Hempstead, NY – The Hofstra women's basketball team nearly erased a double-digit fourth quarter deficit against visiting Elon, but the Phoenix survived the Hofstra rally to come away with a 58-56 win over the Pride from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex Friday night in Coastal Athletic Association competition.
 
Hofstra's two-game winning streak is snapped with the loss and puts the Pride at 6-20 overall and 4-11 in league play. On the other end, Elon improves to 14-13 overall and 9-6 against CAA opponents.
 
Hofstra had three finish in double figures against Elon, led by Chloe Sterling's 16 points, followed by Alarice Gooden with 13 points, and Ema Karim with 10. Sandra Magolico pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and blocked four Elon shots while finishing with nine points, and Gooden led the Pride with three of the team's 12 assists.
 
With two-point baskets by Magolico, Sterling, Gooden, Karim, and Sana'a Garrett, Hofstra raced out to a 12-4 lead in a fast-paced start to the first quarter before Elon ended the quarter with an 8-0 run to even the score at 12-12. Elon continued the run into the second quarter with seven straight points to take a 19-12 lead with 7:43 to play. The Pride found the bottom of the basket on a Karim jumper at the 5:22 mark before Quinzia Fulmore put the difference back at seven with a layup at the other end. Magolico completed a three-point play with a layup and free throw at 4:29, and Karim knocked down threes on consecutive possessions to even the score at 23-23 with 2:39 left before halftime. Tamia Watkins converted a second-chance layup at the 2:09 mark for the final points of the half, putting the Phoenix ahead by two at the break.
 
Micaela Carter evened the score with a pair of free throws to open the third quarter before Elon rattled off six unanswered points to pull ahead 31-25. Sterling cut Elon's run with a midrange jumper at 6:45, but the Phoenix responded with four unanswered points to up the lead to eight before Sterling scored again to make the difference six points with 3:40 remaining in the quarter. The guests upped the lead to 10 with a 5-2 spurt before back-to-back buckets by Sterling and Gooden put the Pride behind by six, but a fastbreak layup by Watkins put the score at 43-35 to Elon heading into the fourth quarter.
 
The Phoenix opened the fourth quarter with a three by Kamryn Doty, giving Elon a double-digit lead. With the guests leading by 11 with 5:44 left in regulation, Magolico began Hofstra's 10-0 run with a layup at 5:25. Nevaeh Brown scored a driving layup to cut the difference to seven, and Sterling converted a pair of free throws with 2:05 left on the lock to make it a five-point game. Inside the final 85 seconds, Gooden and Sterling both scored twos to bring Hofstra to within one with 45 seconds left in the contest. With possession and with four seconds left, Sterling had a layup attempt blocked and recovered by Elon, and Watkins sunk one of two free throws to put the Phoenix ahead by two with two seconds left. Brown received the inbounds pass and put up a jumper that rimmed out as time expired.
 
Ashanti Fox was Elon's top scorer with 15 points, followed by Doty with 13 points. LaNae'Corbett and Ashlee Shaw led Elon with six rebounds each.
 
Hofstra will travel to West Long Branch, New Jersey to face Monmouth on Sunday, March 1, at 3 p.m.
 
NOTES:
-Magolico's four blocks are the most by a Hofstra player against a Division I opponent this season, and they tie her personal-best set against Duke on January 23, 2025, as a member of SMU.
-Hofstra outscored Elon 34-20 with points scored in the paint, and Elon's bench outscored Hofstra's 37-6.
-This was the 11th game this season with Magolico recording double-digit rebounds and her 10th game with at least 10 boards in conference play.
-Hofstra is now 4-18 all-time against Elon, and this is the fourth consecutive win by the Phoenix over the Pride.