Hofstra Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Pride

BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 07: Flags of the schools line the wall during the Colonial Athletic Conference Championship college basketball game tournament between the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks and the Hofstra Pride at Royal Farms Arena on March 7, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 11: Head coach Joe Mihalich of the Hofstra Pride reacts against the Kentucky Wildcats in the first half of the Brooklyn Hoops Winter Festival at Barclays Center on December 11, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

The non-conference schedule for the Pride

Nov. 9 vs. Mount St. Mary’s

Nov. 11 at Marshall

Nov. 14 vs. North Carolina A&T

Nov. 16 at Maryland

Nov. 21 vs. Cal State Fullerton

Nov. 24 at VCU

Nov. 28 vs. Siena

Dec. 1 at Kennesaw State

Dec. 5 vs. Monmouth

Dec. 8 vs. Rider

Dec. 10 at Manhattan

Dec. 19 at Stony Brook

Dec. 22 vs. Rosemont

Like most mid-major teams, if Hofstra hopes to turn heads in the early part of the season it will have to do its damage on the road. Their best test probably comes in the second game of the season when they travel to Marshall to face one of the favorites in Conference USA.

The best remaining road game comes five days later when they get to face a Big Ten foe in Maryland. The home portion of the schedule leaves a little bit to be desired, as their best games come against Cal State Fullerton and Metro Atlantic Athletic favorite Rider on Dec. 8. The rest of the Pride’s non-conference slate seem winnable, so how they fare in these four games could be a good barometer for the team’s abilities to compete with the two top teams in the conference.