Hofstra Knocks Women's Basketball Out Of WNIT, 64-52

BOX SCORE

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. Four players scored in double figures for Hofstra as the Pride (25-7) knocked off the Seton Hall women’s basketball team, 64-52, in the second round of the WNIT.  The Pirates (19-12) finish the season with their best record in 12 years.

Junior Ela Mukosiej (Bilystok, Poland) paced SHU with 12 points, while Brittney Messina (Massapequa, N.Y.) added 10.  The Pirates committed 27 turnovers, including 16 in the first half that helped Hofstra jump out to a 14-point lead at the break.

The teams traded the lead in the early going before settling at an 8-8 tie on a Monique Blake (Union, N.J.) jumper.  The Pride scored eight of the next 10 points before Messina connected on a twisting lay-up with 10:32 left to make it 16-12.

Hofstra put together a 16-0 run to take control of the game as SHU went nine minutes and nine seconds without scoring.  Jadis Rhodin (Lakehurst, N.J.) broke the drought for the Hall with a jumper at the 1:23 mark, and Messina closed the half with a three-point play that made it 33-19 at intermission.

The Pirates got to within 13 in the early going of the second half on a Mukosiej basket, but the Pride responded with a 9-1 run to go up 43-23 with 14:30 to play.  After trading baskets, Blake’s lay-in sparked a 10-0 Pirate spurt that brought SHU back to within 10 points with nine minutes remaining.

The Pride again had the answer, running off six in a row to regain control at 51-35.  SHU turned up its defensive pressure the rest of the way and finally cut the deficit under 10 on two Noteisha Womack (Ft. Washington, Md.) free throws that made it 59-51 with 1:41 left.  The Hall would get no closer, however, and the season came to a close with a 12-point setback.

The Pirates outshot the Pride 38.9 percent to 36.5 percent, but it was not enough to overcome the -9 differential in turnovers.  SHU came up with 15 steals on the day, including five from Rhodin and four by Amber Harris, who also added seven points and two boards.

Seniors Blake and Heta Korpivaara (Espoo, Finland) played their final game for the Pirates.