LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth non-conference battle defined by opportunistic defense and clutch second-half shooting, the Hofstra Pride outlasted the Bucknell Bison on Friday night at a raucous Sojka Pavilion.

The Pride erased a seven-point halftime deficit with a determined second-half performance, securing an 83-77 victory to even their record at 2-2. Bucknell also moved to 2-2 with the loss.

Hofstra guard Preston Edmead led all scorers with a game-high 23 points, igniting the Pride’s comeback with a series of critical baskets down the stretch. The junior from Deer Park, New York, also dished out five assists in 37 minutes of action. He was complemented by a balanced scoring attack that saw four other Hofstra players reach double figures.

Cruz Davis, who played a team-high 40 minutes, added 18 points and five assists. Biggie Patterson provided a significant offensive punch off the bench with 17 points, while German Plotnikov and Victory Onuetu chipped in 10 and 11 points, respectively. Onuetu, the 6-foot-10 center from Spain, also contributed two crucial blocks and was a force on the defensive end.

The first half belonged to the home team. Bucknell, leveraging its efficiency from the free-throw line and a slight edge in paint scoring, built a 41-34 lead by the intermission. The Bison shot an impressive 18 for 21 from the charity stripe for the game, but Hofstra’s ability to force turnovers and capitalize on them proved to be a decisive factor.

The Pride’s defensive pressure was relentless, forcing Bucknell into 17 total turnovers. Hofstra converted those miscues into 26 points, nearly doubling the Bison’s output of 12 points off turnovers. This defensive intensity, which also included nine steals, allowed Hofstra to overcome a subpar night at their own free-throw line, where they shot 21 for 32.

Bucknell was led by a trio of scorers. Jayden Williams, Ruot Bijiek, and Amon Dörries each tallied 15 points. Williams, a guard from the Bronx, added four assists, while Bijiek, a 6-foot-9 forward from Waukee, Iowa, pulled down a team-high nine rebounds. Achile Spadone also finished in double figures for the Bison with 13 points.

The game turned decisively in the second half as Hofstra’s offense found its rhythm. After shooting just 34 points in the opening period, the Pride exploded for 49 points after the break. Their three-point shooting was particularly effective, finishing the night 10 for 24 from beyond the arc compared to Bucknell’s 9-for-28 performance.

A key sequence late in the game sealed the victory for the visitors. With the score tight in the final minutes, Hofstra executed on both ends, getting a driving layup from Davis, a dunk from Onuetu, and a series of made free throws to create separation and ultimately close out the game.

The contest was a tale of contrasting efficiencies. Hofstra scored its 83 points on 74 possessions, resulting in a robust offensive rating of 111.9. Bucknell, while efficient from the foul line, managed 77 points on 77 possessions for an offensive rating of 100.0, hampered by their turnover issues.

The announced attendance was 1,232 at Sojka Pavilion. The result defied the pregame statistical projections, which had favored Bucknell to win. Hofstra, however, had been installed as a narrow pregame betting favorite. The combined score of 160 points sailed over the pregame over/under line.

Hofstra will look to build on this momentum when they travel to face Temple on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Bucknell, meanwhile, faces a quick turnaround with a road game at Pittsburgh on Monday, Nov. 17.