Hofstra’s anniversary party thwarted by William & Mary as Pride drops CAA opener

Jaquan Sanders led Hofstra with 15 points Thursday, but Pride dropped CAA opener to William & Mary. (Photo by Matteo Bracco/Hofstra Athletics)

By Jason Dimaio (@Jaydimaio)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Five years ago to the day Thursday, Hofstra celebrated the 20th anniversary of its debut at what is now the Mack Sports Complex, but the Pride suffered a 27-point loss to William & Mary.

Hofstra welcomed the same Tribe program to Long Island again Thursday to mark the silver milestone for its on-campus arena, but history repeated itself.

Despite opening the game on a 10-2 run, the Pride saw Jaquan Sanders’ back-to-back threes answered by a torrid display of marksmanship as William & Mary turned back the hosts in a 74-56 decision that served as the Coastal Athletic Association opener for both sides.

“I have no thoughts on it,” head coach Speedy Claxton assessed with regard to the momentous occasion. “We’re focusing on the next game.”

Claxton can be forgiven for wanting to have a short memory Thursday, as Hofstra (8-6, 0-1 CAA) dropped its third straight as William & Mary responded to the Pride’s opening salvo with a staggering 46-8 onslaught. The Tribe led by as many as 30 points in a first half that saw Claxton use all four of his timeouts as he looked for whatever spark he could find to ignite his team. The length of William & Mary presented problems throughout the evening for Hofstra, who was forced to try to keep the visitors at bay from beyond the arc as the Tribe packed the paint. The attempt was in vain, as the Pride’s three leading scorers—Sanders, Cruz Davis, and Jean Aranguren—shot a combined 11-for-42 from the field.

After the intermission, Hofstra kept a good effort, cutting its deficit to 15 midway through the second half. That was as close as the Pride would get, however, as William & Mary scored the next six points after that to ice the outcome in comfortable fashion. TJ Gadsden and Joshua DeCady were among the bright spots for Claxton’s unit Thursday, with the pair combining for 18 points and missing just one shot in a productive second half. DeCady was the most efficient Hofstra player Thursday, recording a plus-14. Claxton hinted at trying to find more minutes for him, as well as Gadsden, on a night where he chalked up the Pride’s effort as making the best of what the Tribe had given his team.

“I don’t think we were settling,” he said. “Those were the shots that they were giving us. You have to step up and make the shot. Our guys have to shoot the ball with confidence. We gotta just get in the gym, get up extra shots and get to game speed. If those are shots that the defense is going to give you, you have to step up and make them.”

Hofstra will look to right the ship in fairly short order, when the Pride returns to action Saturday at Northeastern. Tipoff from Boston is set for 12 p.m.