Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra women's basketball team nearly erased a 12-point deficit going into the fourth quarter, but the comeback attempt came up just short as the Pride dropped a 61-55 decision against visiting Bucknell from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex on Saturday. Hofstra slips to 1-3 with the loss, and Bucknell moves to 2-3 on the season.
Alarice Gooden continued the strong start to her senior season with a team-leading 16 points while adding five rebounds to the cause, and
Ayen Angoi posted 10 points, six rebounds, and a pair of assists.
Deivejon Harris came off the bench and contributed a game-high eight rebounds and six points for the hosts, and
Sana'a Garrett dished out three Hofstra assists.
The Pride jumped out to an early six-point lead four minutes into the contest through buckets by Gooden, Harris,
Emma Von Essen, and a
Sandra Magolico free throw. A layup by Angoi at the 5:24 mark made it a five-point cushion for Hofstra, but Bucknell got hot on both ends of the court and scored 14 unanswered points off of three three-pointers, a two-point jumper, and three free throws to end the quarter ahead by nine.
Bucknell's run continued into the second quarter with the first six points to grow the lead to 15 before Angoi stopped the scoring drought with a pair from the stripe at 7:31. The Bison lead was as much as 17 points at the 5:36 mark of the quarter, but Hofstra cut it to 12 thanks to an 8-3 run. A two-pointer by Bucknell's Elana Wiesman inside the final minute put the halftime score at 36-22.
The Bison led by as many as 18 points to start the third quarter, but Hofstra kept at it and battled back, drawing within 10 points of the visitors before the quarter ended with the Pride trailing 50-38. Hofstra clawed back to within eight thanks to back-to-back twos from Angoi and Gooden inside the first two minutes of the fourth. A three by Isabella Casey put the difference back at double-digits at 8:27, and a free throw by Tuana Coskun canceled out a pair from the stripe by Gooden, making the score 54-44 with 7:00 still to play in regulation. A Hofstra run of nine unanswered points in the span of 2:20 brought the hosts to within two with four minutes on the clock, but a Reese Zemitis three and a free throw by Anna Kunzwiler made it a six-point game at the 1:54 mark. Three Magolico free throws cut it to a three-point difference with 45 seconds left, but Bucknell converted a trio of free throws themselves while keeping Hofstra scoreless for the remainder of the quarter to see out the win.
Zemitis led all players with a career-high 21 points, followed by 15 points from Casey, and Kunzwiler paced the Bison with seven rebounds.
Hofstra heads to San Juan, Puerto Rico for its next pair of contests at the 2025 Discover Puerto Rico Shootout. The Pride will face #9 Maryland on Thursday, November 27, at 3 p.m. (ET)/4 p.m. (AT) before taking on East Carolina at 12:30 p.m. (ET)/1:30 p.m. (AT) on Friday, November 28.
NOTES:
-Hofstra pulled down 37 rebounds to Bucknell's 32.
-Bucknell narrowly outshot Hofstra, 39.2% (20-51) to 39.1% (18-46).
-Von Essen was held without a three-pointer for the first time since March 2, 2025, against William & Mary.
-Hofstra is now 14-7 all-time against Bucknell.
