Courtesy: Hofstra Athletic Communications Senior center Jess Fuller
Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Women's Basketball team begins the 2009-10 season tonight when it hosts Buffalo at 7 p.m. in the Mack Sports Complex. The game will air on Verizon FiOS1 (tape delay) and is the first of nine Hofstra Women's Basketball games that will air on television this regular season.
Hofstra has high hopes entering the 2009-10 season as the Pride returns three starters from last year's team, including senior center Jess Fuller and sophomore forward Joelle Connelly. Fuller was named to the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) second team last year, while Connelly garnered CAA Rookie of the Year honors. The strong group of returnees doesn't end there, though, as senior guard Sam Brigham completes the trio of returning starters. In addition, sophomore guard Nicole Capurso, the team's second leading scorer a season ago, returns as does redshirt sophomore guard Candice Bellocchio. Bellocchio started the first seven games of the 2008-09 campaign before being sidelined by an injury.
Hofstra compiled a 16-14 overall record last year, which ranked as the third-best improvement in the nation. In addition, Hofstra's recruiting class of freshman forward Shante Evans and freshman guard Candace Bond was ranked as the 41st-best class by ESPN/HoopGurlz and Evans was the ninth-best forward in the class of 2009 and the 54th-best player in the class.
Fuller is Hofstra's leading returning scorer and rebounder at 11.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per outing in 2008-09. Fuller also ranked fourth in the nation in blocks per game with an average 3.2 per game. Combined with Connelly's 2.0 blocks per game, the Pride ranked second in the nation in blocks per game at 6.9 per contest. Connelly averaged 9.1 points and 6.2 rebounds a game last year, while Capurso came off the bench in 21 of the 23 games she played in but still averaged 10.3 points per game. Capurso was Hofstra's top outside threat with 43 three-pointers, while Brigham also drained 30 three-pointers.
Buffalo returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's team that went 8-24. Leading the way for the Bulls is forward Kourtney Brown, who averaged 16.6 points and 8.2 rebounds. Hofstra and Buffalo have met seven times previously with the Bulls holding a 5-2 series advantage. Led by 11 points, including the game-tying bucket at the end of regulation, and 13 rebounds from Connelly, Hofstra earned a hard-fought 80-73 win over Buffalo last season.
Full video and audio of the game will be available on GoHofstra.com through the PRIDE ZONE.
Courtesy: Hofstra Athletic Communications