HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) – Last year, when Hofstra made its first
trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1977, one name dominated the
special season: Speedy Claxton, who led the then-Flying Dutchmen.
|  | | Hofstra's Norman Richardson pulls up for a jumper over Delawarer's Maurice Sessoms. |
Claxton went to be a first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia
76ers and the school changed its nickname to the Pride.
When Hofstra beat Delaware 68-54 Saturday in the American East
tournament championship game to earn a return trip to the NCAA
Tournament, there were plenty of names receiving credit.
Norman Richardson, the leading scorer all season, had 20 points
in the title game. Roberto Gittens, who closed the season with six
straight games scoring double figures, had 17 points, including
eight of the Pride's first 10 in the second half, and was selected
tournament MVP. Jason Hernandez, Claxton's steady backcourt partner
last season, took over down the stretch Saturday as his only field
goals of the second half started Hofstra's closing 10-0 run.
"Last year coach Wright and Speedy willed us to win,"
Hernandez said. "This year, with seven seniors, we felt composed
and had a great attitude that we felt no matter what happened to us
we could win the game."
Hofstra (26-4), which lost to Oklahoma State in the first round
of the NCAA Tournament last year, enters it on an 18-game winning
streak, the longest in the nation.
The Pride beat Delaware (20-10) in last season's title game and
that also came on their home court where they have won 36 of 37
games. The only loss was to the Blue Hens last Nov. 30.
"They taught us a great lesson," coach Jay Wright said of that
early season loss. "We were a little cocky. I thought that was one
of the best things to happen to us because we realized we are a
blue collar team, one that wins with rebounding and defense. We're
not pretty boys."
The Blue Hens, who had won seven straight and were playing in
the conference championship game for the fourth straight year, had
cut a 56-49 deficit to 58-54 with 3:46 left on a reverse layup by
Greg Miller.
Hernandez, one of the seven seniors, then hit a jumper as he was
falling with one second left on the short clock to make it 60-54
with 3:07 to play. After a Delaware turnover, Hernandez hit a
jumper with 2:16 left to make it 62-54.
The Blue Hens didn't score the rest of the game and the Pride
went 6-for-8 from the free-throw line over the final 1:35 to ice
the win and set off a wild on-court celebration.
"I saw the clock and turned around and knew I had to get it
off," Hernandez, who was 3-for-9 from the field, said of the first
shot. "Then we got a stop and Roberto set a great screen for me
and I got a clean look that time. I felt once we got back to eight
points our defense would take over."
Miller had 17 points for Delaware, while Ajmal Basit had 10
points and 11 rebounds. Basit had 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven
blocks in the Blue Hens' win at Hofstra earlier in the season but
he was 4-for-10 from the field this time as the Blue Hens shot just
31.7 percent (19-for-60), including 3-for-21 from 3-point range.
"I don't know what happened," Basit said. "I tried to play
hard but I did have foul trouble. They just outplayed us."
First-year Delaware coach David Henderson was quick to point out
Hofstra took 34 free throws, twice as many as his team, but also
credited the Pride's defense.
"Hofstra forced our guys to make quicker decisions and do
things individually," he said. "But by no means am I disappointed
with the outcome of the game.
"Hernandez comes off a ball screen, throws it up and it goes
in. When the breaks are going that way for a team and they're
playing on their home court it's tough to turn the corner."
Both teams will be leaving the America East after next season to
join the Colonial Athletic Association.
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Delaware Clubhouse
Hofstra Clubhouse
NCAA Basketball Championship Week
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Hofstra defeats Delaware to clinch a spot in the NCAA tournament.
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