You know, maybe getting publicity from a quarterback playing for the Cowboys ISN'T all it's cracked up to be.
The Flying Dutchmen salvaged a split with Drexel by producing another team effort last Sunday, when five players scored in double figures in a 79-74 win over the Dragons. The win (hopefully) sets up a key series with (hopeful) tournament seeding implications this weekend, when the Dutchmen are scheduled to (hopefully) visit surprising James Madison. Here’s a look back at the win over Drexel and a (hopeful) look ahead to the Dukes.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Isaac Kante (16 points, 16 rebounds) had another double-double to lead a balanced attack for the Dutchmen, who held off a late rally by Drexel. Tareq Coburn scored a team-high 17 points and drained a 3-pointer to begin a 15-4 run that gave the Dutchmen a 66-50 lead midway through the second half. The Dragons got within five points seven times in the final 4:48, but the Dutchmen responded with points each of the first six times (Xavier Bell hit a 3-pointer as time expired to account for the final score). Kvonn Cramer scored 15 points while playing just 24 minutes due to foul trouble. Caleb Burgess scored 11 points, including nine in the second half, when he had five points during the 15-4 run and hit a pair of key jumpers, both of which extended the lead to seven in the final minute. Burgess also had eight assists and five rebounds. Freshman Vukasin Masic scored 10 points and hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the first half to tie the game and put the Dutchmen ahead for good. Jalen Ray, slowed by a stomach bug, scored five points on 1-of-11 shooting one day after scoring a career-high 30 points.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Drexel 2/7)
3: Isaac Kante
2: Tareq Coburn
1: Caleb Burgess
SEASON STANDINGS
Jalen Ray 34
Isaac Kante 29
Tareq Coburn 21
Caleb Burgess 15
KVonn Cramer 11
Omar Silverio 3
Kevin Schutte 1
COACHSPEAK: “The way we need to play. Only saw the real Hofstra Pride, the Hofstra Pride we need to be, for 20 minutes (Saturday). And we were that team for 40 minutes.”—acting head coach Mike Farrelly
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
Seriously, what do you think? At least this time the Dutchmen didn’t repeat a victorious Joe Mihalich-era final score! The Dutchmen previously beat Towson 79-74 on Jan. 18, 2007.
As you no doubt know by now, the Dutchmen have yet to record a unicorn score this season. *still making a begging motion* The Dutchmen recorded 13 unicorn score victories last season, three more than in 2018-19, which was when we first started tracking unicorn scores. I don’t think we’re approaching those numbers this 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 NINETEEN GAMES
With Sunday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 12-7, which is tied for the 27th-best start in school history. Five other teams have opened 12-7, most recently the 2017-18 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 19 games.
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 10-9
1976-77: 14-5
1999-2000: 14-5
2000-01: 15-4 (marked seventh win in program-record 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-5
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 13-6
2004-05: 13-6
2005-06: 15-4 (most recent 15-4 start)
2006-07: 14-5
2015-16: 13-6 (most recent 13-6 start)
2018-19: 16-3 (marked 12th win in the 16-game winning streak)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 14-5
1961-62: 17-2 (most recent 17-2 start)
1962-63: 13-6
1963-64: 16-3
Some other notable 19-game records:
2016-17: 9-10 (most recent 9-10 start, under .500 for good; loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)
2013-14: 7-12 (most recent 7-12 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 5-14 (most recent 5-14 start)
2011-12: 6-13 (most recent 6-13 start)
2003-04: 8-11 (most recent 8-11 start)
1995-96: 7-12 (loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)
1994-95: 5-14 (win in 19th game marked second win of three-game winning streak, the first streak in Wright’s first year)
1997-98: 11-8 (most recent 11-8 start)
1993-94: 3-16 (only 3-16 start, 84-76 win over Central Connecticut in 19th game was lone regular season ECC win and also the first game I ever covered, VBK’s last team)
1990-91: 10-9 (most recent 10-9 start)
1987-88: 4-15 (only 4-15 start, loss in 19th game was ninth loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)
1985-96: 10-9 (over .500 for good)
1964-65: 9-10 (under .500 for good)
1960-61: 17-2
1959-60: 18-1 (most recent 18-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 19th game was eighth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)
1956-57: 9-10 (under .500 for good)
1954-44: 18-1
1947-48: 13-6 (season complete)
1945-46: 12-7 (season complete)
1943-44: 7-12 (season complete)
Hofstra has never been 19-0, 2-17, 1-18 or 0-19 through 19 games.
The following seasons were completed in fewer than 19 games: 1938-39 (10-8), 1937-38 (10-4), 1936-37 (10-7)
Three seasons were completed in fewer than 19 games:
1936-37: 10-7
1937-38: 10-4
1938-39: 10-8
Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1951-52, 1954-55, 1957-58.
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.
1010101010 WINS
The Dutchmen put five players into double figures for the second time in three games and the fourth time this season. They had at least five players score in double figures five times last season.
ISAAC KAN DO
Junior big man Isaac Kante had another monster game Sunday, when he finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds. It was the sixth double-double of the season and the 14th of his career for Kante, who is the first Hofstra player to record at least 15 points and 15 rebounds in the same game since Rokas Gustys had 22 points and 21 rebounds in a 90-84 win over William & Mary on Feb. 15, 2018.
COBURN GOES HOT AND COLD (AND HOT AGAIN)
Tareq Coburn, who scored 26 points on Jan. 24 before missing the next weekend’s series against UNC Wilmington and scoring just nine points in his return to the lineup last Saturday, scored 17 points while going 6-of-8 from the field Sunday. It was Coburn’s highest shooting percentage (minimum five attempts) since he was 8-of-10 in a 72-59 win over Drexel on Jan. 25, 2020.
EFFICIENT CRAMER
Kvonn Cramer scored 15 points despite playing just 24 minutes and picking up four fouls Sunday. It was the first time a Hofstra player has scored 15 points in 25 minutes or fewer against a Division I foe since Jacquil Taylor scored 15 points in 24 minutes against Elon on Feb. 7, 2019. Hey! That was exactly two years earlier!
THE FRESHMAN 175
Forgot about the freshman scoring list until this week, but Kvonn Cramer is the first freshman to score at least 100 points since Eli Pemberton scored 397 points in 2016-17. Cramer’s 175 points rank 12th among Hofstra freshmen in the CAA era, leaving him just three points behind Shemiye McLendon for 11th place.
1.) Antoine Agudio, 452 (2004-05)
2.) Charles Jenkins, 436 (2007-08)
3.) Kenny Adeleke, 433 (2001-02)
4.) Eli Pemberton, 297 (2016-17)
5.) Loren Stokes, 374 (2003-04)
6.) Chaz Williams, 325 (2009-10)
7.) Jamall Robinson, 312 (2013-14)
8.) Halil Kanacevic, 294 (2009-10)
9.) Carlos Rivera, 226 (2003-04)
10.) Nathaniel Lester, 189 (2007-08)
11.) Shemiye McLendon, 178 (2010-11)
12.) KVONN CRAMER, 175 (2020-21)
13.) Wendell Gibson, 153 (2001-02)
14.) Jordan Allen, 152 (2012-13)
15.) Chris Jenkins, 151 (2013-14)
16.) Rokas Gustys, 140 (2014-15)
17.) Mike Radziejewski, 138 (2001-02)
18.) Aurimas Kieza, 126 (2002-03)
19.) Woody Souffrant, 110 (2001-02)
20.) Moussa Kone, 100 (2011-12)
RAY MOVIN’ ON UP
Jalen Ray scored five points Sunday as he played through a stomach bug, but that was enough to continue his streak of gaining ground on the Hofstra all-time scoring list. The five points lifted Ray past Carlos Rivera and into 22nd place. H’s got a pretty good chance to keep moving up today. He needs 12 points to surpass Roberto Gittens for 21st place.
21.) Roberto Gittens 1,240
22.) JALEN RAY 1,229
23.) Carlos Rivera 1,225
24t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220
24t.) John Mills 1,220
26t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186
26t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186
28.) Rokas Gustys 1,184
29.) Ted Jackson 1,159
30.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139
31.) Wandy Williams 1,132
32.) Mike Moore 1,128
33.) Richie Swartz 1,107
34.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090
35.) Derrick Flowers 1,069
36.) Darius Burton 1,060
37.) Percy Johnson 1,045
38.) James Shaffer, 1,022
39.) John Irving 1,018
Since joining the 1,000-point club on Dec. 22, Ray has gained at least a half-spot on the all-time scoring list in every game.
Dec. 22: Tied for 38th place
Jan. 2: 38th place
Jan. 3: 37th place
Jan. 7: 36th place
Jan. 9: 35th place
Jan. 15: 34th place
Jan. 17: 33rd place
Jan. 23: 29th place
Jan. 24: Tied for 28th place
Jan. 30: 28th place
Jan. 31: 25th place
Feb. 6: 23rd place
Feb. 7: 22nd place
CALEB MIGHT BE A DESURE THING
Caleb Burgess had 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the win Sunday, marking the third time he’s recorded at least 10 points, five assists and five rebounds in a game this season. Desure Buie, whom Burgess replaced as the point guard, had six 10/5/5 games last season.
CALLING ON THE RESERVES
Vukasin Masic’s 10-point effort off the bench Sunday marked the seventh time this season a Hofstra reserve has scored in double digits. Omar Silverio has done it three times while Masic and Kvonn Cramer have done it twice each. Dutchmen reserves scored at least 10 points just seven times last season, a figure which includes Tareq Coburn coming off the bench for Connor Klementowicz on Senior Day and Silverio and Kevin Schutte each scoring at least 10 points against Division II New York Tech. Dutchmen reserves scored in double figures off the bench 14 times in 2018-19, but that total was inflated by Jalen Ray doing it 10 times.
THE KIDS ARE STILL ALL RIGHT
It was another Verve Pipe kind of afternoon (GOOGLE IT CRAIN) for the typically veteran-laden Dutchmen, who had four freshmen combine to play 65 minutes Sunday, when KVonn Cramer (24 minutes) and Vukasin Masic (22 minutes), David Green (14 minutes) and Zion Bethea (five minutes) all chipped in off the bench. The 65 minutes by freshmen were the most since Jordan Allen and the three who shall not be named combined to play 84 minutes against George Washington in the latter trio's final game for the Dutchmen on Nov. 24, 2012, when the Dutchmen fell 80-56.
In addition, when Masic, Green and Bethea played together for more than two minutes in the first half Sunday, it marked the first time three true freshman were on the court together in a game against a Division I foe since the three who shall not be named were on the court together in the waning minutes of the loss to George Washington. Freshmen Caleb Burgess, Carl Gibson Jr., Hal Hughes and Jermaine Miranda played the final 1:54 of the 111-69 win over Division II New York Tech on Nov. 15, 2019.
OVER THE AIR
Today’s game will be aired on FloHoops.com (subscription required). Hofstra will provide a radio feed and live stats at the Pride Productions hub.
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
The Dukes, under first-year head coach Mark Byington, have been the surprise of the CAA thus far and improved to 11-5 and 6-1 in CAA play by beating Elon, 70-61, on Wednesday night. James Madison has won five straight games, the last four of which were all scheduled on short notice after the Dukes’ scheduled opponent had to go on coronavirus pauses. If this series goes off as scheduled, it will mark just the second full weekend series for James Madison. What a season.
The Dutchmen and Dukes had no common foes in non-league play.
The Dutchmen, who were picked first in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 166th at KenPom.com. The Dukes, who were picked ninth, are ranked Dragons, who were picked third, are ranked 177th.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank first in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.1) and sixth in defensive efficiency (105.7). The Dukes are fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (102.3) and third in defensive efficiency (103.0).
Senior guard Matt Lewis, the preseason CAA player of the year, leads the Dukes with 20.6 points and 3.6 assists per game while ranking second with 4.8 rebounds per game. Junior guard Vado Morse is averaging 13.5 ppg while freshman forward Justin Amadi, one of two freshman starters for James Madison, is pulling down a team-high 5.3 rpg.
KenPom.com predicts a 76-74 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 9-10 against the spread this season, including 4-8 in CAA play.
ALL-TIME VS. JAMES MADISON
Hofstra is 22-13 against James Madison in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The Dutchmen earned a series sweep last season, when they came back from a 14-point second half deficit to beat the Dukes, 82-76, in the CAA opener on Dec. 28 before closing out regular season play by clinching the outright no. 1 seed with a 97-81 win on Senior Day on Feb. 29. It was the second regular season series sweep in three years for the Dutchmen.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Ben DiNucci bias! (The James Madison alum gave his school publicity by making his lone career start thus far for the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football)
Mark Byington is sort of a CAA lifer bias! (Byington scored more than 1,000 points at UNC Wilmington before serving on the Charleston staff from 2005-12, before the Cougars joined the CAA)
Dave Matthews Band bias! (Before becoming superstars, DMB apparently played a lot at James Madison)
Really ugly home court bias! (Sorry but it is)
No comments:
Post a Comment