Hofstra upsets Rutgers in OT of NIT opener

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Hofstra knocked off top-seeded Rutgers, 8886, in overtime of their first-round matchup in the NIT at Jersey Mike’s Arena on Tuesday, overcoming a five-point deficit with 25 seconds to play before winning it in the extra period.

The shootout saw both teams combine for 53.7% shooting from the floor, including an 50.7% clip from the hosts and a 56.9% clip from the visitors.

The Scarlet Knights (19-15) lost eight of their final 11 games of the season, concluding a late-season collapse in which they went from a near-lock for the NCAA Tournament following a 16-7 start to losing in the first round of the NIT.

Junior guard Cam Spencer led the way for Rutgers, scoring 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, with center Cliff Omoruyi (12 points on 5-of-7 shooting), freshman guard Derek Simpson (19 points on 8-of-16 shooting) and fifth-year senior Caleb McConnell (13 points on 6-of-12 shooting) helped out.

Tyler Thomas led the Pride (25-9) with 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including the winning shot with 10 seconds left in overtime. Darlinstone Dubar added 17 points and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom had 10 points and eight rebounds as all of Colonial Athletic Association regular-season champion Hofstra’s starters finished in double figures.

McConnell was particularly hot in the second half, scoring 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the final 20 minutes. He hit back-to-back baskets in the final minute of regulation that seemed to close out the game before Hofstra scored five points in the final 24 seconds to force overtime. McConnell became the program’s all-time steal leader with his second steal of the night, surpassing program great Eddie Jordan with 221 career steals.

The hosts would build it back up to eight points in the first two minutes of the second half, but Hofstra would respond with an 18-7 run over the next seven minutes to take its first lead, 56-53, with 11 minutes to play. Rutgers responded with a 9-0 run to retake the lead and control of the contest, but could not pull away. Hofstra hung around, answering every Scarlet Knights basket in a shootout in which the teams combined to shoot 57.4% in the second half. The Pride stayed within two possessions for the entire second half, and when it appeared the Scarlet Knights had pulled away by taking a five-point lead with 30 seconds to play, the visitors managed to send the game to overtime.

The extra period featured another back-and-forth offensive slugfest, with the teams combining to make 10 of their 13 shot attempts. The Scarlet Knights trailed for most of the period until Simpson tied the game at 86 with 32 seconds to play. But following the lead of the game, Rutgers could not get a key stop, allowing Thomas to hit a jumper for the final. On the other end, Simpson could not do it again, missing a layup as time expired.