This upcoming Friday afternoon, the Alabama Crimson Tide are set to begin their run through March Madness with a first round NCAA Tournament matchup against the Hofstra Pride.
Hofstra, the CAA tournament champion, is set to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 2020-01 season, a March Madness run which came under then head coach Jay Wright.
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The Hempstead, New York program is now led by head coach Speedy Claxton, a former guard who helped lead the Pride to a 2000 NCAA Tournament appearance as a player. Hofstra also features one of the nation’s top mid-major guards, and certainly has the pieces to give Alabama problems in the matchup of the Midwest Region’s No. 4 and No. 13 seeded teams.
Following is everything you need to know about Alabama’s first round NCAA Tournament opponent, Hofstra, which includes stats, players to know, and more.
Hofstra Pride 2025-26 overview
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Record: 24-10 overall (12-6 CAA)
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NCAA Tournament Seed: No. 13 in Midwest Region
Hofstra reached March Madness after winning the CAA conference tournament, which improved the Pride’s overall record this season to 24-10 (12-6 CAA). The Pride, who are the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Region, have a resume that is headlined by wins over Syracuse and Pittsburgh, both of which came on the road.
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Hofstra Pride 2025-26 coaching staff
Mar 6, 2023; Washington, D.C., USA; Hofstra Pride head coach Speedy Claxton looks onto the court during the first half of CAA Tournament Semifinals against the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks at Entertainment & Sports Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
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Head Coach: Speedy Claxton
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Associate Head Coach: Mike DePaoli
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Assistant Coach: Tom Parrotta
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Assistant Coach: Antwon Portley
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Assistant Coach: Drew Metz
The head coach at Hofstra is former Pride guard Speedy Claxton, who has been in charge of the program since the 2021-22 season. This will be Hofstra’s first NCAA Tournament appearance under Claxton, who owns a combined 105-62 overall record with the program.
Hofstra Pride 2025-26 stats
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Points Per Game: 75.6 (No. 181 in NCAA)
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Points Per Game Allowed: 66.1 (No. 19 in NCAA)
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Field Goal Percentage: 44.2%
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Three-Point Percentage: 36.8%
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Free Throw Percentage: 74.6%
Rated in the Top 100 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency, per KenPom, Hofstra’s most notable team stat is likely their average of 66.1 points per game allowed to opponents, a total which ranks No. 19 best nationally. The Pride also rank No. 29 nationally with an average of 39.3 rebounds per game, as well as well No. 33 in college basketball with a combined 36.8% three-point percentage.
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Hofstra Pride 2025-26 players to know
Dec 13, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Hofstra Pride guard Cruz Davis (5) dribbles against Syracuse Orange guard Nate Kingz (4) in the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
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Cruz Davis, Guard, Junior
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Preston Edmead, Guard, Freshman
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Biggie Patterson, Guard, Senior
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German Plotnikov, Guard, Graduate Student
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Silas Sunday, Forward, Senior
Undoubtedly the name to know for Hofstra is Cruz Davis, a junior guard who was recently named the 2025-26 CAA Player of the Year after leading the conference with an average of 20.2 points per game, while also shooting 39.9% from three. The Pride also have the 2025-26 CAA Freshman of the Year in guard Preston Edmead, as well as a pair of names to know on the glass who are each averaging 6.9 rebounds per game in Silas Sunday and Victory Onuetu.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: March Madness 2026: Alabama vs. Hofstra team preview for first round
