Hofstra's Historic Run Ends in NCAA Loss

0:00On March 21st, Hofstra made its first NCAA tournament appearance in 25 years, taking on fourth-seated Alabama in the opening round in Tampa, Florida. The 13th-seated pride battled hard, but came up short in a 90-70 loss. Alabama advances with a 24-11 record, setting up a second round matchup against Texas Tech. The game stayed tight for much of the way. Hofstra built an early 10-point lead in the first half, but Alabama responded to grab a slim two-point edge at halftime. The tie then pulled away in the second half, holding a five-point advantage with six minutes left before sealing the win. Hofstra players and coach Speedy Clackston called it a historic run full of pride despite the tough finish. They entered as 12-and-a-half-point underdogs and nearly pulled off the upset, showing heart against the bigger, faster team. Standout performances told the story. Alabama's LeBaron Philan Jr. led with 29 points, including key threes down the stretch.

1:01Their big-man Aiden Cheryl added 15 points and 15 rebounds, while the tie had crushed the boards overall, grabbing 46 to Hofstra's. 34, with 17 offensive rebounds proving costly. Hofstra's season ends on a high note after such a long wait while Alabama builds momentum heading deeper into March madness.