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CONNELLY'S BUZZER BEATER LIFTS HOFSTRA PAST

TOWSON, 57-55

Recap | Box ScoresHempstead, NY --Joelle Connelly (Arcade, NY) provided the

late-game heroics, hitting a jumper from thefoul line as time expired to push Hofstra to a57-55 victory over Towson in a CAA

matchup Thursday night at the Mack SportsComplex.

It marked Hofstra's first buzzer-beatingvictory since Jen Brickey nailed an under-handed 18-footer as time expired to defeatWilliam & Mary, 80-78, on February 8,

2003.

Niki Williams (Pittsburgh, PA) set up theexciting finish, establishing a career-highwith 11 assists and was also one of four

Pride players to score in double figures. Thesenior guard logged her third career double-

double and became the first Pride player toregister double-figure assists this season.She finished just two assists shy of the school record, set by Liz Irwin during the1979-80season.

Connelly's catch-and-shoot off Jess Fuller's pass marked her second buzzer-beatingshot of the season. The freshman previously hit a shot with time expiring to send the

December 6 contest against Buffalo into overtime. Hofstra won that contest as well,and improved to 10-5 and 2-2 in conference play with the victory over the Tigers.Towson dropped to 9-5 and 1-3.

Connelly finished with a team-high 16 points. Fuller (Queens, NY) complemented hereffort with her seventh double-double this season, pouring in 12 points and 10

rebounds. The junior forward now claims 13 career double figure scoring games. Juniorguard Sam Brigham (Simsbury, CT) chipped in 10 points, three rebounds and two

steals.

Shanae Baker-Brice led the Tigers with 21 points. The junior nearly gave Towson the

road win, knocking down a heavily contested off-balance shot with the shot clockexpiring to move Towson ahead, 55-53, with 1:04 left. The Pride worked it inside on thenext possession when Fuller (Queens, NY) drew the foul and made both free throws to

even it up 18 seconds later.

Towson missed a chance to go ahead at the free throw line after Kandace Davis hit rimon both attempts after drawing a foul driving for a lay-in, giving the Pride possessionwith 30.2 left on the clock before Connelly's clutch shot.

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en's Basketball News Release http://hofstra.edu/Athletics/WBasketball/ath_wbb_gameresult.cfm

1/16/2009

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Towson went ahead by as much as six points before Hofstra's comeback. Baker-Brice's steal allowed the Tigers to take possession and Omara Parker capitalized offthe turnover by hitting Davis for a layup, putting Towson up 45-39 for its largest lead

7:54 into the second half.

Fuller and Connelly added consecutive field goals, cutting it 47-46. Williams then addedscoring to her repertoire after reaching the double-figure assist threshold, hitting acontested three to put Hofstra up by two. Connelly's free throw after another Pride

defensive stop capped Hofstra's 9-0 run, putting the home team up 50-47 with 6:34

remaining.

Williams' previous career high for assists was nine, last set January 4 againstNortheastern. Sophomore forward Ashley Wilcots (Virginia Beach, VA) added fivepoints and two rebounds off the bench. Simona Petronyte made three three-pointers

and was the only other Towson player to score more than 10 points (11).

Hofstra surged to an 11-point edge nearly seven minutes into the contest, holding

Towson on 1-10 shooting at the outset. But Baker-Brice's 12 first-half points allowedTowson to erase the double-digit deficit.

Fuller picked up six points, making her first three shots to go along with four reboundsbefore heading to the bench following her second foul 11:09 into the game. She

returned nearly six minutes later, finishing the half with six points as Hofstra was able to

find opportunities in the paint. Connelly added eight points in the post, helping Hofstrabuild a 14-3 lead.

Towson generated 12 steals and soon closed the gap. Simona Petronyte hit an openthree-pointer near the top of the key with 1:56 left and Baker-Brice drilled a jumper on

the next possession to knot the score at 26 heading into halftime.

Hofstra will next be in action Sunday when it hosts CAA-rival William and Mary. Tipofffor the matinee is set for 2 p.m.

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en's Basketball News Release http://hofstra.edu/Athletics/WBasketball/ath_wbb_gameresult.cfm

1/16/2009