HEMPSTEAD, NY – Siena Basketball cut a 20-point deficit with just eight minutes remaining down to five in the final minute, before falling just short 94-86 at Hofstra. Freshman guard Jalen Pickett was phenomenal once again in defeat, posting career-highs of 27 points and 13 assists for the Saints.

Lute Olson Award Watch List candidate, Colonial Athletic Association Preseason Player of the Year, and the nation's third leading scorer Justin Wright-Foreman poured in a game-high 28 points for Hofstra (4-3) which shot 54% from the field. Preseason Second Team All-CAA selection Eli Pemberton added 19 points for the Pride which have won seven straight at home dating back to last season.

The reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week, Pickett made an early statement in his bid to repeat in shooting 9-12 from the field. He committed just one turnover to his 13 assists, which were just two shy of the program record of 15 set by Siena (2-5) legend Marc Brown on Feb. 3, 1990 vs. Army.

Pickett and Evan Fisher combined to score 52 points, as the latter also set a new career-high in scoring for a second straight game with 25 points on 12-17 shooting. Sloan Seymour added 13 points and Kevin Degnan contributed 10 points and eight rebounds for the Saints which matched Hofstra in shooting 54% from the field in the barnburner.

The Pride connected on each of their first six three-point attempts in ultimately building a 45-37 lead at the break. Siena pulled back within three in the first minute of the second half, but Hofstra reeled off a 25-12 spurt midway through the stanza to build a commanding cushion at 77-57 with 8:10 to play.

However, the Saints wouldn't back down and rallied to almost complete what would have been a remarkable comeback. Siena erupted for an 18-4 run spanning just 4:36 to close within 81-75 on a Seymour three with 3:11 remaining.

The Saints would get back within as close as five on several occasions in the final minute before ultimately falling just short. The Pride, which entered play ranked eighth nationally in free throw percentage, connected on 25-29 (86%) for the game including 11-12 in the final 2:09 as the home team emerged victorious for the ninth time in 10 all-time meetings between the programs.

Desure Buie scored 13 points and reserve Tareq Coburn added a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds off the bench for Hofstra which held decided advantages in bench scoring (29-8) and points off turnovers (19-9).

The Saints tip off the month of December Saturday with a Times Union Center doubleheader with the women's team. The men host Harvard at 3 p.m., immediately following the women's contest vs. Florida Atlantic which tips off the action at 1 p.m.