STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The Stony Brook men's basketball team (10-19, 6-10 CAA) went toe-to-toe with the first-place Hofstra Pride (22-8, 15-2 CAA) in the second 'Battle of Long Island' this season on Saturday night at Island Federal Arena. In front of an electric sold-out crowd on Senior Night, the Seawolves fell by one possession, 68-65.
Senior guard and captain
Tyler Stephenson-Moore had one of the best performances of his entire career on Senior Night. Stephenson-Moore scored a career-high 27 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the floor. He added three rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes of action.
Stony Brook, which fell by 21 points to Hofstra on February 4, led the Pride at halftime on Saturday. The Seawolves were led by Stephenson-Moore's 14 first-half points.
On the final possession of the first half, Stephenson-Moore blew past Hofstra guard Tyler Thomas and got to the rack where he sunk a layup as the buzzer sounded. The Seawolves carried a 33-27 lead into the break.
The Seawolves and the Pride went back-and-forth throughout the entire second half. With just under 16 minutes remaining and the score tied at 37-37, graduate center
Keenan Fitzmorris faked a jump shot and drove to the basket. He then dumped off a pass to Stephenson-Moore who finished a layup to put Stony Brook back in front.
The senior from Jamaica, New York, carried a huge workload in his 40 minutes of action in the game. With Stony Brook up 42-41 with about 13:30 remaining, Stephenson-Moore extended a possession with an offensive rebound and would finish the possession with a mid-range jumper from the corner.
Stony Brook's defense was impressive in limiting Hofstra to just 68 points. The Pride came into Saturday's game averaging 74 points per game. The Seawolves' stifling attack also helped to limit the CAA's leading scorer, guard Aaron Estrada.
Estrada came into the game averaging a league-best 20.9 points per game and Stony Brook held him to score just 10 points and shot 1-for-12 from the field and 0-for-4 from three-point range.
With just over four minutes remaining and trailing by one point, Stephenson-Moore nailed a gutsy mid-range jumper to give the Seawolves a 58-57 lead.
Hofstra regained the lead at the free-throw line on the following possession and never looked back, holding on for its 10
th-straight victory.
The Seawolves closed out their 2022-23 home slate with a sellout.
STATS AND NOTES
- Stephenson-Moore, Policelli and guard Tanahj Pettway were honored in a ceremony before the game for Senior Night.
- Stephenson-Moore scored 13 points in the second half.
- Fitzmorris also reached double figures, scoring 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the floor. He added four rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes of action off the bench.
- Graduate forward Frankie Policelli racked up a team-high 10 rebounds and matched his career-high with team-best six assists.
- Pettway dropped six points and hauled in six rebounds.
- The Seawolves shot 41 percent from the floor (24-for-58), making three more field goals than Hofstra.
- Stony Brook outrebounded Hofstra, 36-35.
- The Seawolves totaled seven steals and 15 assists, while Hofstra totaled four steals and 10 assists.
- Stony Brook led for 22 minutes of the game.
- The game featured six lead changes and four ties.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
NEXT UP
Stony Brook will travel to Wilmington, North Carolina, to face off against the UNCW Seahawks, for the second time this season, on Thursday, Feb. 23. Tip- off is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on FloHoops.
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