Despite a strong game by junior guard Kendall Currence, the Huskies could not continue their winning streak Tuesday with a 63-60 loss against Hofstra University. This is the second time this season that NU has split the home-and-home series with Hofstra (7-11, 5-7 CAA), going 1-1 at each court. 

Freshman guard Maddie Vizza, who most recently earned her third consecutive CAA Rookie of the Week award, started the points for the Huskies with her go-to three-pointer. A second three-pointer less than two minutes later by Vizza sent NU on an 8-0 run to start the frame. 

However, the Pride caught up as they went on their own 7-3 run to bring the game back within a possession. The Huskies were narrowly up by a point to end the first 10 minutes. 

A powerful block by graduate student Ayanna Dublin defined the second quarter as the Huskies outscored Hofstra 14-11 during the frame. Vizza connected for another triple and fellow freshman forward Izzy Larsen drew an and-one to complete the gifted three-point play and take a 20-19 lead. A pass by Dublin was tipped away by the Pride but still somehow managed to find the hands of Larsen as she beat the buzzer to give the Huskies the two-point lead going into the second half. 

The second half was a foil of the first for NU. 

It took the Huskies a little under four minutes to score their first basket of the half from a floater by Currence to tie the game at 28. Things got heated early on as the Pride and the Huskies were whistled for technical fouls on senior guard Stella Clark and Pride junior guard Jahsyni Knight. With a minute left in the frame, Currence made a spin-around jumper as NU headed into the final 10 minutes of play down by six. 

The Huskies were on the search for a rebound as a hungry Dublin fended off three defenders, nabbed her own rebound, connected for the bucket and converted an and-one to make it a three-point play, making the score 47-42. However, with a little under four minutes left in the game, Dublin found herself sitting on the bench for the rest of the game after fouling out. Without the powerhouse on the court, it was a hard time for the Huskies to complete the comeback as they fell 63-60 to Hofstra. 

“Unfortunately, we didn’t come ready to play. We made everything tonight look difficult,” head coach Kelly Cole said. “I hope it’s a lesson learned for these young kids that they understand that it doesn’t matter what happened yesterday if we don’t take care of what happens today.”

Star players for the Huskies included a game-high 18 points for Currence, 13 rebounds for sophomore forward Mide Oriyomi and 11 rebounds for Dublin, prior to her fouling out. 

With this loss, the Huskies (7-12, 6-10 CAA) are sitting at the No. 6 seed with the Elon (7-7, 3-5 CAA) and College of Charleston (6-8, 2-6 CAA) game being cancelled. The Huskies will head back to Boston to prepare for their upcoming CAA quarterfinals game at Elon University against a yet-to-be-determined opponent Thursday, March 11.