By Marcus Henry, Newsday
With the “rebirth” of college basketball in New York, as Fordham coach Tom Pecora said Tuesday, in full effect, how about rekindling a rivalry that was just inches away from becoming one of the hottest in the region?
Hofstra and Stony Brook, the only Division I institutions on Long Island, haven’t played each other in mens basketball since the 2008-2009 season. Visiting Hofstra won that game, 61-56, in front of 1,680 at Stony Brook’s Indoor Sports Complex.
The 1,680 fans that attended that game was twice the usual number that went to Stony Brook home games in previous seasons. Over 2,701 attended the 2006-2007 matchup between the two at Stony Brook. That tells you it is a rivalry worth starting up again.
Considering the buzz the New York City programs –St. John’s, LIU, St. Peter’s– have received after making the NCAA Tournament last season, why can’t Long Island get a piece of that?
The two aren’t scheduled to play each other this year, at least not yet. Thanks to the ESPN Bracketbusters, there’s a chance the two could meet.
Both the Pride and Seawolves are among the 142 mid-majors listed to compete in the ESPN Bracketbuster. Hofstra will host, while Stony Brook is scheduled to be on the road.
The matchups haven’t been announced, but wouldn’t be nice to see the two schools paired together? Stony Brook is on the upswing, while Hofstra continues to crank out 20-win seasons.
Seawolves coach Steve Pikiell has all but one player back from last season’s team that advanced to the America East Conference tournament final. Hofstra coach Mo Cassara will have a bit of an uphill climb without Charles Jenkins and Greg Washington, but he’s already proved he has the mettle and the smarts to keep the Pride in the CAA mix.
