Hempstead, N.Y. - Senior guard Mike Moore scored 24
points and junior forward David Imes added 10 points and seven rebounds, but it
wasn't enough as James Madison University hit a layup in the waning seconds to
defeat Hofstra, 62-60, on Saturday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex.
The Pride built a 10-point lead in the second half before
falling to 3-5 and 0-1 in Colonial Athletic Association play. JMU guard Humpty
Hitchens scored 20 points, including the winning basket, and A.J. Davis scored
10 of his 12 points in the second half to lift the Dukes to 4-2 and 1-0.
The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak in the series
for Hofstra. The Pride posted a lead for the seventh time in eight games this
season before JMU went on a game-ending 22-12 run in the final 10 minutes,
allowing the Dukes to post a win in the matchup for the first time since the
2002-03 season.
Moore scored 20 of his 24 points in the first half,
sending Hofstra into the break with a 31-27 edge. Moore finished with seven rebounds in
recording his sixth 20-point game of the campaign.
Senior guard Dwan McMillan tallied four assists in his
first start of the season, taking over primary duties at the point for the
injured Stevie Mejia. Sophomore guard Shemiye McLendon also registered four
assists off the bench.
In the first half, Moore was the only Hofstra player to
score more than six points. With JMU keying on him early in the second half,
Imes and senior forward Nathaniel Lester picked up the scoring. Lester scored
all seven points in the second half and freshman center Moussa Kone finished
with six points and a career-high four blocks.
Moore scored Hofstra's last four points, including a
cutting layup with 27 seconds left to tie the score 60 while galvanizing the
crowd of 2,713. After the basket, JMU ran down the clock in playing for the
last shot. Hitchens stayed near the top of the three-point line with McMillan
giving him a four-foot cushion. With time running out, Hitchens finally drove
to the basket and unleashed a shot with McMillan providing tight coverage.
Despite shooting with a hand in his face, Hitchens hit
the shot for the 62-60 lead with less than three seconds remaining. Off the in-bounds,
Moore collected the pass and heaved a half-court shot that went off the
backboard as Hofstra lost its second two-point game of the season.
Head coach Mo Cassara's team continued to do well
defensively against long-range shooting opponents. JMU entered ranked third in
the nation with a 46.9 percentage on threes and seventh in three-pointers
attempted (10.6). But the Pride held the Dukes to just 28.6 percent (6-for-21)
beyond the arc.
The Pride won't play another CAA game until Jan. 2 when
the team hosts Virginia Commonwealth University. Hofstra will now end December
with five straight non-conference matchups, starting on Tuesday when the squad
travels to Staten Island to face Wagner College at 7 p.m. That contest will mark the Pride's only road
game of the month.
