Hofstra University Athletics

PRIDE TO TAKE ON LADY LIONS ON THURSDAY IN WNIT

3/18/2010 12:00:00 PM

Hempstead, NY - The Hofstra Women's Basketball team will return to postseason play for the first time since the 2006-07 season when they head to Penn State on Thursday in first round action in the 2010 Postseason Women's National Invitation Tournament.

Tip-off for the game between the Lady Lions and the Pride is scheduled for 7 p.m. from the Bryce Jordan Center.

Hofstra brings a 19-13 record into the meeting with Penn State. The Pride is led by freshman forward Shante Evans, who averages 13.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game this year. Evans, a second team All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and CAA All-Rookie pick, started 25 of the 32 games this season.

Three other members of the Pride also average at least nine points per outing as sophomore guard Nicole Capurso is second with 9.7, while senior guard Sam Brigham and senior center Jess Fuller are close behind with 9.2 and 9.1, respectively.

Capurso and Brigham are Hofstra's top outside threats as well, as the pair have combined for 91 of Hofstra's 110 three-pointers in 2009-10. Capurso leads the way with 55 three-pointers, with Brigham nailing 36 of her 83 attempts (43%).

Fuller has been Hofstra's top defensive player all season as the junior college transfer leads Hofstra, the CAA and ranks 10th nationally in blocked shots per game (3.0). Fuller ranks first all-time in program history with 201 blocks, and this season she has 96 blocks and is second with 5.6 rebounds per game. She is one blocked shot shy of tying her own school record set last season.

Thursday's meeting with Penn State will mark the first-ever between the two programs and Hofstra brings an all-time record of 1-1 against the current members of the Big Ten Conference. Hofstra's lone win over a Big Ten school came in November, 2006 when the Pride stunned nationally-ranked Michigan State, 57-53, for its lone win over a ranked opponent in school history. The other meeting against a Big Ten school came during the 2001-02 season when Hofstra dropped a game at Northwestern in the Roger L. White Invitational.

Penn State is 17-13 this season and is led by Tyra Grant, who averages a team-best 19.1 points per game. Alex Bentley is also in double figures for the Lady Lions as she compliments Grant with 11.8 points per outing. Julia Trogele leads Penn State with 6.4 caroms per game, while also averaging 6.8 points.

Hofstra and Penn State share two common opponents in 2009-10 as Hofstra defeated Buffalo (77-60) and split with Drexel (L 41-51 and W 68-67 OT), while Penn State defeated Drexel by the score of 71-61 and routed Buffalo, 86-65.

The winner of Thursday's game will face either Saint Joseph's or Virginia Commonwealth in the second round. Site, day and time for that game will be determined after the conclusion of the first round.

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