I'll Be Quirky: Towson

Is Amy Schumer also providing Towson some publicity from I-AA football here?

The Flying Dutchmen overcame a slow start in impressive fashion Saturday afternoon, when they rode a blistering second half shooting effort to storm back from a 13-point deficit and beat James Madison, 82-76, in the #CAAHoops opener. The Dutchmen will look to make it a perfect season-opening road trip and extend their winning streak to five games this afternoon, when they visit Towson, Here’s a look back at the win over the Dukes and a look ahead to the Tigers.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Eli Pemberton kept the Dutchmen afloat in the first half, when he scored 17 of his game-high 25 points, and Desure Buie, Tareq Coburn and Jalen Ray shook off the rust in the second half and sparked the comeback win by scoring 39 of the Dutchmen’s 52 points. The Dutchmen trailed 45-32 with 17:39 left before Coburn scored all 10 of his second half points in a 16-7 run that closed the gap to 52-48. Buie gave the Dutchmen a pair of short-lived leads with baskets on consecutive possessions before Ray’s 3-pointer with 3:29 left put the Dutchmen ahead for good. The Dutchmen hit 16 of their final 20 field goal attempts, including nine in a row at one point, and drained 13 of 16 free throws in the final 20 minutes. James Madison, meanwhile, had a historically bad day at the charity stripe by going just 7-of-22. Ray scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half while Buie scored all 15 of his points after intermission. Coburn finished with 15 points and Pemberton collected a team-high eight rebounds.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. James Madison 12/28)

3: Eli Pemberton

2: Jalen Ray

1: Desure Buie

SEASON STANDINGS

Desure Buie 26

Eli Pemberton 22

Tareq Coburn 13

Jalen Ray 11

Isaac Kante 10

Stafford Trueheart 1

Omar Silverio 1

COACHSPEAK: “We kept our poise, kept our composure. We had some stars certainly not playing like stars who had a little talk with themselves and second half decided to play the way they know how to play. We’re really proud of this win. It’s tough to win on the road. It’s tough to win on the road. And a conference road win’s like gold.”

THIS IS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS’ FIRST SEASON, WHAT WOULD THIS GAME BE TITLED IF IT WAS AN EPISODE OF FRIENDS?

The One With The Big Second Half Comeback

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! An 82-76 final sounds fairly common and the Dutchmen did indeed earn a win by that very score when they upset George Mason in the CAA quarterfinals way back on Mar. 2, 2002. You hate to see it, you really do. The Dutchmen have recorded six unicorn scores this season after recording 10 unicorn scores last season. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won. 

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER FOURTEEN GAMES

With the win over James Madison, the Dutchmen improved to 10-4. This ties the 2019-20 team for the 15th-best record through 14 games. Eleven other teams began 10-4, most recently the 2015-16 squad. The 10-4 record is the most common 14-game record. Here is how some other notable Hofstra teams have fared through 14 games:

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 7-7

1976-77: 10-4

1999-2000: 9-5

2000-01: 10-4

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 9-5

2004-05: 10-4

2005-06: 11-3

2006-07: 10-4

2015-16: 10-4 

2018-19: 11-3 (marked seventh win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 10-4

1961-62: 13-1

1962-63: 10-4

1963-64: 12-2 (most recent 12-2 start)

Some other notable 14-game starts:

2017-18: 8-6 (most recent 8-6 start)

2016-17: 9-5 (most recent 9-5 start)

2013-14: 4-10 (most recent 4-10 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 4-10 (won game no. 14 to snap eight-game losing streak)

2011-12: 6-8 (most recent 6-8 start)

2007-08: 3-11 (most recent 3-11 start)

2002-03: 2-12 (most recent 2-12 start)

2001-02: 6-8 (Tom Pecora’s first team)

1996-97: 5-9 (most recent 5-9 start)

1995-96: 7-7 (most recent 7-7 start, last time at .500)

1994-95: 2-12 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-13 (VBK’s last team, most recent 1-13 start)

1988-89: 6-8 (win in 14th game was a 48-34 victory over Rider that still stands as the fewest points allowed by Hofstra in the last 32 seasons)

1986-87: 7-7 (last time at .500)

1966-67: 7-7 (last time at .500)

1961-62: 13-1 (most recent 13-1 start)

1959-60: 13-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 14th game was third win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)

1937-38: 10-4 (season complete)

Hofstra has never been 14-0 or 0-14 through 14 games.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1954-55.

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

DOUBLE-DIGIT COMEBACK

The Flying Dutchmen mounted a comeback from a double-digit deficit for the second time this season and the first time since storming back from a 13-point deficit to beat UCLA, 88-78, on Nov. 21. The comeback from a 13-point second half deficit was the biggest second half comeback for the Dutchmen since they came back from 14 down to beat Monmouth, 85-84, on Dec. 6, 2017. 

SLOW START, FAST FINISH

Desure Buie went scoreless in the first half Saturday before collecting 15 points in the second half. He is the second Hofstra player this season to score in double digits despite a scoreless first half — Jalen Ray finished with 14 points after a scoreless first half against Princeton Dec. 19 — and the first to score at least 15 points following a scoreless first half since Justin Wright-Foreman scored 17 points against Manhattan on Nov. 18, 2016. Pretty good company.

SO WHO HAS A DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK NOW?

Justin Wright-Foreman, as you may or may not recall, ended his Hofstra career by scoring in double figures in each of his last 88 games. The longest such streak now belongs to Desure Buie, whose big second half extended his streak to 10 straight double-digit efforts.

ANOTHER ELI BUZZER BEATER

Eli Pemberton gave the Dutchmen a much-needed lift by hitting a running 3-pointer at the first half buzzer to close James Madison’s lead to 36-30. It was the second straight season in which Pemberton drained an unlikely 3-pointer at the first half buzzer at James Madison. He hit his famous 85-footer on Jan. 21.

THE FIRST DQ (BUT NOT THE ONE WITH THE ICE CREAM)

Isaac Kante became the first Hofstra player to foul out of a game this season when he collected *does the math* five fouls against James Madison. He is the first Dutchman to earn a disqualification since Justin Wright-Foreman fouled out against Drexel in an 80-77 win on Feb. 28.

THEY’RE FREE YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THEM

We usually focus on the Hofstra stats here, but James Madison’s performance from the free throw line was notable for all the wrong reasons Saturday. The Dukes were just 7-of-22 from the charity stripe. Per Eric Hornick, our friend, Islanders statistician and I’ll Be Quirky inspiration, that’s the worst performance from the line in a Division I game (more than 20 attempts) since UAB was also 7-of-22 against Troy on Dec. 21, 2018. Hey! ECC connection!

In addition, the Dukes’ performance was the worst from the line by a Hofstra opponent since at least the 2005-06 season, which is as far back as opponents game-by-game statistics are available at GoHofstra.com. Only two other teams in that span shot lower than 50 percent from the line while taking at least 20 free throws. Old Dominion was 14-of-34 (41%) in a 57-46 win over the Dutchmen on Jan. 9, 2010 while Towson was 14-of-33 (42%) in the Dutchmen’s 74-49 win on Feb. 1, 2012.

OVER THE AIR

Today’s game will be aired on FloHoops.com (subscription). Hofstra will carry live audio and offer live stats here.

SCOUTING TOWSON

The Tigers, under ninth-year head coach Pat Skerry, are 6-7 this season and 0-1 in CAA play after falling to Northeastern, 61-45, on Saturday. Towson has alternated wins with losses over its last six games. Oh no, the Dutchmen are doomed!

The Dutchmen and Tigers had no common foes in non-league play.

The Dutchmen, who were picked first in the CAA preseason poll, were ranked 131st at KenPom.com today. The Tigers, who were picked sixth, were ranked 175th at KenPom.com today.

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (104.2) and second in defensive efficiency (101.5). The Tigers rank seventh in the CAA in offensive efficiency (99.0) and first in defensive efficiency (99.9).

Senior Brian Fobbs, who was named to the all-CAA preseason first team, leads the Tigers in scoring (16.0 ppg). Senior Nakye Sanders is puling down a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game while sophomore Allen Betrand is averaging 12.1 ppg. 

KenPom.com predicts 71-70 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 1.5-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 9-4 against the spread this season.

SCOUT SEZ

A well-embedded CAA mole has agreed to provide me his take on each Hofstra league game this season. Here’s his thoughts on today’s game:

“Hofstra’s talent level is a little higher than I was expecting. They can really put the ball in the bucket. But Towson’s the only CAA team that goes nine-deep.”

ALL-TIME VS. TOWSON

Hofstra is 43-26 against Towson in a series that began during the 1982-83 season, when both schools were in the East Coast Conference. The Dutchmen won both meetings last season, when they beat Towson 84-61 in Towson on Jan. 26 and outlasted the Tigers, 91-82, in double overtime in Hempstead on Feb. 21. It was the third season sweep for Hofstra in the last four years.

Hofstra and Towson opposed one another in the ECC and the North Atlantic Conference/America East before moving together to the CAA for the 2001-02 school year. Hofstra has faced only two opponents as often as it’s faced Towson: Longtime conference rivals Delaware and Drexel.

THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY

You should still be Towson State bias! (Stick with the classics)

Amy Schumer bias! (The comedienne and actress went to Towson)

John Schuerholz bias! (The Hall of Fame architect of the NL East dynasty Braves played at Towson and has the baseball field named after him)

The Orioles are really bad bias! (Duh)

I’ll Be Quirky: James Madison

You're a hard habit to break, #CAAHoops!

The Flying Dutchmen closed out the non-conference portion of play — at least until the NCAA Tournament, he tried to type with fingers crossed! — on Sunday by pulling away from Manhattan, 63-51. The real season starts today, when the Dutchmen visit James Madison in the CAA opener. Here’s a look back at the win over the Jaspers and a look ahead to the Dukes.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Desure Buie and Eli Pemberton scored 19 points apiece, but Isaac Kante was the one with the breakout performance as he recorded a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) while draining every shot he took from the field and the free throw line in the win over Manhattan. Kante was drained all six of his field goal attempts and both of his free throws. Pemberton (seven points) and Kante (four points) teamed up for an 11-0 run that gave the Dutchmen the lead for good late in the first half. Manhattan got as close as four points in the second half before the Dutchmen went on an 9-0 run. Buie had five rebounds, five steals, four assists and six turnovers while Pemberton added five rebounds and four assists.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Manhattan 12/22)

3: Isaac Kante

2: Desure Buie

1: Eli Pemberton

SEASON STANDINGS

Desure Buie 25

Eli Pemberton 19

Tareq Coburn 13

Isaac Kante 10

Jalen Ray 9

Stafford Trueheart 1

Omar Silverio 1

THIS IS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS’ FIRST SEASON, WHAT WOULD THIS GAME BE TITLED IF IT WAS AN EPISODE OF FRIENDS?

The One With Manhattan (But Not Central Perk)

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! A 63-51 score sounds like a pre-offensive explosion score, and sure enough, the Dutchmen beat St. John’s by that exact score on Dec. 29, 2006. So close to an anniversary. The Dutchmen have recorded six unicorn scores this season after recording 10 unicorn scores last season. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won. 

HONORS FOR PEMBERTON

Eli Pemberton earned the CAA’s player of the week last week after he scored a combined 46 points int he wins over Princeton and Manhattan. It’s the third time Pemberton has won the player of the week and his first honor since he split the award with Northeastern’s Vasa Pusica for the week ending Jan. 21.

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTEEN GAMES

With the win over Manhattan, the Dutchmen improved to 9-4. This ties the 2019-20 team for the 17th-best record through 13 games. Eleven other teams began 9-4, most recently the 2015-16 squad. Here is how some other notable Hofstra teams have fared through 13 games:

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 6-7

1976-77: 9-4

1999-2000: 8-5

2000-01: 9-4

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 8-5

2004-05: 10-3

2005-06: 10-3 (most recent 10-3 start)

2006-07: 9-4

2015-16: 9-4 

2018-19: 10-3 (marked seventh win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 9-4

1961-62: 12-1

1962-63: 9-4

1963-64: 12-1 (most recent 12-1 start)

Some other notable 13-game starts:

2017-18: 7-6 (most recent 7-6 start)

2016-17: 8-5 (most recent 8-5 start)

2013-14: 4-9 (most recent 4-9 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 3-10 (most recent 3-10 start, final loss in eight-game losing streak)

2011-12: 6-7 (most recent 6-7 start)

2002-03: 2-11 (most recent 2-11 start)

2001-02: 6-7 (Tom Pecora’s first team)

1996-97: 5-8 (most recent 5-8 start)

1994-95: 2-11 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-12 (VBK’s last team, most recent 1-12 start)

1959-60: 12-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 13th game was second win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)

1955-56: 12-1 (suffered first loss in 13th game)

Hofstra has never been 13-0, 11-2 or 0-13 through 13 games.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43m 1945-46, 1954-55

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

WINNING THE NON-CONFERENCE SEASON

The Dutchmen, as just noted, will enter CAA play after going 9-4 in non-conference play. This marks the sixth straight season in which the Dutchmen hit the CAA schedule with a winning record and the 13th time they’ve done so in 19 seasons in the CAA. The nine wins this season are tied for the second most by the Dutchmen entering CAA play. Last year’s team was 10-3 while the 2014-15 team was 9-4. (CAA games that were played in the middle of the non-conference schedule were not counted but are listed separately)

2004-05: 8-1 (.889) 1-0 CAA

2018-19: 10-3 (.769)

2005-06: 6-2 (.750) 2-0 CAA

2008-09: 8-3 (.727) 1-0 CAA

2019-20: 9-4 (.692)

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

A Joe Mihalich-coached team has posted a winning record in non-league play 12 times in 21 seasons. (These figures do not include any “Bracket Buster” games scheduled in the middle of the season)

MAAC ATTACK

The victory over Manhattan gave the Dutchmen a clean sweep of the MAAC in non-conference play for the second straight season. The Dutchmen earlier beat Monmouth and Canisius and went 4-0 against the MAAC last season with wins over Manhattan, Monmouth, Rider and Siena The Dutchmen haven’t lost to a MAAC foe since absorbing a 63-61 loss to Manhattan at Adelphi on Dec. 20, 2017.

THE DEFENSE DIDN’T REST

With the 63-51 win over Manhattan, the Dutchmen have won their last 25 games in which they held an opponent under 60 points. Hofstra is 27-1 under Joe Mihalich when holding an opponent to fewer than 60 points. The only loss was absorbed Feb. 10, 2014, when the Dutchmen fell to James Madison, 59-53.

KANTE PULLS THE LAETTNER (minus everyone hating him)

Isaac Kante had his best game for the Dutchmen Sunday, when he scored 14 points while going 6-for-6 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line. If you are of a certain age, you call that pulling a Laettner.

Kante is just the third Hofstra player in the CAA era to enjoy a perfect day from the field (minimum five attempts) and the free throw line and only the second to do it against a Division I foe. Jacquil Taylor scored 18 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line against Division III Rosemont on Dec. 22, 2018 and Kenny Adeleke scored 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-of-2 shooting from the free throw line against Illinois State on Nov 25, 2011. Taylor had six perfect shooting afternoons (minimum five attempts) last season, more than any other Hofstra player has had in his entire career in the CAA era.

Isaac Kante 6/6 vs. Manhattan 12/22/19

Jacquil Taylor 7/7 vs. James Madison 3/10/19 (CAAT)

Jacquil Taylor 5/5 vs. James Madison 2/23/19

Jacquil Taylor 5/5 vs. Towson 2/21/19

Jacquil Taylor 6/6 vs. Elon 2/7/19

Jacquil Taylor 5/5 vs. Towson 1/26/19

Jacquil Taylor 7/7 vs. Rosemont 12/22/18 (4-4)

Rokas Gustys 5/5 vs. UNCW 3/4/18 (CAAT)

Rokas Gustys 6/6 vs. Northeastern 1/25/18

Rokas Gustys 8/8 vs. Towson 2/18/16

Rokas Gustys 5/5 vs. St. Bonaventure 11/28/15

Rokas Gustys 6/6 vs. Vermont 3/18/15 

Ameen Tanksley 9/9 vs. Norfolk State 12/2/14

Darren Payen 6/6 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson 11/10/13

Stephen Nwaukoni 5/5 vs. Belmont 11/24/13 

Stephen Nwaukoni 5/5 vs. Cleveland State 11/26/11

Greg Washington 6/6 vs. William & Mary 1/22/11

David Imes 8/8 vs. Drexel 1/3/11

Adrian Uter 6/6 vs. Nebraska 3/16/06

Kenny Adeleke 6/6 vs. Illinois State 11/25/01

ROUGH DAY FOR RAY

Jalen Ray scored three points on 1-of-9 shooting. It’s the second time this season he’s hit one field goal while taking at least nine shots. He is the first Hofstra player with at least two such games in a season since Brian Bernardi was 1-of-9 or worse three times during the 2015-16 season.

SO WHO HAS A DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK NOW?

Justin Wright-Foreman, as you may or may not recall, ended his Hofstra career by scoring in double figures in each of his last 88 games. The longest such streak now belongs to Desure Buie, who has scored at least 10 points in nine straight games.

OVER THE AIR

Today’s game will be aired on FloHoops.com (subscription). Hofstra will carry live audio and offer live stats here.

HOFSTRA AND THE CAA

This is Hofstra’s 19th season in the CAA. Remarkably, the 19-year tenure in the CAA either ties Hofstra for the length of its membership in the ECC or leaves it one season shy. (Hofstra was still considered a member of the ECC in 1992-93, along with Central Connecticut State, though the two teams played independent schedules) In between the Dutchmen spent seven years in the North Atlantic Conference/America East.

THE DUTCHMEN IN CAA OPENERS

The Dutchmen are 10-8 in the first game of league play since joining the CAA in 2001-02. They are 4-2 in CAA openers under Joe Mihalich following a 91-46 win over Delaware last season.

The Dutchmen are playing James Madison in the CAA opener for the third time and the first time since 2012. The teams split the previous openers, with Hofstra earning a 78-75 win on Dec. 4, 2004 and the Dukes winning, 62-60, on Dec. 3, 2012. 

SCOUTING JAMES MADISON

The Dukes, under fourth-year head coach Louis Rowe, are 7-4 this season after ending the non-conference portion of the schedule with two straight wins, including a 75-69 win over Fordham (heh) in their most recent game Dec. 20.

The Dutchmen and Dukes had no common foes during non-league play.

The Dutchmen, who were picked first in the CAA preseason poll, were ranked 135th at KenPom.com as of early this afternoon. The Dukes, who were picked fourth, were ranked 230th at KenPom.com as of early this afternoon.

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (104.0) and third in defensive efficiency (101.7). The Dukes rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (101.3) and eighth in defensive efficiency (106.5). Per KenPom.com, the Dukes and Dutchmen are the two fastest-tempo teams in the league.

Matt Lewis, who was named to the all-CAA preseason first team, leads the Dukes in scoring (17.7 ppg) and rebounding (7.1 rpg). Junior Darius Banks, a preseason all-CAA second team selection, is averaging 14.1 ppg while freshman Michael Christmas is pulling down 6.3 rebounds per game.

KenPom.com predicts an 83-81 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 8-4 against the spread this season.

SCOUT SEZ

A well-embedded CAA mole has agreed to provide me his take on each Hofstra league game this season. Here’s his thoughts on today’s game:

“A little edge to Hofstra. Going to be a fast-tempo, high-scoring game.”

ALL-TIME VS. JAMES MADISON

Hofstra is 20-13 against James Madison in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The Dutchmen took two of three games last season, when they earned an 85-68 win in Harrisonburg on Jan 24, saw their hopes of an unbeaten home season perish with a 104-99 loss in the home finale Feb. 23 and advanced in the CAA Tournament with a wire-to-wire 76-67 win in the quarterfinals Mar. 10.

THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY

You still get publicity from I-AA football bias! (James Madison is in the I-AA national title game, AGAIN, must be nice)

Princeton bias! (The actual James Madison went to Princeton)

Chicago bias! (Not the city, the band, whose guitarist, Keith Howland, graduated from James Madison)

Ed Perry bias! (The tight end who caught two touchdown passes form Dan Marino graduated from James Madison)

I'll Be Quirky: Manhattan

Mass market paperback bias! 

The Flying Dutchmen returned from their exam break in impressive fashion Wednesday night, when they didn’t trail for the final 38:42 of an 87-72 win over Princeton. The Dutchmen will complete their non-conference schedule this afternoon, when they host familiar foe Manhattan. Here’s a look back at the win over the Tigers and a look ahead to the Jaspers.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Eli Pemberton (a game-high 27 points) was 9-of-13 from the field and came within one point of matching his career-high and Desure Buie flirted with a triple-double (13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists) as the Dutchmen fended off Princeton. Five Dutchmen scored in double figures, none more surprisingly so than Stafford Trueheart, who came off the bench to score 11 points — as many as he’d scored in his first eight games of the season combined — and collect six rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes. Jalen Ray, held scoreless in the first half, finished with 14 points while Tareq Coburn had 14 points and six rebounds.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Princeton 12/19)

3: Eli Pemberton

2: Desure Buie

1: Stafford Trueheart

SEASON STANDINGS

Desure Buie 23

Eli Pemberton 18

Tareq Coburn 13

Jalen Ray 9

Isaac Kante 7

Stafford Trueheart 1

Omar Silverio 1

COACHSPEAK: “Proud of our guys. It’s tough to win on the road. We beat a team who’s really a good team.”

THIS IS THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF FRIENDS’ FIRST SEASON, WHAT WOULD THIS GAME BE TITLED IF IT WAS AN EPISODE OF FRIENDS?

The One Where Joe Got One More Win Than Jay

JOE’S GOT THE WRIGHT STUFF

You’re doing something right when you surpass Jay Wright in something. The Dutchmen’s win Wednesday was the 123rd of Joe Mihalich’s tenure, breaking a tie for fifth-place on the all-time list with Wright. Mihalich, in the midst of his seventh season, reached 123 wins in 211 games (we were told there’d be no math). Wright recorded his 122 wins over 207 games. The top six now reads as follow:

1.) Butch van Breda Kolff 215 (1955-62, 1988-94)

2.) Tom Pecora 155 (2001-10)

3.) Paul Lynner 152 (1962-72)

4.) Frank Reilly 146 (1947-55)

5.) JOE MIHALICH 123 (2013-present)

6.) Jay Wright 122 (1994-2001)

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! Booo. If an 87-72 win sounded familiar, that’s because the Dutchmen beat UNCW by that exact score on Jan. 17. It was not a unicorn score then, either. The result Wednesday snaps a streak of three straight wins by unicorn scores for the Dutchmen, who have recorded six unicorn scores this season. They recorded 10 unicorn scores last season. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won. 

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWELVE GAMES

With the win over Princeton, the Dutchmen improved to 8-4. This ties the 2019-20 team for the 20th-best record through 12 games. Eleven other teams began 8-4, most recently the 2015-16 squad. The 7-4 record is the most common 11-game record. Here is how some other notable Hofstra teams have fared through 10 games.

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 6-6

1976-77: 9-3

1999-2000: 7-45

2000-01: 8-4

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 8-4

2004-05: 10-2

2005-06: 10-2 (most recent 10-2 start)

2006-07: 8-4

2015-16: 8-4 

2018-19: 9-3 (marked sixth win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 8-4

1961-62: 11-1

1962-63: 8-4

1963-64: 11-1 (most recent 11-1 start)

Some other notable 12-game starts:

2017-18: 7-5 (most recent 7-5 start)

2013-14: 4-8 (most recent 4-8 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 3-9 (most recent 3-9 start)

2011-12: 5-7 (most recent 5-7 start)

2002-03: 2-10 (most recent 2-10 start)

2001-02: 5-7 (Tom Pecora’s first team)

1995-96: 6-6 (most recent 6-6 start)

1994-95: 2-10 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-11 (VBK’s last team, most recent 1-11 start)

1963-63: 11-1 (most recent 11-1 start)

1959-60: 11-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 12th game began season-ending 13-game winning streak)

1955-56: 12-0 (only 12-0 start)

1951-52: 11-1 (suffered first loss in 12th game)

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43m 1945-46, 1954-55

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

THINKING OF SILVERIO

Save a good thought today for sophomore Omar Silverio, who missed the game after traveling home to Puerto Rico to be with his seriously ill sister. 

THE NEAR TRIPLE-DOUBLE

Desure Buie came within striking distance of the second triple-double in program history Wednesday, when he collected 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against Princeton. Buie is just the third Hofstra since the 2010-11 season (the first season in which the CollegeBasketballReference.com Play Index has individual boxscores) to record at least 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a game. Juan’ya Green did it six times — including Dec. 28, 2014, when he recorded Hofstra’s first triple-double by finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Long Island University — and Charles Jenkins did it once. Through Friday, there have been 81 instances this season in which a Division I player has finished with at least 13 points as well as seven rebounds and seven assists.

THIRD TIME THE CHARM FOR PEMBERTON

Eli Pemberton led the Dutchmen in scoring with 27 points Wednesday. It marked his third 20-point effort of the season but the first time in which the Dutchmen won the game. Pemberton scored a career-high 28 points in a 79-69 loss to San Diego on Nov. 27 and 23 points in a 79-71 loss to San Jose State in the season opener Nov. 6.

STAFFORD’S SURGE

Junior Stafford Trueheart busted out in a big way Wednesday, when he scored 11 points, pulled down six rebounds and registered two blocks in 18 minutes off the bench. Trueheart missed the first four games of the season recovering from an injury and entered Wednesday with just 11 points, 15 rebounds and no blocks in 65 minutes. The 11 points were Trueheart’s most since he scored a career-high 14 points against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 14, 2018 while the six rebounds were his most since he collected a career-high 13 boards against Rosemont a year ago today. In addition, Trueheart hadn’t blocked two shots in a game since he had two blocks against Delaware last Dec. 28.

RAY OF SECOND HALF LIGHT

Jalen Ray picked up two quick fouls Wednesday and was scoreless in seven first half minutes before he scored 14 points in the second half. Ray is the first Hofstra player to score in double digits after being held scoreless in the first half since Tareq Coburn also finished with 14 points in a 104-99 overtime loss to James Madison on Feb. 23.

SO WHO HAS A DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING STREAK NOW?

Justin Wright-Foreman, as you may or may not recall, ended his Hofstra career by scoring in double figures in each of his last 88 games. The longest such streak now belongs to Desure Buie, who has scored at least 10 points in eight straight games.

MANHATTAN AND THE MAAC

Manhattan, under ninth-year head coach Steve Masiello, is 4-4 this season following a 59-58 loss to Western Michigan on Dec. 14. The Jaspers have lost three of their last four games, but the one win was a 54-53 overtime win over MAAC rival Fordham on Dec. 7. Oh, Fordham’s not in the MAAC? Our bad.

Manhattan was picked to finish fifth in the MAAC this season. Sophomore guard Samir Stewart leads the Jaspers with 9.7 points per game while fellow sophomore guard Tykei Greene is collecting a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game and averaging 9.3 points per game. Senior forward Pauly Paulicap and sophomore forward Warren Williams were each selected to the preseason all-MAAC third team.

The Dutchmen and Jaspers have four common foes this season. SUNY-Stony Brook fell to Hofstra, 71-63, on Dec. 10, eight days after the Patriots beat Manhattan, 65-47. The Dutchmen have beaten Monmouth and Canisius, both of whom are scheduled to face the Jaspers twice in MAAC play. Manhattan earned a 69-64 win over Elon, whom Hofstra is scheduled to face twice in CAA play.

Hofstra is 23-42 all-time against Manhattan and has faced the Jaspers more than any other non-conference foe. This is the fourth straight season in which the two teams have played. The Dutchmen snapped a five-game losing streak in the series by rolling to an 80-50 win on Dec. 10, 2018. Joe Mihalich, who coached in the MAAC for Niagara for 15 years, is 20-16 all-time against Manhattan. 

Hofstra is 101-118 all-time against current MAAC schools, though the Dutchmen have won six straight games against MAAC foes dating back to the start of last season. This marks the 13th time in the last 14 seasons the Dutchmen are scheduled to play at least two MAAC schools (the 2014-15 schedule had no MAAC teams).

At KenPom.com early this morning, Hofstra is ranked 137th while Manhattan is ranked 264th. KenPom.com predicts a 73-62 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 9.5-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-4 against the spread this season.

THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY

Gerrit Cole didn’t hold a sign aloft rooting for you as a kid bias! (Remember, Manhattan College is actually in the Bronx)

Pat Kirwan bias! (Per Wikipedia, which is never wrong, former Hofstra assistant football coach and Jets assistant went to Manhattan)

James Patterson bias! (The author went to Manhattan)

Jaden Daly and Christian Heimall bias! (It wouldn’t be a Manhattan game without shouting out two good friends of the blog who used to serve as the Jaspers PBP men)