Hempstead, NY - The national television audience saw one of the best games of the season for Tyler Thomas today as he had 23 points, seven rebounds, and a career-best nine assists in leading the Hofstra men's basketball team to a 59-56 win over Towson on Saturday afternoon in front of a near sellout crowd at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. 

Darlinstone Dubar added 14 points and four rebounds for the Pride in the winning effort. 

Hofstra, which has won five of its last six games, improved to 13-10 and 6-4 in CAA action. Towson saw its five-game win streak come to an end and dropped to 14-9 and 7-3 in the league. 

Trailing by four early on, Hofstra scored 13 consecutive points to open up a 17-8 lead at the 11:08 mark following a basket from Thomas. Using a 7-0 scoring run later in the half, the Pride once again took a nine-point lead at 24-15 with 6:58 left after another Thomas bucket. Towson outscored Hofstra, 13-4, over the final minutes of the first half to knot the score at the break. 

The Pride held a narrow 31-30 lead in the opening minutes of the second stanza before Towson scored eight straight points to open up a 38-31 advantage with 15:05 to play. Hofstra gradually chipped away and a three-pointer from Thomas with 11:31 showing on the clock put the Pride in front, 43-40. 

Hofstra stayed in front and expanded the lead to nine, 54-45, with 5:29 to play. The Tigers battled back, though, and knotted the score at 54 with 3:24 on the clock. Jacco Fritz would give the Pride the lead for good with 2:16 to play and Thomas provided the dagger as he drained a deep three from in front of the Hofstra bench with 42 seconds remaining. 

After closing the gap to three, Towson would get one final chance to even the score but a three-pointer was off the mark for the Tigers and Hofstra prevailed. 

Nendah Tarke led Towson with 12 points, while Tomiwa Sulaiman added 10 points and eight rebounds. 

Hofstra will start a three-game road swing next week as on Thursday the Pride will face Hampton at 7 p.m. 

NOTES 
- Hofstra is 48-30 all-time against Towson. The 78 all-time meetings between the Pride and the Tigers ranks as Hofstra's third-most played opponent all-time (Delaware and Drexel). The Pride has won nine of the last 12 and 12 of the last 17 in the series. 
- The 59 points in a win marked the first time Hofstra has scored less than 60 points in a victory since defeating Delaware, 58-56, on December 31, 2016. 
- Thomas previously had a career-high of seven assists against Bryant on December 31, 2021 (while playing for Sacred Heart). 
- Hofstra improved to 8-2 at home this season and 72-18 at home over the past seven seasons. 
- Over the past 10 seasons, Hofstra is now 108-20 when holding its opponent under 70 points (7-1 this season). 
- Hofstra has won 50 consecutive games when allowing fewer than 60 points in a game. 
- Dubar reached double figures for the 24th consecutive game and Thomas reached double figures for the 15th straight contest. 
- Thomas moved into 37th place in program history in scoring. He now has 1,076 points as a member of the Pride.