Hofstra starts fast, holds on for one-point win at Delaware

After an 18-point loss to Delaware, Hofstra acting men’s basketball coach Mike Farrelly spent Friday night similar to millions of other Americans — scouring the internet. But he was hard at work.

Farrelly searched for articles quoting some of the top coaches and programs in the country. He found quotes from Kentucky coach John Calipari, Michigan coach Juwan Howard, who heads the No. 7 team in the country, and Oregon State coach Dana Altman, whose team had just lost by 34 points.

All three coaches’ quotes emphasized energy and effort. Farrelly wanted to bring the same message to his squad, and clearly, his players listened.

The Pride scored the first 13 points of the game in a 68-67 win over host Delaware in Colonial Athletic Association action at Bob Carpenter Center in Newark, Delaware, on Sunday afternoon.

Based on the early energy and effort, Farrelly said the players proved they are capable of being better.

"You could just sense the different energy level we had, so that’s what it came down to," he said. "That fire, that fight, that start. And I told the guys, ‘Now you messed up, because you showed us what we can do, but that’s now going to become the standard.’

"You don’t build a habit in one day, so we have to work and practice on that all week long and then we have to bring that energy again when we tip it up on Saturday."

Jalen Ray had 23 points and Caleb Burgess added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists for Hofstra (7-6, 3-3), which outlasted Delaware after opening a 41-28 halftime lead.

Delaware (4-6, 2-3) had the final possession, but Hofstra held the Blue Hens without a shot. Delaware didn’t have any timeouts, so the Hofstra defense had to organize itself quickly.

"We figured it out, and that’s what you need to do," Farrelly said. "We talked about this a little bit the other day. Sometimes we feel like these guys look for the answers for the test and we try to give them the answers to the test and say, ‘Hey, this is what they are going to do,’ but at the end of the day, it’s not, ‘Hey, they are going to run this play.’ It’s ‘what’s your energy, what’s your effort like?’ "

Farrelly hopes to see the same energy and effort from the start of the game for 40 minutes.

"Any win is going to help your confidence and self-esteem, but how do you grow from wins like you grow from losses?" he said. "I think that’s important and to be ready to go for next weekend."

Hofstra women fall. Junior JaKayla Brown scored a career-high 26 points in the Hofstra women’s basketball team’s 65-46 loss to visiting Delaware.