Hopefully today's game is less painful than a Dr. Cox dunk. Or a Daniel Dixon buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
The Flying Dutchmen completed the non-conference portion of the schedule last Friday night, when they squandered an early three-point lead and fell to top-ranked Villanova, 95-71, in Jay Wright’s return to Long Island. The real season begins today, when the Dutchmen visit their most recent heated rival, William & Mary, in the CAA opener. Here’s a look back at the Villanova loss and a look ahead to the Fightin’ Bill Lawrences.
The Flying Dutchmen completed the non-conference portion of the schedule last Friday night, when they squandered an early three-point lead and fell to top-ranked Villanova, 95-71, in Jay Wright’s return to Long Island. The real season begins today, when the Dutchmen visit their most recent heated rival, William & Mary, in the CAA opener. Here’s a look back at the Villanova loss and a look ahead to the Fightin’ Bill Lawrences.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Justin Wright-Foreman (a game-high 25 points) did Justin Wright-Foreman things, but the Dutchmen could not keep pace with Villanova at Nassau Coliseum. The Dutchmen reached the first media timeout of the first half with a 9-7 lead and were down one point with 12 minutes left in the half before Villanova went on a 12-0 run. The Wildcats never led by fewer than 10 points the rest of the way, though the Dutchmen were only outscored 43-40 in the second half. Rokas Gustys (11 points, eight rebounds) flirted with a double-double and Kenny Wormley had his best game as a Dutchman by collecting seven points, seven rebounds and five assists while committing just two turnovers. Eli Pemberton had nine points, six rebounds and five assists but turned the ball over seven times.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Villanova 12/22)
3: Justin Wright-Foreman
2: Rokas Gustys
1: Kenny Wormley
SEASON STANDINGS
Justin Wright-Foreman 30
Rokas Gustys 15
Eli Pemberton 13
Desure Buie 4
Joel Angus 4
Jalen Ray 3
Kenny Wormley 1
Hunter Sabety 1
TEN AGAINST THE TOP TEN
The Dutchmen fell to 0-10 in games against AP top 10 teams during the CAA era (2001-present). Information courtesy of Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov.
12/4/01: 91-65 L at no. 9 Syracuse
11/22/02: 69-61 L at no. 21 Gonzaga
12/30/04: 80-75 L at no. 7 Syracuse
12/22/06: 85-60 L at no. 23 Syracuse
11/13/09: 101-65 L at no. 1 Kansas
11/17/09: 76-67 L at no. 12 UConn
11/18/10: 107-63 L vs. no. 8 North Carolina (Puerto Rico Classic)
11/12/13: 97-69 L at no. 3 Louisville
12/11/16: 96-73 L vs. no. 6 Kentucky (Barclays Center)
12/22/17: 95-71 L vs. no. 1 Villanova (Nassau Coliseum)
WINNING THE NON-CONFERENCE SEASON
Despite ending the non-conference schedule with consecutive losses to Manhattan and Villanova, the Dutchmen finished pre-CAA play with a winning record (7-5) for the fourth straight season and the 11th time since joining the CAA in 2001-02. CAA games that were played in the middle of the non-conference schedule were not counted but are listed separately. Also, these figures do not include any “Bracket Buster” games scheduled in the middle of the season.
2004-05: 8-1 (.889) 1-0 CAA
2005-06: 6-2 (.750) 2-0 CAA
2008-09: 8-3 (.727) 1-0 CAA
2014-15: 9-4 (.692)
2015-16: 8-4 (.667)
2006-07: 7-4 (.636) 1-0 CAA
2016-17: 8-5 (.615)
2017-18: 7-5 (.583)
2009-10: 7-5 (.583) 1-0 CAA
2010-11: 6-5 (.545) 1-0 CAA
In addition, Joe Mihalich completes the non-conference schedule with a winning record for the 10th time in 20 seasons as a head coach. The four straight winning records in non-conference play is a personal best for Mihalich, who led Niagara to a winning record in non-conference play in three consecutive seasons from 2007-08 through 2009-10.
GUSTYS CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Rokas Gustys moved to the edge of the CAA’s all-time top five rebounders last Friday night, when he pulled down eight rebounds against Villanova. The effort lifted Gustys (1,059 rebounds) past UNCW Keith Rendleman into sixth place and left him two rebounds shy of surpassing Drexel’s Samme Givens for fifth place. Gustys is just 57 rebounds away from second-place Vernon Butler (1,115) and 256 rebounds away from moving ahead of Hall of Famer David Robertson (1,314) atop the list.
OVER THE AIR
Hofstra will provide a video and radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.
THE DUTCHMEN IN CAA OPENERS
The Dutchmen are 9-7 in the first game of league play since joining the CAA in 2001-02. They are 3-1 in CAA openers under Joe Mihalich with victories in each of the last two seasons.
SCOUTING WILLIAM & MARY
The Tribe, under 15th-season head coach Tony Shaver, went 7-4 in non-conference play, though two of the wins were against non-Division I foes (who do they think they are, Stony Brook?). William & Mary last played last Friday, when it fell to no. 15 TCU, 86-75.
The Dutchmen and Tribe had no common foes during non-league play.
The Dutchmen, who were picked fourth in the CAA preseason poll, enter today ranked 154th at KenPom.com. The Tribe, which was picked eighth, is ranked 192nd at KenPom.com.
Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Tribe are 1-point favorites. Hofstra is 3-5 against the spread this season.
While old nemesis Daniel Dixon finally graduated (we think), the Tribe are still an offensively potent team that features five double-digit scorers, led by Nathan Knight (18.7 ppg).
ALL-TIME VS. WILLIAM & MARY
Hofstra is 18-12 against William & Mary in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The schools have split the season series each of the last two years.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Daniel Dixon bias! (duh)
Original four bias! (William & Mary is one of four original Division I schools to never make the NCAA Tournament)
JD & Turk went to William & Mary bias! (duh)
Supreme Court bias! (Four W&M grads have served on the Supreme Court)
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