Dec. 21, 2009

Box Score

Hempstead, N.Y. - For the second straight game Stony Brook University's women's basketball team fell just short of completing a double-digit comeback when it lost to Hofstra, 67-61, at the Mack Sports Complex in Hempstead, N.Y. on Monday night. Junior Kirsten Jeter (Elmont, N.Y.) and freshman Sam Landers (Springfield, Va.) tied for the game high with 14 points for Stony Brook. With the loss, the Seawolves drop to 2-8 while Hofstra improves to (7-3).

"We have to find a way to start making baskets in the first ten minutes of the game," said head coach Michele Cherry. "We play hard but we aren't scoring so we end up in these big holes that we can't get out of. We showed a lot of effort and fight but it was too little too late. Give Hofstra credit, though, as they closed things out."

Stony Brook missed its first six field goal attempts and found itself trailing by 15 at 19-4 with 10:44 remaining before things started to click offensively. The Seawolves outscored Hofstra by eight in just over two minutes to trim the lead to seven on a corner three by Landers. Following a pair of free throws by the Pride, Landers nailed her second three of the game with 5:38 remaining to put the score at 24-18. Hofstra finished strong, however, doubling its lead to 12 before the midway point.

After a back-and-forth start to the second half, SBU used an 8-1 run, capped by a fastbreak layup from freshman Gerda Gatling (Woodbridge, Va.), to pull within five with 12:34 left. Once again the Pride would answer right back, however, scoring the next five points to move its lead back into double digits at 52-42.

With 8:44 remaining a steal from senior Crystal Rushin (Valley Stream, N.Y.) started a Seawolves fastbreak which ended in a lefty layup by Landers sparking an SBU run. On the following possession, Rushin deflected a pass at the top of the key and took it all the way for another layup. After a Hofstra timeout and a missed three, junior Misha Horsey (Wyncote, Pa.) scored the Seawolves seventh-straight point on a baseline jumper with 7:56 left which pulled them within three.

Hofstra once again extended the lead to ten at the 4:46 mark before the Seawolves inched their way back. A pair of buckets from Jeter helped SBU trim the lead to six with 51 seconds remaining. Ten seconds later, junior Cassie Klockgether (San Diego, Calif.) hit a three off the dribble to make it a three-point game, but Hofstra hit five of its eight free throws down the stretch to hold on for the 67-61 victory.

Rushin finished the night with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, earning her the America East Player of the Game. Landers, who connected on 5-of-6 field goals, posted a new career high with her 14 points.

Stony Brook's next game will be on Sunday when it travels to Maryland to play in the Terrapin Classic. The Seawolves face the Terrapins on Sunday and UNC-Wilmington on Monday.