Looks like Billy, Amanda and Allison are in disagreement over who to root for this morning.
The regular season ended without the Flying Dutchmen even realizing it three weeks ago today, when a second-half comeback against the Matt Lewis-less James Madison fell short in a 74-70 loss that completed a sweep at the hands of the Dukes. The next day, Hofstra went on pause due to a positive coronavirus case within its Tier 1 personnel. The pause forced the cancelation of the final two weekends and left the Dutchmen idle until, they hope, today, when they are scheduled to face fifth-seeded Delaware in the CAA quarterfinals at the very 2021-esque time of 11 AM. The only thing weirder than coming off a three-week pause to play in a single-elimination conference tournament? Doing so coming off a five-week pause, which is what Delaware is trying to do. Let us never experience a season like this ever again. Here’s a look back at the loss to James Madison and a hopeful look ahead to the Blue Hens.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Jalen Ray scored 18 of his game-high 25 points in the second half but the Dutchmen, who trailed for the final 32-plus minutes and got no closer than four points in the second half. Kvonn Cramer (13 points, 10 rebounds) posted his fourth double-double while Isaac Kante (eight points, 12 rebounds) flirted with the double-double. Tareq Coburn had 12 points and David Green tied a career-high by scoring eight points off the bench.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. James Madison 2/14)
3: Jalen Ray
2: Kvonn Cramer
1: Isaac Kante
SEASON STANDINGS
Jalen Ray 39
Isaac Kante 30
Tareq Coburn 24
Caleb Burgess 16
KVonn Cramer 13
Omar Silverio 3
Kevin Schutte 1
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-ONE GAMES
With the loss three weeks ago today (what a weird thing to type), the Dutchmen fell to 12-9, which is tied for the 32nd-best start in school history. Six other teams have opened 12-9, most recently the 2017-18 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 21 games.
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 11-10 (over .500 for good)
1976-77: 15-6 (win in 21st game marked first win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)
1999-2000: 16-5 (win in 21st game marked ninth win of 10-game winning streak)
2000-01: 17-4 (win in 21st game marked ninth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-7
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 14-7
2004-05: 14-7
2005-06: 17-4 (most recent 17-4 start)
2006-07: 16-5 (most recent 16-5 start)
2015-16: 15-6
2018-19: 18-3 (win in 21st game marked 15th win in the 16-game winning streak)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 16-5
1961-62: 18-3 (only other 18-3 start)
1962-63: 15-6 (fourth win of 11-game winning streak)
1963-64: 17-4
Some other notable 21-game records:
2016-17: 10-11 (most recent 10-11 start; win in 21st game snapped Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)
2013-14: 7-14 (most recent 7-14 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 5-16 (most recent 5-16 start)
2009-10: 9-12 (most recent 9-12 start, season-low three games under .500)
1988-89: 8-13 (most recent 8-13 start)
2001-02: 10-11 (last time within one win of .500, Tom Pecora’s first team)
1997-98: 13-8 (most recent 13-8 start)
1996-97: 10-11 (under .500 for good)
1995-96: 7-14 (loss in 21st game marked seventh loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)
1994-95: 6-15 (most recent 6-15 start, Jay Wright’s first year)
1993-94: 4-17 (most recent 4-17 start, VBK’s last year)
1991-92: 13-8 (win in 21st game was second in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)
1987-88: 4-17 (loss in 21st game was 11th loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)
1984-95: 11-10 (most recent 11-10 start)
1974-75: 8-13 (last loss of season)
1972-73: 8-13 (last win of season)
1971-72: 11-10 (over .500 for the last time, last win of season)
1970-71: 13-8 (last loss of season)
1959-60: 20–1 (most recent 20-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 21st game was 10th win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)
1944-45: 8-13 (lost season finale)
1939-40: 12-9 (won season finale)
Hofstra has never been 21-0, 3-18, 2-19, 1-20 or 0-21 through 21 games.
The following seasons were completed in fewer than 21 games: 1947-48 (13-6), 1945-46 (12-7), 1943-44 (7-12), 1940-41 (13-7), 1938-39 (10-8), 1937-38 (10-4), 1936-37 (10-7)
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.
HARDWARE FOR HOFSTRA
The Dutchmen were well-represented in the CAA’s postseason awards, which were announced Friday. Senior guard Jalen Ray was named first-team all-CAA while junior center Isaac Kante and senior guard Tareq Coburn earned second- and third-team all-CAA honors, respectively. Hofstra was the only school with a player on all three teams and the only school with more than two players named to the top three teams. This is the third straight year Hofstra had a player on each of the three all-CAA teams.
In addition, Kvonn Cramer was also selected to the all-rookie team. Most impressively, Coburn won both the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award and the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. It is the second straight Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for Coburn, who is the second consecutive Hofstra player to win the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award. Desure Buie won it last year
RAY HOLDS ON 21
Despite scoring a game-high 25 points three weeks ago today, Jalen Ray’s streak of gaining ground on the Hofstra all-time scoring list ended as he remained in 21st place. He enters today needing seven points to move past Mike Tilley into 20th place and 17 points to surpass Kenny Adeleke for 19th place.
18.) Desure Buie 1,310
19.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296
20.) Mike Tilley 1,286
21.) JALEN RAY 1,280
21.) Roberto Gittens 1,240
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
Prior to Feb. 14, Ray had gained at least a half-spot on the all-time scoring list in every game since joining the 1,000-point club on Dec. 22.
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
Feb. 13: 21st place
Feb. 14: 21st place
CRAMER’S A TOP TEN HIT
With his 13 points on Feb. 14, Kvonn Cramer moved past Nathaniel Lester and into 10th place on the Hofstra freshman CAA-era scoring list. Cramer is the first Hofstra freshman to score at least 100 points since Eli Pemberton scored 397 points in 2016-17.
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.) KVONN CRAMER, 196 (2020-21)
11.) Nathaniel Lester, 189 (2007-08)
12.) Shemiye McLendon, 178 (2010-11)
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)
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.
THIS WEIRD SEASON
Before they went on pause Feb. 15, the Dutchmen were the only CAA team to play all its league games as scheduled. Even with the final two weekends canceled, the Dutchmen still ended up leading the league in games played with 14, two more than Towson and seven more than UNC Wilmington, which played the fewest games. Again: Let us never experience a season this weird ever again.
THE DUTCHMEN AS DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
Let’s hope it’s thrice as nice. The Dutchmen repeated as conference tournament champions following each of their first championships in the ECC, where they won it all in 1976 and 1977 as well as the conference’s final season in 1994, and the America East, where they earned championships in their final two seasons in the league in 2000 and 2001. The only time the Dutchmen did not successfully defend a championship was in 1978, when they went 8-19 and lost their ECC tournament opener to American, 97-77.
THE DUTCHMEN IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PLAY
The defending CAA champion Dutchmen enter today 18-18 in CAA Tournament play since 2002, 27-23 in conference tournament play in the NAC/America East/CAA era (1994-present) and 30-23 in conference tournament play in the Defiantly Dutch era (1993-present), which, let’s face it, is the only era that matters because it includes the ECC. Hello Litos.
In the CAA, the Dutchmen finally broke through and won it all last year by beating Northeastern 70-61 in the title game on March 10, fewer than 48 hours before the NCAA Tournament was canceled. The Dutchmen are trying to become the CAA’s first repeat champion since UNC Wilmington in 2016-17 (grrr) and the XXth one overall.
In the CAA, the Dutchmen previously lost three times in the championship game and have fallen in the semifinals four times, been eliminated in the quarterfinals eight times and lost on Pillowfight Friday four times. Dating back to 1994, the Dutchmen have won four championships (1994 ECC, 2000 America East, 2001 America East, 2020 CAA), fallen in the title game three times, lost in the semifinals six times, fallen in the quarterfinals nine times and been eliminated in an outbracket game five times (we didn’t call it Pillowfight Friday back in the NAC).
GO FOURTH YOUNG MEN
The Dutchmen are the fourth seed in the CAA Tournament for the first time and the fourth seed in a conference tournament for the first time since 1997, when they fell to fifth-seeded Delaware, 86-73, in the America East quarterfinals. Eep. Since Hofstra joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season, the fourth seed has gone 8-11 in its opening game. Double eep.
Just two teams have won the CAA Tournament as the no. 4 seed: Old Dominion in 1992 and UNC Wilmington. Three no. 4 seeds have reached the title game and lost: UNC Wilmington in 1989, George Mason in 1991 and VCU in 2011. And then what happened, VCU?
HELLO OUR FRIENDS WE MEET AGAIN
The Dutchmen will be facing Delaware in conference tournament play for the third straight season and the ninth time — all since 1994-95, when the Dutchmen joined the North Atlantic Conference. The nine conference tournament games are the most for Hofstra against any opponent in the NAC/America East/CAA era. The Dutchmen improved to 4-5 in conference tournament games against Delaware with the 75-61 win in last year’s semifinals.
1997 America East QFs: Delaware 86-73
1998 America East SFs: Delaware 60-51
2000 America East championship: Hofstra 76-69***
2001 America East championship: Hofstra 68-54***
2013 CAA QFs: Delaware 62-57
2014 CAA QFs: Delaware 87-76
2017 CAA PFF: Delaware 81-76
2019 CAA SFs: Hofstra 78-74 (overtime)
2020 CAA SFs: Hofstra 75-61
SCOUTING DELAWARE
The Blue Hens, under fifth-year head coach Martin Inglesby, earned the fifth seed in the CAA Tournament by finishing 5-4 in league play. They went 7-7 overall in the regular season. Delaware hasn’t played since way back on Jan. 31, when it completed a sweep of Elon with a 75-70 win. What a season.
The Dutchmen and Blue Hens ha just two common opponents in CAA play. The Dutchmen swept William & Mary, which beat Delaware 67-62 in the only meeting between the teams Jan. 9, and UNC Wilmington, which split a weekend series with the Blue Hens Jan. 23-24.
The Dutchmen, who were picked first in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 179th at KenPom.com. The Blue Hens, who were picked second, are ranked 218th.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank first in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.6) and seventh in defensive efficiency (106.7). The Blue Hens are eighth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (97.6) and third in defensive efficiency (102.0).
Senior forward Dylan Painter, who was named to the all-CAA first team, is averaging a double-double with 13.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game. Senior guard Ryan Allen is scoring a team-high 15.4 ppg while senior guard Kevin Anderson is averaging 11.4 ppg and a team-high 2.8 assists per game. (Allen is at 2.79 apg)
KenPom.com predicts a 71-68 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3.5-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 9-12 against the spread this season.
ALL-TIME VS. DELAWARE
Hofstra is 62-34 against Delaware in a series that began during the 1954-55 season. The Blue Hens are Hofstra’s most common foe. The Dutchmen and Delaware were rivals in the East Coast Conference and the North Atlantic Conference/America East before heading to the CAA, along with Drexel and Towson, for the 2001-02 season.
The teams split two games this season, both in New-ARK the weekend of Jan . 15-17. Delaware scored the final 14 points in a 74-56 win on Jan. 15 before the Dutchmen never trailed yet needed a last-second defensive stand to escape with a 68-67 win two days later.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Andrew Shue bias! (Like his sister Elisabeth, the guy who played Billy Campbell on Melrose Place was born in Delaware)
Cal Ripken Jr. bias! (Baseball’s iron man received an honorary degree form Delaware in 2008)
Taylor Swift’s Dad bias! (Scott Swift graduated from Delaware)
Stone Balloon bias! (Gotta go old school once in a while)
No comments:
Post a Comment