Hofstra players and head coach Speedy Claxton react as Pride was announced as 13th seed in Midwest Regional, where it will face Alabama. (Photo by Hofstra Athletics)
Hofstra was finally able to enjoy the pageantry that came with hearing its name called as part of the NCAA Tournament field Sunday, and as it sometimes does, a subtle nod to the Pride’s history was tossed toward Long Island.
The newly-crowned Coastal Athletic Association champion drew the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Regional halfway through the unveiling of the 68-team field. Hofstra will meet fourth seed Alabama on Friday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. in Tampa, with the winner to face either Texas Tech or Akron in the second round.
“I really didn’t care who we played as long as we were in,” head coach Speedy Claxton said after Hofstra was announced following a false start due to a technical glitch by CBS during the reveal for the East Regional, which cut to Hofstra celebrating shortly after St. John’s was announced as the No. 5 seed in the East, leading many to think the Pride would face Rick Pitino and the Big East champion Red Storm. But the error was acknowledged when the bracket had St. John’s playing No. 12 seed Northern Iowa instead.
Hofstra’s matchup with Alabama does have some recent history attached, however. Aaron Estrada, the two-time CAA Player of the Year and 2023 Haggerty Award winner, transferred from Hofstra to Alabama to conclude his career in the 2023-24 season, where he helped lead the Crimson Tide to the program’s first Final Four.
“Estrada was at Hofstra for two years, so he better have blue and gold on come Friday,” associate head coach Mike DePaoli joked. “I told him, it’s never gonna be Roll Tide, it’s always gonna be Roll Pride.”
“He better be at the game,” Claxton quipped. “You need to come, you need to pull up. You better not be sitting at halfcourt, either. Behind our bench!”
In all seriousness, Alabama’s breakneck pace represents an opportunity for Hofstra to post an upset with its stout defense and nose for the backboards against the athleticism and NBA-influenced offense of the Tide.
“We know they want to play up and down,” senior guard Cruz Davis acknowledged. “We just gotta do what we do. We win on the defensive end, so we’ve gotta defend and rebound.”
For Claxton, now leading his alma mater back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001 as its head coach, this tournament run carries added significance. Hofstra had won the CAA six years ago and was poised to represent the league in March Madness in 2020, only to have it scrapped by the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of having had it and lost it has brought more value to the experience for the Pride, whose leader gets to see through a different lens this time, but share his joy in the process.
“I’m happy for the guys,” an emotional Claxton said from the heart. “To share this, to have this moment, is unbelievable. They’re gonna remember this for a lifetime, they won’t forget this.”
Hofstra vs. Alabama Media Information
Date: Friday, March 20, 2026
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Site: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, Fla.
TV: truTV (Tom McCarthy, Candace Parker, Dan Bonner, AJ Ross)
Radio: WRHU 88.7 FM (Dylan Brett, Calvin Wille, Eric Leaf)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.