TOWSON, Md. (Interstat) — In a grinding Colonial Athletic Association defensive struggle that came down to the final second, the Towson Tigers edged the Hofstra Pride 58-55 in a women’s basketball game Friday afternoon at SECU Arena.

The contest, witnessed by 713 fans, was a rematch of a Jan. 9 meeting that Towson also won by a single point, 47-46. This victory improved the Tigers to 11-7 overall, while the Pride fell to 3-15.

The game’s defining moment arrived with one second on the clock. After Hofstra’s Ema Karim committed a critical turnover with 23 seconds remaining and the score tied at 55, Towson called a timeout to set up a final play. The inbounds pass went to Zoli Khalil near midcourt, who quickly found Tilda Sjökvist on the right wing. Sjökvist drained a 3-pointer as time expired, snapping the tie and setting off a celebration for the home team.

For much of the afternoon, neither team could establish consistent offensive rhythm. Both sides finished with nearly identical offensive ratings — Towson at 88.9 and Hofstra at 84.9 — over 65 possessions each, underscoring the slog. The teams combined to shoot just 5 for 20 from the free-throw line and 9 for 36 from 3-point range.

The contest featured 10 ties and 11 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than seven points. Hofstra held a narrow 26-23 advantage at halftime, but Towson used an 18-point fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

Towson was propelled by a game-high 24 points from guard India Johnston, who added three assists. Viki Matulevicius provided crucial all-around play with 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Kayla Morris contributed seven points and five rebounds.

Hofstra was led by a double-double from Sandra Magolico, who scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Alarice Gooden paced the Pride with 17 points.

The first half set the tone for a low-scoring affair. The opening quarter ended tied at 9, with both teams struggling from the field. Hofstra found slightly more success in the second period, taking its three-point lead into the break behind Magolico’s work inside.

The third quarter saw Hofstra maintain a slim edge, outscoring Towson 17-14 to carry a 43-40 lead into the final frame. The Pride’s advantage grew to five points early in the fourth after a Gooden jumper made it 47-42 with 8:52 remaining.

Towson responded with a 9-2 run, capped by a Morris layup with 5:03 left, to take a 51-49 lead. The teams then traded blows over the next four minutes, with the score knotting at 53, 55, and finally 55 with under a minute to play. After both teams came up empty on their penultimate possessions, Sjökvist’s last-second heroics decided it.

Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Both teams scored 28 points in the paint. Towson held slight edges in points off turnovers (13-11), assists (7-5), and steals (7-5). Hofstra committed 12 turnovers to Towson’s nine, with the final one proving most costly.

The win gives Towson a regular-season sweep of Hofstra and momentum heading into a quick turnaround at Drexel on Saturday. Hofstra, mired in a five-game losing streak, will look to rebound at home against William & Mary on Sunday.