Hofstra falls in CAA semis to UNCW: Rapid Reaction

Aaron Estrada led Hofstra with 25 points, but Pride’s CAA tournament run came to end with semifinal loss to UNCW. (Photo by Rafael Suanes/Colonial Athletic Association)

By Jason Dimaio (@JasonDimaio1)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The deflating reality of what was a spectacular season for Hofstra with the hope of an NCAA Tournament berth came to an end Monday, as the Pride fell short against UNC Wilmington in overtime, 79-73.

“It’s heartbreaking,” a disheartened Aaron Estrada shared as Hofstra, the top seed in the Colonial Athletic Association tournament, saw its March dreams disappear in the semifinal round while not being able to make a field goal in the final 9:48 of regulation and overtime. “I don't know what I’ll be doing next year. Every college player dreams of playing in March. It’s just heartbreaking.”

“I said to them all year, we are a championship-caliber team,” Speedy Claxton echoed. “I thought we were the better team, but give (UNCW) credit.”

A championship team was what Hofstra looked like to start the game. After getting out to a 13-point lead, the Pride looked like it was on pace for another convincing victory that would have been its 13th straight, but UNCW responded to Hofstra's offensive attack, something the Pride had rarely seen from an opposing team during its win streak, which began on January 19 against the same Seahawk team it faced on Monday. UNCW brought defensive intensity all night and made things very tough for the Pride at times, but after a fast-paced first half, Hofstra held a 43-42 lead going into halftime.

The second stanza had all the dramatic moments a fan expects to see in March. Out of the gates, UNCW seemed to make adjustments that noticeably caught Hofstra off kilter. Using their size and physicality, the Seahawks had a lot of success in the paint, an area where they outscored Hofstra, 28-18. Claxton went to Warren Willams over Nelson Boachie-Yiadom for much of the second half as a way to try and combat UNCW’s inside attack, but it didn’t make much of a difference.

With 8:25 to go, UNCW used a 7-0 run to go ahead 64-59, and would extend its lead to as much as seven. But over the final seven minutes of regulation, Hofstra flipped a switch as the heat was turned on. The Pride ripped off a 7-0 run of its own to retake the lead. After back-and-forth baskets by both teams, Donovan Newby hit a 3-pointer to put UNCW up 71-68 with 2:33 remaining in regulation. With the Seahawks then looking to close the game out against an out-of-sorts Pride team, Tyler Thomas sent up a rushed three and was fouled in the process, sending him to the line to hit the biggest free throws of his career with 15.2 seconds remaining. Thomas would knock down all three shots and tie the game at 71. UNCW head coach Takayo Siddle then called for a clearout on the right wing of the basket for big man Nick Farrar, who had his way all night. Going to his strong side, Farrar hoisted up a layup attempt. UNCW got the shot it wanted, but it fell short, prompting five more minutes to settle the score.

Much of what plagued Hofstra down the stretch in regulation continued in overtime, as the UNCW pressure got the best of the Pride. With 1:21 on the clock and Hofstra down 74-73, Estrada grabbed a rebound and with two timeouts still in his pocket, Claxton decided to play out the possession instead of opting to try and draw something up to end the offensive rut. Estrada dribbled himself into a turnover, and UNCW scored on the opposite end by a bucket by Farrar to go up 76-73. On the ensuing trip down the court for Hofstra, the Pride saw Thomas draw the attention of the Seahawk defense, which led to a wide open corner three for Jaquan Carlos. The shot had the Pride bench off its feet with confidence, but it rimmed in and out, the final rally in a valiant effort for the regular season co-champion.