Aggies, Pride to Play New Year’s Eve CAA Contest in New York

Men’s Basketball | 31.12.2022 8:53:00

RADIO:Brian Holloway brings live action from Hempstead, NY on 1400 AM and 96.3 FM. You can hear him online at tobaccoroadsportsradio.com.

NORTH CAROLINA A&T AGGIES TORYLINES

• The Aggies will remain in the northeastern United States as they bring in 2023 to Hempstead, NY, located in southwestern Nassau County on the western tip of Long Island.
• A&T returns to Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) action this afternoon after losing its first CAA game to Northeastern on Thursday night in Boston.
• The Aggies trailed by 14 at halftime only to cut Northeastern’s lead to three with 7:39 left in the game. But the Huskies outscored the Aggies 25-16 to win as Jahmyl Telfort scored a career-high 31 points for Northeastern.
• Sophomore guard Kam Woods led the Aggies with 23 points, including 17 in the second half.
• It was the third time he has scored 20-plus points in a game this season. It was also the second time Woods has played more than 40 minutes in a tournament this season.
• Freshman forward Duncan Powell also had an outstanding night, grabbing seven rebounds and scoring a career-high 17 points. It was the first time he scored in double figures in his career. Powell committed five fouls and was 7-10 from the free throw line and 5-7 from the field.
• Senior striker Jeremy Robinson re-entered the starting lineup at 6-foot-9 Austin Johnson on Thursday. Johnson missed his third straight game with an injury.
• Robinson has been solid in his new role. Robinson scored 11 points on 5-7 shooting against the Huskies, reaching double figures for the fourth consecutive game.
• The Aggies hope to have Johnson back after the new year. It’s vital to get him back in the lineup because of his size, scoring ability and rebounding ability, and he’s a strong presence on the defensive end.
• Additionally, the Aggies have two big players going 6-11 on the season Harry Morris and 6-9 Will Felton.
• Due to A&T’s lack of size, they have begun to rely on the 3-point shot. That shot was ineffective Thursday night in Boston, as the Aggies went 3-for-13 from long range. They came into the game averaging 9.5 3-pointers per game.
• Meanwhile, the Huskies went 12-for-21 from 20 feet and beyond against A&T on 3-point shooting.
• A&T’s two main outside shooters this season have been Demetric Horton and Woods. Woods leads the conference in 3-point attempts (106), 3-pointers made per game (2.92) and 3-pointers made (38).
• Horton leads the conference and ranks 10th in the nation in 3-point percentage (.486). He is fourth in the CAA in three-pointers made (35).
• Phillip Shumpert is the Aggies head coach on an interim basis. He took over Will Jones’ show in August. He missed three games with COVID but returned to earn a big win over UNCG.
• Shumpert has been instrumental in helping the Aggies recruit some of their talent.
• Shumpert took over on an interim basis in August. Shumpert has coached at many levels, including high school, Division II, junior college and Division I, and has five years of head coaching experience at the junior college level.

HOFSTRA PRIDEHUSKIES NEWSLETTER

• Hofstra likes to play fast, up-tempo basketball, and the Pride’s guard play is exceptional.
• The Pride lost four straight between Nov. 30 and Dec. 30. 19, starting with an overtime loss to George Mason and ending with a seven-point loss to South Florida.
• The Pride also lost to Purdue and UMass during that span. But they have rebounded to win two straight, including Thursday’s 87-73 win over Delaware.
• CAA Preseason Player of the Year Aaron Estrada scored 31 points on 11-for-17 shooting. Tyler Thomas, a 6-foot guard from New Haven, Conn., added 20 points and five rebounds in 40 minutes.
• Hofstra floor general Jaquan Carlos (6-0, guard, Brooklyn, NY), had 10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
• Estrada (6-3, guard, Woodbury, NJ) leads the conference in scoring (22.5 ppg). He is second in the conference in field goal percentage (.533) and sixth in assists (3.8).
• Carlos is fifth in the league in assists (4.3) and second in assists. Tyler is averaging 12.8 points per game and preseason All-CAA honoree Darlinstone Dubar is averaging 11.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.
• Former NBA guard Speedy Claxton leads the Pride. Claxton is in its second season. In his first season, he led the Pride to a 21-11 overall record and a 13-5 CAA record.
• Claxton played at Hofstra from 1996-00 before becoming a first-round draft pick (20th overall) of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2000. He also spent time in San Antonio, Golden State, New Orleans and Atlanta.

SERIES

• Hofstra leads the all-time series 1-0.
• The teams only met on November 14, 2018 in Hempstead. Pride won 92-72.
• The Pride shot 54 percent from the field and forced A&T into 19 turnovers.