Hofstra goes out fighting in heartbreaking CAA semifinal loss to Stony Brook

Tyler Thomas (23) drives down baseline as Hofstra’s championship dreams evaporated in loss to Stony Brook. (Photo by Rafael Suanes/Coastal Athletic Association)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Twice in the span of 11 days earlier in the regular season, Hofstra had claimed victories over Stony Brook, but in neither instance, without a fight from its Suffolk County rival.

An upset necessitated a somewhat improbable third meeting between the two on Monday, except only this time, Hofstra was not as successful.

The Pride showed off its underrated defense in this affair, turning an already emotional and physical clash into a knock-down, drag-out brawl. In the end, it was Stony Brook who landed the final blows on the way to a second straight stunner, a 63-59 decision that earned the Seawolves a showdown with Charleston in Tuesday’s Coastal Athletic Association championship game.

“Hats off to Stony Brook,” head coach Speedy Claxton conceded. “They earned this one. They made their shots when they needed to, so congratulations to them.”

“Hell of a year for my guys. Super proud of them. There’s no head-hanging here. They gave us all that we wanted, game after game.”

Hofstra (20-13) withstood a rare struggle from Dstone Dubar one day after the forward recorded a double-double in the Pride’s quarterfinal win over Delaware Sunday. Against Stony Brook, he was limited to a mere five points, the product of aggressive defense and a cruel twist of fate.

“We tried to double-team him anytime he caught it within a step or so of the blocks,” Stony Brook head coach Geno Ford shared. “So that forced him to pass it, and on the perimeter, we just tried to really pressure him and make him drive it. I thought we did a good job. He had 32 or 34 on us in the first game and was why we lost, so I certainly know what he’s capable of. We tried similar stuff that night, and none of it worked.”

“He just had an off night, and as a basketball player, you’re gonna have off nights. It just sucked that tonight had to be that night for him.”

Midway through the second half, it felt as if Hofstra’s fortunes may have turned even more fickle, as CAA Player of the Year Tyler Thomas turned his ankle after connecting on a game-tying three straight away. On his landing, Thomas inadvertently came down on the foot of teammate Jacco Fritz, and was subsequently helped to the bench. He did not stay sidelined long, though, returning to try to will the Pride to a date with destiny and leaving a lasting final impression to the tune of 32 points, nine rebounds and six assists in his final college game.

“It means everything, man,” Thomas reflected with regard to his five-year career, split between Hofstra and a previous stop at Sacred Heart. “I came here and they set forth a plan for me. They believed (in) me from day one. That’s all you could ask for as a player. Speedy taught me a lot.”

“I’ll miss everything about him,” Claxton echoed. “He’s the definition of what we want a Hofstra basketball player to look like: A hard worker both on and off the court, a true leader. He comes to work every single day and shows how to make himself and his teammates better. The seniors and the upperclassmen, they showed the young guys what it means to be a Hofstra basketball player. You gotta come in, work hard, compete and work on your craft, and if you do that, you could have a successful career.”

Even with the result not ultimately desired, Hofstra’s final act was an unsurprising one for those who follow the program. Without Thomas’ heroic last stand, gutting it out on a gimpy ankle, the Pride could have turned in a different performance. But for a group who helped turn its season around by coming back from an 18-point deficit against Hampton, Claxton’s roster embodied and embraced its identity one last time.

“That’s how we’ve been all year,” Claxton said. “Early in the season, we would get down big, but there was no quit, and there never is no matter what the score is. We always play to the final buzzer, so I’m not surprised by the way we competed.”