Hempstead, NY – A four-point deficit going into the fourth quarter turned into a 19-point defeat for the Hofstra women's basketball team as they were outscored, 24-9, in the final 10 minutes in a 63-44 defeat to North Carolina A&T in Coastal Athletic Association action from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
 
Hofstra drops to 9-9 overall and 4-3 in the CAA, and North Carolina A&T ups its record to 11-8 overall and 7-1 in the conference to continue its stay at the top of the CAA.
 
Emma Von Essen led the Pride in scoring for the second consecutive game with 14 points against the Aggies, while Ayen Angoi, Sabrina Larsson, and Chloe Sterling all finished with eight points. Zyheima Swint posted a team-leading eight rebounds against the Aggies.
 
A pair of Von Essen threes tied the game at 6-6 at 4:58, but North Carolina A&T went on a 9-2 run lasting over three minutes until Ramatoulaye Keita scored on a layup at 1:19 to end the first quarter with the Pride trailing, 15-10. Von Essen's third trey of the contest on the first shot of the second quarter sparked a 7-2 run for the Pride that evened the score at 17-17 with 6:29 to play. The Aggies retook the lead at 5:29 on a pair of free throws, but the Pride pulled back in front on a Sabrina Larsson three on the ensuring possession. Larsson's second three of the frame put the hosts ahead by two at 3:23 after Reivan Douglas gave A&T a one-point lead at 4:48. Hofstra and A&T traded baskets until the guests scored on two straight possessions to take a two-point lead with 31 seconds to play, but Sterling drained a three six seconds before the buzzer sounded to give Hofstra a 28-27 halftime lead.
 
The Aggies opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run to take a six-point lead before Angoi ended their run with a three-point play on a fast break layup and free throw to cut the difference to three with 6:25 to play in the quarter. After Chaniya Clark sunk one of two free throw attempts to make it a four-point game, the teams traded baskets down the stretch to put the score at 39-35 North Carolina A&T going into the fourth quarter. Following a driving layup by Maddie Pounds to open the fourth quarter, North Carolina A&T scored 12 unanswered points to blow the game open before Von Essen connected on her fourth three of the afternoon at 5:40. It would be the only points Hofstra would score from the floor for the remainder of the game, as the Aggies closed the game with 12 points to the Pride's four down the stretch.
 
Clark led all players with 19 points and 15 rebounds in the Aggies' win.
 
Hofstra's next three games are all on the road, beginning with a trip to face UNCW on Friday, January 31, with a 7 p.m. tip-off against the Seahawks.
 
NOTES:
-Hofstra's all-time record drops to 1-4 against North Carolina A&T.
-With four threes against North Carolina A&T, Von Essen now has 183 three-pointers for her career. She is three away from tying and four from passing Tonya Yandrisevitz (186, 1989-93) for the fourth-most threes in school history.
-North Carolina A&T outshot Hofstra, 42.6%-30.2%, and outrebounded Hofstra, 46-29.