison, and Howard is now 5-5 on the year.
 
Corbett's big game came on six baskets from the floor and five shots from the charity stripe, and she added seven rebounds and a pair of steals against Howard. Chloe Sterling finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, and Emma Von Essen produced 10 points and tied a personal-best with four assists. Ramatoulaye Keita paced the Pride with 10 rebounds.
 
Howard opened up a 7-0 lead inside the first three minutes of the opening quarter before the Hofstra offense sparked to life with nine unanswered points in nearly two minutes to lad by two at the 4:18 mark. Howard tied the game at 3:19, but a three from Sterling put the Pride back in front by three. Howard's Tyana Walker scored the final points of the quarter on a jumper to make it a 12-11 score going into the second.
 
The Bison scored five of the first seven points of the second quarter to lead by two, but a tough layup from Corbett at 8:17 evened the score, and a bucket from three-point range by Von Essen gave the Pride a three-point lead with 7:08 left in the quarter. After the visitors hit consecutive free throws to cut the lead to one, Hofstra scored six straight points on two-point baskets by Corbett, Sterling, and Janaia Fargo, to lead, 25-18, with 3:52 remaining before the break. Howard rattled off six straight points of their own to put the difference back at one point, but free throws by Keita and Sterling put the score set at 28-24 heading into halftime.
 
After 3:25 of scoreless basketball from both sides, Corbett broke the scoring drought with a free throw at 6:35 to give the Pride a five-point cushion at 6:35, and a layup by Zyheima Swint put the score at 31-24. Howard closed the gap to two with a 5-0 run. Hofstra responded with a 4-0 run in the third quarter's final 1:32, putting the score at 41-35 to the Pride heading to the fourth.
 
Howard started the quarter on an 8-2 spurt to tie the game for the first time since 8:17 of the second quarter, but Von Essen knocked down a clutch three-pointer to put the Pride back in front at 7:15. A pair of Corbett free throws put the hosts ahead by three after a Walker close-range jumper made it a one-point game. A spurt of scoreless basketball kept the score at 48-45 in favor of the Pride until Sterling converted a jumper a 1:09, giving Hofstra a five-point lead. Destiny Howell scored on a jumper of her own on the very next possession to cut the difference to three with under a minute to play in regulation. A Sterling free throw made it a four-point difference with 17 seconds remaining in the game, but Howell hit a three from the corner at the 10-second mark, putting the score at 51-50. Von Essen converted a pair of free throws with nine seconds remaining to give the hosts a three-point lead. Howard's Zennia Thomas scored a quick layup to bring the Bison to within one, but Micaela Carter iced the game with two free throws.
 
Walker and Thomas both paced the Bison with 15 points each, and Thomas led all players in today's game with 13 rebounds.
 
Hofstra is back at the Mack Sports Complex on Wednesday, December 11, with a tough non-conference match-up with in-state foe St. John's. Tip-off against the Red Storm is set for 6 p.m. on FloCollege and MSG. For ticket information, visit HofstraTickets.com, call (516) HOF-TIXX, or visit the Hofstra Athletics Ticket Office in the Mack Sports Complex lobby during normal business hours.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra is now 2-2 all-time versus Howard.
-Von Essen's four assists ties her previous high set against New Orleans on December 21, 2022.
-Hofstra outrebounded Howard, 50-49. The 50 rebounds are the most in a game for the Pride since pulling down 50 boards against New Orleans in 2022.
-With two three-pointers against Howard, Von Essen is now seven away from passing Krystal Luchiano (164, 2014-17) for the sixth-most threes in school history.
-Keita has led the Pride in rebounding in three consecutive games.