Justin Wright-Foreman's 21 points help Hofstra win 12th in a row

ELON, N.C. — Justin Wright-Foreman had 21 points, Eli Pemberton added 15 and Jacquil Taylor chipped in with 13 as Hofstra extended its win streak to 12 games with a 74-71 come-from-behind victory over Elon on Saturday.

The Pride trailed by 10 early in the second half before rallying for the victory.

The win moves Hofstra’s record to 15-3 overall and a perfect 5-0 in Colonial Athletic Association play. It is the nation’s third-longest active win streak and the fourth-longest win in program history; and the second-longest win streak in program history in the NCAA Division I era (since 1966-67).

The 2000-01 team won 18 straight games. Elon falls to 5-14 and 1-5 in conference play.

The 15-3 record is the best start in the program’s Division I history and the 5-0 start in conference play marks the first time the Pride has began the CAA slate with five straight wins since joining the league in 2001-02.

Hofstra scored the first seven points of the contest as a pair of baskets from Taylor were sandwiched around a three-pointer from Wright-Foreman to push the lead to seven just two minutes into the contest. Hofstra still led by five with 11:28 left after a basket from graduate student Dan Dwyer before Elon scored five straight to knot the score. With the Pride ahead 22-19 later in the half, the Phoenix would use a 12-3 run to take a 31-25 lead following a three-pointer from Kris Wooten. Elon would stay in front the remainder of the stanza<NM> and took an eight-point lead into the break.

Elon pushed the lead to double figures with the first basket of the second half to make it 39-29. The Pride responded, though, and used a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to 41-38 following a layup from Wright-Foreman.

The Phoenix lead would still be at five, 50-45, before the Pride used a 16-3 run to take a 61-53 lead with 8:22 left in regulation after a layup from Pemberton.

Elon chipped away and would make it a one-point game, 65-64, after a Tyler Seibring three-pointer with 3:38 left. A dunk from Taylor just 20 seconds later would push it back to a three-point advantage for the Pride and Hofstra would hit seven of eight free throws in the final three minutes to put the game away. Elon did have one final look at a game-tying three-pointer but the shot from Seibring was off the mark and allowed Hofstra to escape with the victory.

Jalen Ray added nine points for the Pride, which got six points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals from Desure Buie. Taylor led Hofstra with seven rebounds.

Seibring scored 25 points and had six rebounds to lead the Phoenix, while Steven Santa Ana added 10 points and nine rebounds. Sheldon Eberhardt chipped in with 12 points for Elon.