Feb. 2, 2006
Hempstead, NY (Feb. 2) - Senior forward Aurimas Kieza hit a three-pointer as time expired to give the Hofstra Men'sBasketball team a 65-63 win over defending CAA champion Old Dominion onThursday evening at Hofstra Arena. The shot came after ODU junior guardDrew Williamson put ODU ahead with 5.5 seconds left, 64-62.
With the win, the Pride improves to 15-4 overall and 8-3 in the CAA,leapfrogging over Old Dominion (15-7, 8-4 CAA) and into fourth place inthe CAA standings. It was also the Pride's 16th straight home win,moving it into a tie for sixth place on the longest current home winning streaks in the nation.
For the fourth time in fiveall-time meetings at Hofstra Arena between the two teams the gamehas come down to a shot at the buzzer.
This time around, Old Dominion junior guard Drew Williamson gave OldDominion a 63-62 lead on a three-pointer with 5.6 seconds remaining andStokes once again brought the ball down court against defensivepressure. This time, though, he kicked it to his right to Kieza, whospotted up just to the right of the top of the key. Kieza let fly with athree-pointer over the top of the defensive pressure that found the netjust after the horn sounded.
After a Loren Stokes basket put the Pride ahead 62-54 with 2:30 to play, ODU answered, with three straight three-pointers to takethe lead. Senior forward Alex Loughton hit the first one with 2:13 left, and junior forward Arnaud Dahi followed with 1:27 to go. After Hofstra missed the front end of a one-and-one with 21 seconds to play,Williamson shook free at the top of the arc and buried a 22-footer tocap off the 9-0 run and give the Monarchs their only lead of the secondhalf.
Four Monarchs scored in double figures tonight. Dahi came off thebench to score 20, while Williamson scored 13 with three assists andfour steals. Alex Loughton scored 11 and hauled in a game high six rebounds, while Valdas Vasylius scord ten with five rebounds.
Hofstra was led by Loren Stokes and Antoine Agudio with 16 pointseach, while Kieza scored 15 and Carlos Rivera scored 14.
ODU shot .426 from the floor, but .593 (14-24) in the second half.The Monarchs only committed ten turnovers, while the Pride had 14.
ODU played without senior guard Isaiah Hunter (stress fracture ofthe right foot) and backup point guard Brandon Johnson (recoveringfrom a gun shot wound to the right shoulder).
ODU returns to action on Saturday when they host the Dukes of JMUat 7 p.m. in the Ted Constant Center. Saturday will be Alumni nightas ODU will honor basketball alumni from 1930-1970.