Tuesday, November 15, 2016

I’ll Be Quirky: Sacred Heart


I would normally post a video in this space but I am not posting a John Mayer video, even if he played a passable guitar on "This Is The Time" during Billy Joel's "Last Play at Shea" concert.

Hello and welcome to the second edition of I’ll Be Quirky (hey! continuity!). The Flying Dutchmen, fresh off a nail-biting 74-72 win over Coppin State in Friday’s season opener, navigated the hell on Earth that is I-95 to visit Sacred Heart tonight at 7 PM. Here are some quirky facts to get you ready for the tilt.

OVER THE AIR
Sacred Heart will stream the game here. The WRHU broadcast is also available by clicking here.

GOING FOR SECONDS
The Dutchmen are looking to go 2-0 for the second straight season but just the third time in the CAA era (2001-present) and the 27th time in program history.

Joe Mihalich-coached teams have opened 2-0 six times (1999-2000, 2000-01, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2015-16).

SACRED HEART AND THE NEC
Hofstra is 5-2 all-time against Sacred Heart. In the most recent meeting last Dec. 28, the Dutchmen came back from an 11-point second half deficit to beat the Pioneers, 80-73. This will be just the third meeting between the schools, and the first at Sacred Heart, Sacred Heart moved to Division I prior to the 1999-2000 season. The two teams met every year from 1969-70 through 1973-74.

Hofstra is 112-57 all-time against current Northeast Conference members. This will be the seventh straight season the Dutchmen face at least one NEC school.

ELI ENCORE!
Freshman Eli Pemberton was named the CAA rookie of the week after he scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Dutchmen to a 74-72 win over Coppin State. The 20 points were the most by a Hofstra freshman in his debut since Antoine Agudio scored 20 against Florida International. Pemberton is the ninth freshman to score at least 10 points in his debut in the CAA era.

2016: Eli Pemberton 20 pts vs. Coppin State
2013: Chris Jenkins: 17 pts vs. Monmouth 
2012: (One of the he who shall not be named): 11 pts vs. Monmouth
2010: Shemiye McLendon: 16 pts vs. Farmingdale State
2009: Halil Kanacevic: 12 pts vs. Kansas
2005: Greg Johnson: 12 pts vs. Florida International
2004: Antoine Agudio: 20 pts vs. Florida International 
2003: Carlos Rivera: 10 pts vs. Marist
2001: Kenny Adeleke: 10 pts vs. Florida Atlantic

However, only three Hofstra freshmen in the CAA era have opened their careers by scoring at least 10 points in their first two games:

2012: (One of the he who shall not be named): 17 pts vs. Purdue
2004: Antoine Agudio: 13 pts vs. LaSalle 
2001: Kenny Adeleke: 25 pts vs. Kent State

SMOOTH TRANSFER
Senior Deron Powers, who played his first three seasons at Hampton before transferring to Hofstra, scored 12 points against Coppin State on Friday. He is the 14th transfer in the CAA era to score at least 10 points in his Dutchmen debut. All 14 have performed the feat since 2008.

2016: Deron Powers: 12 pts vs. Coppin State
2015: Denton Koon: 14 pt vs. Canisius
2014: Brian Bernardi: 22 pts vs. Jacksonville
2014: Ameen Tanksley:16 pts vs. Jacksonville
2014: Malik Nichols:15 pts vs. Jacksonville
2014: Juan’ya Green: 14 pts vs. Jacksonville
2013: Zeke Upshaw: 22 pts vs. Monmouth
2013: Dion Nesmith: 10 pts vs. Monmouth
2012: (One of the he who shall not be named): 12 pts vs. Monmouth
2012: Taran Buie: 14 pts vs. South Dakota State
2011: Bryant Crowder: 13 pts vs. Rhode Island
2010: Dwan McMillan: 15 pts vs. Farmingdale State
2010: Mike Moore: 13 pts vs. Farmingdale State
2008: Cornelius Vines: 12 pts vs. Clemson

Powers will be looking to become the seventh transfer to open his Hofstra career by scoring at least 10 points in each of his first two games.

2015: Denton Koon: 11 pts vs. Molloy 
2014: Juan’ya Green: 19 pts vs. North Carolina State
2014: Ameen Tanksley: 13 pts vs. North Carolina State
2013: Dion Nesmith: 14 pts vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
2012: Taran Buie: 12 pts vs. South Dakota State 
2010: Mike Moore: 15 pts vs. North Carolina

GUSTYS NEARING THE TOP 20
Junior Rokas Gustys tied his career high Friday by pulling down 23 rebounds. He now has 618 rebounds, 10 shy of tying Henry Schwab for 20th place on Hofstra’s all-time list.

BOUNCING BACK BERNARDI?
Senior Brian Bernardi hit six pivotal free throws Friday but went 0-for-9 from the field. He was the eighth player in the last five seasons to go 0-fer from the field (minimum six field goal attempts).

Nov. 11, 2016: Brian Bernardi 0-9 vs. Coppin State
Nov. 17, 2014: Malik Nichols 0-6 vs. North Carolina State
Feb. 1, 2014: Chris Jenkins 0-6 vs. College of Charleston
Nov. 19, 2013: Dion Nesmith 0-7 vs. Richmond
Feb. 16, 2013: Taran Buie 0-11 vs. Towson
Jan. 19, 2013: David Imes 0-8 vs. George Mason
Feb. 11, 2012: Stevie Mejia 0-8 vs. Drexel
Nov. 27, 2011: Nathaniel Lester 0-9 vs. Boston University

HOFSTRA/SACRED HEART CONNECTIONS
Sacred Heart fourth-year assistant coach Kyle Steinway served as the director of basketball operations during Mo Cassara’s three seasons at Hofstra. In addition, fourth-year Sacred Heart women’s basketball coach Jessica Mannetti spent four seasons as an assistant at Hofstra under Krista Kilburn-Steveskey.

THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
John Mayer bias! (Sacred Heart is located in Fairfield, where Mayer grew up)
Bobby Valentine bias! (the former manager is Sacred Heart’s athletic director)
Jordan Allan bias! (The former Hofstra glue guy played his final two years at Sacred Heart)

Beach bias! (I’m from Connecticut)

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