Men's Basketball: 7 Reasons Why Hofstra Earned a 71-56 Win Over Holy Cross
Freshman point guard Shemiye McLendon gave Hofstra basketball fans an early Christmas present with three first-half treys that led the Pride to a 71-56 victory over Holy Cross on Wednesday afternoon at the Mack Sports Complex.
Hofstra (7-4) continued their hot streak of late that saw them win six of their last seven contests. Holy Cross (1-9) came into the battle fresh off their first win of the season, a 75-57 road victory over Marist on Sunday night.
Charles Jenkins Pregame Ceremony Fired Up the Crowd
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Charles Jenkins received a rousing standing ovation from the crowd in attendance as he was honored before the game for his stellar Hofstra playing career.
He reached the 2,000-point plateau during the game against Manhattan on Saturday and ranks sixth all-time in total points scored for the Pride. The pre-game ceremony got the crowd pumped up and the team responded with a fast start.
Taking an Early Lead
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Hofstra won the opening tip-off and senior forward Greg Washington scored on a majestic layup just 20 seconds into the first quarter to give the Pride a 2-0 edge. Washington went 2-4 from the floor in the first half and added two defensive rebounds.
Shemiye McLendon Drains Two Shots from Beyond the Arc
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Freshman guard Shemiye McLendon pushed Hofstra's lead to 17-10 with two consecutive shots from long-range at the midway point of the first period.
14 Unanswered Points in the First Half
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Hofstra scored 14 unanswered points midway through the first period to push their lead to 24-10. Brad Kelleher capped off the run with a layup at the seven-minute mark to put the game out of reach.
A 34-22 Lead At the Half
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A solid first period by Greg Washington and Charles Jenkins boosted Hofstra to a 12-point cushion by halftime. Jenkins had a pass-first mentality and secured three assists in the first half.
Mike Moore's Breakout Performance
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Mike Moore scored a team-high 15 points and added two steals to lead Hofstra in the victory.
Dwan McMillan's Unselfish Play
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McMillan controlled the tempo of the offense and looked to push the ball to sharpshooting point guards Jenkins and Moore. He finished with seven assists and six points.
