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On the strength of 19 points and seven rebounds from Eli Pemberton, the No. 1 Hofstra Pride are the Colonial Athletic Association champions following a 70-61 win over the No. 6 Northeastern Huskies in the CAA final in Washington DC on Tuesday evening.
The victory ensures Hofstra heads back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nineteen years, and for the fifth time in school history. For Hofstra coach Joe Mihalich, he gets back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2007 when he was leading Niagra.
The Pride are now the pride of Long Island, though they will be a significant underdog in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, their 140 NET ranking should mean they avoid the First Four in Dayton and will advance straight into the field of 64.
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