On Friday night at the Mack Sports Complex, Hofstra fell to Princeton 74-67 behind a 26 point, 15 rebound double-double from 2022-23 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Caden Pierce.
The Pride were led by former Iowa State transfer Darlinstone Dubar with 18 points – all in the second half – and Tyler Thomas contributing 13 points on a subpar night shooting from the former Sacred Heart guard.
6-foot-10 Canisius transfer Jacco Fritz, who joined Hofstra this offseason struggled alongside his teammates in the first half, but despite dealing with foul trouble, offered a spark to help keep the scoreline close in the closing minutes.
He finished with six points, four rebounds, two assists, and added a block and a steal on the defensive end. Ultimately, head coach Speedy Claxton said Fritz’ performance gives the Pride something to build on as this team develops throughout the year.
“This is a whole new team, so it’s going to take a while to kind of gel,” Claxton said when asked about Fritz post-game. “I’m proud of the way [Fritz and Co.] played tonight, we’re going to keep getting better as the season goes along.”
Another member of this new look Hofstra squad, Iona transfer Silas Sunday didn’t see the floor against Princeton, but offered a lot in The Pride’s season opener against DIII St. Joseph’s (NY).
Featuring off the bench, the Lucan, Ireland native managed eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a block in the 101-48 victory.
However, Claxton said the recent loss to Princeton provides an opportunity to build on their mistakes, to develop defensively, and to find a rotation that works for this lineup.
“We’ve just got to tighten up a couple things, which we will,” Claxton said. “We’ll get better, we’ll bounce back from this and be fine.”
The Pride will get their chance to bounce back on Tuesday, heading to D.C. for a matchup with George Washington.
