Hofstra rights ship in rout of Delaware

Cruz Davis (5) finishes for layup on a night where his 28 points provided more than enough for Hofstra to end two-game skid with decisive win over Delaware. (Photo by Matteo Bracco/Hofstra Athletics)

By Vincent Simone (@VTSimone)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — A 93-68 rout of Delaware was just what the doctor ordered for Hofstra, which rebounded convincingly from back-to-back road losses to conference foes Towson and Drexel, in which the Pride let double-digit leads disappear.

“The emphasis was to play 40 minutes tonight,” head coach Speedy Claxton said after the game. “I told these guys, ‘listen, we lost, but we’re close.’ I think they saw tonight what we’re capable of when we play for 40 minutes.”

The 25-point margin of victory marked Hofstra’s best of the season against a Division I opponent. Led by a career-high 28 points from redshirt sophomore guard Cruz Davis, the Pride shot 60 percent from the field, 48 percent from 3-point range, and saw five players finish in double figures.

“Be confident shooting the basketball,” Claxton emphasized to his team. “We have good shooters. I don’t know if for some reason they lost confidence in themselves, but we told them (to) just keep shooting the basketball.”

Hofstra held a 43-36 lead at halftime, and used a 15-4 run in the first minutes of the second stanza to open all the breathing room it would need. Seven-foot backup forward Silas Sunday shone in the post, hitting double digits for the second time this season and helping the Pride to a 42-16 advantage in the paint.

“We’ve got guys who are really good post players,” Claxton said of Sunday and starting forward Michael Graham. “They’ve been a bright spot on both ends. We’re focusing on getting them the basketball a little bit more and allowing them to flourish in the post.”

Sadly, Thursday’s matchup marked the final time Hofstra will host Delaware as conference foes. The Blue Hens will be jumping from the Coastal Athletic Association to Conference USA next season. Delaware is Hofstra’s most-played opponent of all time, with 104 total meetings after Thursday’s contest. The victory was the Pride’s ninth straight in the series, which now boasts a 70-34 advantage for Hofstra.

“It’s sad to see them go,” Claxton said of the matchup he has experienced both as a player and coach. “They were a big rivalry for myself when I was here at Hofstra. (It’s) definitely going to be a sad moment when we go down there for the last game.”

Barring a matchup in the CAA tournament, the Pride and Blue Hens will meet for the final time as conference opponents on February 22 in Newark, Delaware.