Pirates Drop Icons Of The Game Matchup to Hofstra, 49-48

Published: Thursday, November 14, 2024

by Michael Federico

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The Seton Hall Pirates (1-2) fell to the Hofstra Pride (3-0) 49-48 in the first annual Icons of the Game matchup on Wednesday night. The Pirates have now lost back-to-back games by a single point.

The first half began with a slow-paced, half-court press defense that set the tone for the game. After 20 minutes, the Pirates held a narrow two-point lead in a low-scoring affair, with Old Dominion transfer Chaunce Jenkins leading all scorers with 8 points.

Turnovers were the Achilles' heel for the Pirates, with 14 total turnovers coming at key points in the game. Additionally, the Pirates struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 8 of 17 (47.1%), including a few crucial misses in the final minutes that could have kept them in contention for the win.

For Hofstra, former Pirate Jaquan Sanders was named Icons of the Game MVP for his 12-point performance. Sanders shot 4 of 10 from the field and hit a crucial three-pointer late in the second half to give the Pride the lead. This marks Hofstra's first win over a BIG EAST opponent in nearly 20 years.

Yacine Toumi, who led the Pirates in scoring in their most recent game, was limited to just 12 minutes due to two early fouls in the first half. When he was on the court, he struggled to find his rhythm in the paint.

A bright spot for the Pirates was Chaunce Jenkins, who led the team with 18 points and surpassed 1,000 career points. Jenkins made 4 three-pointers and shot 6 of 11 overall in the game.

Coach Holloway commented on the Pirates' two-game losing streak, saying, “No disrespect to Hofstra—I thought they played a hell of a game—but that’s two games in a row where we beat ourselves…we’re not cashing in when the game is on the line.”

The Pirates’ 48 points marked their lowest point total since scoring 54 against Xavier last season. The last time they scored under 50 in a game was two years ago in a 45-43 win over Rutgers.

When asked about his message to the fanbase, Coach Holloway said, “Step by step. We’re going to put it together; we’re going to figure it out.”

The Pirates will be back in action this Saturday against Wagner in Walsh Gymnasium, with Jackson Shank and Patrick Corsello on the call on 89.5 FM WSOU. Tip-off is set for noon, with pregame coverage starting at 11:45 a.m.

Michael Federico is the Technical Operations Director at WSOU 89.5 and can be reached at michael.federico@student.shu.edu. 

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