Mejia's late three-point play lifts Pride
Hofstra guard Stevie Mejia drives the ball guarded by Northeastern forward Kauri Black. (Jan. 11, 2012) Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Not being able to win close games has been a real problem for Hofstra this season. But it wasn't Saturday as Stevie Mejia converted a three-point play with 6.1 seconds left to give the Pride a 71-69 win over James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va.
The win stopped a six-game losing streak for Hofstra (7-13, 1-7 Colonial Athletic Association). The Pride's average margin of defeat during the six-game losing streak was 6.6 points.
James Madison took a 69-68 lead with 17 seconds to go on a three-point play by Enoch Hood. Hofstra, which had no timeouts, got the ball upcourt quickly and Mejia found an opening on the low left block to drive, creating contact on Humpty Hitchens while making the shot off the glass. "At that point, we just needed a basket," coach Mo Cassara said. "They went to a 1-3-1 [zone] and it was a look they didn't use much before. We made clutch plays and I'm proud of our guys."
Mejia had eight points and three assists. "It's a hard-fought win against a team that played us so close," Cassara said. "I'm thrilled for Stevie to see that, knowing he's been battling back from injuries this season. He made a big-time play and then made a big-time free throw."
Nathaniel Lester scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half, David Imes had 14 points and Moore 10 for Hofstra, which shot 51.9 percent from the field. Lester hit a three-pointer with 59 seconds left to give Hofstra a 68-66 lead.
A.J. Davis had 24 points and Hitchens and Arman Marks scored 14 points each for JMU (9-10, 2-6).
