Bo doesn't know Hofstra-Delaware, unfortunately.
The longest losing streak in almost six years ended last Thursday, when the Flying Dutchmen took care of business as expected in dispatching of Division III Old Westbury, 96-48. The real season begins tonight, when the Dutchmen open CAA play by visiting our old friends (but not Snowy’s friends) Delaware. Here’s a look back at the win over the Panthers and a look ahead to the Blue Hens.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Jaquan Carlos (eight points, 13 assists, seven steals) flirted with the second triple-double in program history for the Dutchmen, who opened a double-digit lead a little more than four minutes into the game and eventually led by as many as 55 SAMMY HAGAR BIAS. Old Westbury scored the first basket before Tyler Thomas, Amar’e Marshall, Darlinstone Dubar and Thomas again hit 3-pointers on consecutive trips to start a 23-5 run. Dubar scored a season-high 23 points in just 18 minutes while Warren Williams (11 points, 14 rebounds) posted his first double-double for the Dutchmen, Marshall (15 points) and Thomas (14 points) also got into double figures. Ten players scored for the Dutchmen, including Aiden Best, who became the first walk-on to play, never mind score, in almost three years. Aaron Estrada sat out as a precaution due to his recent ankle injury.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Old Westbury, 12/22)
3: Jaquan Carlos
2: Darlinstone Dubar
1: Warren Williams
SEASON STANDINGS
Aaron Estrada 24
Darlinstone Dubar 17
Tyler Thomas 12
Jaquan Carlos 8
Amar’e Marshall 6
Warren Williams 5
Nelson Boachie-Yiadom 5
Griffin Barrouk 1
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
Yes! Not surprisingly, the Dutchmen had never previously won a game by anything close to a 96-48 score. This is the Flying Dutchmen’s fourth unicorn score victory of the season. The Dutchmen recorded 11 unicorn score victories last season after recording no unicorn scores in 2020-21, 13 unicorn scores in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn scores in 2018-19. 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. You may also know it as a “Scorigami,” a term popularized in the NFL.
11/11/22: 83-78 over Iona
11/14/22: 85-80 over George Washington
11/17/22: 85-76 over San Jose State
12/22/22: 96-48 over Old Westbury
WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?
It’s back! Tyler Thomas hit the 3-pointer that put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 3-2 with 19:02 left in the first half. It’s the earliest a Hofstra player has ever hit a known Keith Hernandez dating back to *flips calendar* when we began this feature last month. A new earliest Keith Hernandez has been set in each of the last five victories. If these trends continue, the Dutchmen will soon be scoring their go-ahead baskets before the opening tip, which would be good!
Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Princeton, 11/7/22 (1:11 left 2H)
Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Iona, 11/11/22 (:35.2 left 2H)
Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. George Washington, 11/14/22 (5:09 left 2H)
German Plotnikov go-ahead 3-pointer vs. San Jose State. 11/17/22 (6:32 left 2H)
Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. UNC Greensboro, 11/26/22 (14:56 left 1H)
Aaron Estrada go-ahead jumper vs. Quinnipiac, 11/27/22 (17:28 left 1H)
Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Old Westbury, 12/22/22 (19:02 left 1H)
This also gives Thomas three Keith Hernandezes, which makes him the Dutchmen’s Keith Hernandez. I don’t make the rules. Wait, actually, I do.
Tyler Thomas 3
Jaquan Carlos 1
Darlinstone Dubar 1
German Plotnikov 1
Aaron Estrada 1
The Keith Hernandez is bestowed upon the player who scores the points that put the Dutchmen ahead for good in a victory. The stat pays homage to Hernandez, the World Series-winning Cardinals and Mets first baseman who had a record 129 game-winning RBIs when the stat was inexplicably discontinued after the 1988 season.
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTEEN GAMES
With last Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 7-6. This ties the 2022-23 team for the 43rd-best record in school history through 13 games. Eight other teams began 7-6, most notably the 2020-21 squad. Here is how some 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
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 9-4 (most recent 9-4 start)
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 8-5
2004-05: 10-3
2005-06: 10-3
2006-07: 9-4
2015-16: 9-4
2018-19: 10-3 (most recent 10-3 start, win in 13th game 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:
2021-22: 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, under .500 for good)
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)
1991-92: 7-6 (over .500 for good)
1986-87: 7-6 (last time over .500)
1966-67: 7-6 (last time over .500)
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, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 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.
NUMBER TEN THROUGH FORTY-FIVE
With last Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 28-17 (.622) as head coach. That’s the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 45 games at the helm.
Paul Lynner 35-10 (.778, 45th game was the 15th game of his second season in 1963-64)
Butch van Breda Kolff I 31-14 (.689, 45th game was the 19th game of his second season in 1956-57)
SPEEDY CLAXTON 28-17 (.622, 45th game was the 13th game of his second season in 2022-23)
Mo Cassara 26-19 (.578, 45th game was the 12th game of his second season in 2011-12)
Dick Berg 22-23 (.489, 45th game was the 18th game of his second season in 1981-82)
Butch van Breda Kolff II 20-25 (.444, 45th game was the 16th game of his second season in 1989-90)
Joe Mihalich 18-27 (.400, 45th game was the 12th game of his second season in 2013-14)
Jay Wright 17-28 (.378, 45th game was the 17th game of his second season in 1995-96)
Tom Pecora 14-31 (.311, 45th game was the 13th game of his second season in 2002-03)
Roger Gaeckler 14-31 (.311, 45th game was the 21st game of his second season in 1973-74)
The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenures of Jack Smith (1943-46) and Frank Reilly (1947-55).
Three coaches had one-season tenures lasting fewer than 33 games at Hofstra. McDonald went 18-6 in the lone season of his second stint in 1946-47 while Joe Harrington went 14-14 in 1979-80 and Mike Farrelly went 13-10 in 2020-21.
NO FIFTH, WE PLEADED
The Dutchmen snapped their four-game losing streak with last Thursday’s win. The Dutchmen haven’t endured a five-game losing streak since a six-game skid from Jan. 2 through Jan. 19, 2017. That’s the longest the Dutchmen have gone without a five-game losing streak since they went 203 games between a five-game losing streak late in the 1956-57 season and a seven-game losing streak late in the 1964-65 season.
Among CAA schools, only Charleston has gone longer than Hofstra without suffering a five-game losing streak. The Cougars lost five straight games from Jan. 17 through Jan. 31, 2015.
IT’S TECHNICALLY A COMEBACK WIN
The Dutchmen trailed just once last Thursday — at 2-0 following a layup by Anthony Payamps 43 seconds into the game. As noted earlier, Tyler Thomas put the Dutchmen ahead for good with a 3-pointer on the next trip up the floor. It’s the first time this season the Dutchmen have won a game in which they only trailed after the opponent’s opening points and the first time they’ve done so since overcoming that early two-point deficit to beat Charleston, 89-84, on Feb. 28.
DOUBLED UP
The Dutchmen won 96-48 last Thursday, which, according to my very remedial math knowledge, tells me they scored exactly twice as many points as Old Westbury. In a truly quirky stat, the Dutchmen also scored twice as many points as their opponent the previous time they faced a non-Division I foe on Dec. 12, 2021, when Hofstra beat John Jay 102-51.
CARLOS THE SLOT MACHINE
Jaquan Carlos came close to a unique triple-double last Thursday, when he finished with eight points, 13 assists and seven steals. It was the first time a Hofstra player had at least a 7-7-7 line (Hey, this guy’s paying off!) since Aaron Estrada had 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists against Northeastern on Feb. 19. In addition, Carlos is just the fourth Division I player this season to finish with at least seven points, seven assists and seven steals.
CARLOS COLLECTS THE DIMES
Jaquan Carlos finished with 13 assists last Thursday, the most by a Hofstra player in a single game since Juan’ya Green had 14 assists in a 96-92 triple-overtime win over Northeastern on Jan. 21, 2016 and the most assists in regulation since Dwan McMillan had 15 assists in a 93-64 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 25, 2012. In addition, the 13 assists are tied for the ninth-most in a a single game this season by a Division I player.
THE GOOD KIND OF THIEVERY
Jaquan Carlos’ seven steals last Thursday were the most by a Hofstra player since Stevie Mejia had seven steals in a 57-50 loss to Towson on Feb. 16, 2013. Mejia’s seven-steal game was the second seven-steal game by a Hofstra player in a week-long span. Jordan Allen had seven steals in a 65-56 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 9, 2013. I just wanted to mention that so there was at least one good steal reference from that season. In addition, the seven steals by Carlos last Thursday are tied for the ninth-most in a single game this season by a Division I player.
CARLOS VS. CLAXTON
All caveats apply about how last week’s game was against a Division III foe. But Jaquan Carlos’ 13 assists matched Speedy Claxton’s career-high, set against New Hampshire on Feb. 20, 1998 and against Stony Brook on Nov, 27, 1999. And his seven steals were one shy of Claxton’s career-high, also set against New Hampshire on Feb. 20, 1998, when Claxton tied Frank Walker’s single-game record first set against Rider during the 1985-86 season.
DUBAR FROM DEEP
Darlinstone Dubar scored a season-high 23 points last Thursday, when he went 10-for-13 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point land. The trio of 3-pointers tied a career-high for Dubar, who also hit three 3-pointers in the 77-70 loss to South Florida three days earlier. Threes! Dubar had three 3-pointers in a game just twice in his first 58 career games.
MARSHALL FROM DEEP, TOO
Amar’e Marshall, who had just six points combined in his previous two games, finished with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-8 from 3-point land. The three 3-pointers tied a career-high for Marshall, who also had a trio of treys against Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 25.
DIMES FOR AMAR’E
Amar’e Marshall also had a career-high six assists last Thursday. His previous career-high was four assists, set against Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 25 and matched against Purdue on Dec. 7.
TYLER THOMAS’ TENS
Tyler Thomas scored 14 points last Thursday. It was the eighth time this season Thomas has scored at least 10 points, ranking behind only Darlinstone Dubar and Aaron Estrada (nine apiece) for the team lead.
WARREN WILLIAMS’ DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Warren Williams finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds last Thursday. It was his first double-double since Feb. 13, 2021, when Williams had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Manhattan against Iona.
WALKING ON
Walk-ons Aiden Best and Petey Galgano made their Hofstra debuts in the final four minutes last Thursday. Best, a freshman, score the Dutchman’s final basket while Galgano, a graduate transfer who is attending Hofstra Law School, was 0-for-1 from the field. Best and Galgano are the first walk-ons to see playing time for the Dutchmen since Carl Gibson got into a 78-64 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 15, 2020. Best is the first walk-on to score since Connor Klementowicz scored two points against New York Tech on Nov. 15, 2019. Klementowicz played in four games in the spring semester of 2020, when he was officially on scholarship.
WINNING THE NON-CONFERENCE SEASON
By snapping their four-game losing streak last Thursday, the Dutchmen improved to 7-6 and ensured they’ll once again enter the CAA schedule with a winning record. This marks the ninth straight season in which the Dutchmen hit the CAA schedule with a winning record and the 15th time they’ve done so in 21 seasons in the CAA. (League 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
2021-22: 8-5 (.615)
2016-17: 8-5 (.615)
2017-18: 7-5 (.583)
2009-10: 7-5 (.583) 1-0 CAA
2020-21: 4-3 (.571)
2010-11: 6-5 (.545) 1-0 CAA
2022-23: 7-6 (.538)
OVER THE AIR
Tonight’s game will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.
HOFSTRA AND THE CAA
As noted in the above, err, note, this is Hofstra’s 22nd season in the CAA. The 22-year tenure in the CAA is the longest Hofstra has been in one league in Division I. The Flying Dutchmen spent 20 years in the ECC counting the 1992-93 season, when Hofstra played an independent schedule but was still considered a member of the ECC along with Central Connecticut State. In between exiting the ECC and joining the CAA, the Flying Dutchmen spent seven years in the North Atlantic Conference/America East.
WE’RE NUMBER ONE! (by a specially selected statistical measure)
The Flying Dutchmen have won 209 league games since joining the CAA, the most among the six schools that have been in the league since at least 2001-02 (fare thee well, James Madison). The Dutchmen’s .562 winning percentage (209-163) in CAA play ranks second behind only Northeastern among the seven longest-tenured schools in the league. Northeastern joined the CAA for the 2005-06 season.
Northeastern 168-128 (.568)
HOFSTRA: 209-163 (.562)
Drexel: 187-180 (.510)
UNCW: 184-181 (.504)
Delaware: 163-204 (.444)
W&M: 159-209 (.432)
Towson: 146-224 (.395)
THE DUTCHMEN IN CAA OPENERS
The Dutchmen are 12-9 in the first game of league play since joining the CAA in 2001-02. Their stunning 63-62 loss to William & Mary a year ago today snapped a four-game winning streak in CAA openers. The loss in Speedy Claxton’s CAA debut dropped first-year Hofstra head coaches to 2-3 in their CAA openers, with Mo Cassara and Mike Farrelly earning wins and Claxton, Tom Pecora and Joe Mihalich absorbing losses.
The Dutchmen are playing Delaware in the CAA opener for the seventh time. They are 4-2 in CAA openers against Delaware, with victories in the 2005-06, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2018-19 openers and losses in 2003-04 and 2013-14.
SCOUTING DELAWARE
The defending CAA champion Blue Hens, under seventh-year head coach Martin Inglesby, are 8-5 since ending their non-conference schedule with a 95-76 loss to Ohio on Dec. 21.
The Dutchmen and Blue Hens had one common opponent in non-conference play. Both teams beat Princeton, with the Dutchmen earning an 83-77 win in the season opener Nov. 7 and the Blue Hens knocking off the Tigers, 76-69, on Dec. 16. You know what else ended in a 76-69 final? The 2000 America East title game!
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish second in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 139th at KenPom.com. The Blue Hens, who were picked to finish third, are ranked 200th.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.8 points per 100 possessions) and sixth in defensive efficiency (104.3 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 69.1 possessions per 40 minutes, the fifth-most in the league. The Blue Hens rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (103.5 points per 100 possessions) and seventh in defensive efficiency (105.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.2 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league.
Junior guard Jameer Nelson Jr., who was named to the preseason all-CAA first team, leads the Blue Hens with 19.8 points per game and ranks second in both rebounding (5.0 rebounds per game) and assists (3.1 assists per game). Sophomore forward Jyare Davis ranks second on the Blue Hens in both scoring (16.6 points) and assists (3.5 assists per game). Graduate student guard L.J. Owens, who opened his career at William & Mary before spending three seasons at UMBC, is averaging 10.5 points per game. Senior guard Christian Ray, a transfer from La Salle, leads the Blue Hens with 9.6 rebounds per game.
KenPom.com predicts a 75-74 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 1-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 4-7-1 against the spread this season.
ALL-TIME VS. DELAWARE
Hofstra is 65-34 against Delaware in a series that began during the 1954-55 season. The Dutchmen swept the regular season series last year, when Aaron Estrada scored 30 points in an 82-77 win at the Arena on Jan. 15 before scoring 21 points in an 80-66 win at the BOB on Feb. 12. It was the first season sweep for Hofstra since the 2018-19 campaign.
The Blue Hens are Hofstra’s most common foe and will become the first team Hofstra’s ever opposed 100 times with tonight’s tip-off. Neat! 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.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Ron Marinaccio bias! (Long before he had a solid rookie year as a reliever for the Yankees in 2022, Marinaccio went to Delaware)
Not that John Schneider bias! (The Blue Jays manager also went to Delaware, so many baseball references you love to see it)
Bo Jackson biography bias! (I just started reading the Bo Jackson biography written by Delaware graduate Jeff Pearlman and it’s excellent so far)
The Stone Balloon bias! (Always gotta go with an oldie but goodie)
No comments:
Post a Comment