Hofstra's Nathaniel Lester suffers injury

As if Hofstra's basketball program hasn't taken enough blows since the departure of coach Tom Pecora to Fordham, the Pride took another shot to the chin on Tuesday when senior guard Nathaniel Lester suffered an injury that might threaten his season.

A Hofstra spokesman acknowledged that Lester suffered an injury but declined to provide details until Lester consents and the school's training staff has an opportunity to make an extensive diagnosis. The spokesman said the injury occurred Tuesday but had no information on how it was sustained.

There are unsubstantiated rumors that Lester tore a quad muscle and will require seven months to heal, which would put him into the middle of February. If true, it hardly would be worthwhile to return for one month if it's possible to come back the following season as a medical redshirt.

After the transfers of sophomore stars Chaz Williams to Massachusetts and Hilal Kanacevic to St. Joseph's, the current Hofstra roster lists only nine names. Lester's loss would leave new coach Moe Cassara with an even steeper hill to climb.