I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Cincinnati

You are averaging a triple-double just by looking at this.

The Flying Dutchmen are still playing basketball and we’re still being quirky. Tyler Thomas capped off an all-time down-the-stretch performance by hitting the tie-breaking jumper with nine seconds left in overtime Tuesday night to lift the Dutchmen to a euphoric 88-86 win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT. And not only does the season continue this afternoon, it continues at home, where the Dutchmen will host Cincinnati thanks to the latter’s arena being renovated. Here’s a look back at the big win over the Scarlet Knights and a look ahead to the Bearcats (it’s Bearcats, right?).

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The Dutchmen overcame a slow start and the absence of Aaron Estrada (fouled out, 5-on-8) over the final 11:51 of regulation and overtime to author one of the biggest wins in program history. Rutgers raced out to a 14-4 lead before the Dutchmen inched back during a 26-16 run that ended with Tyler Thomas sinking a game-tying 3-pointer with 4:07 left in the first half. Aundre Hyatt hit a 3-pointer 52 seconds later for Rutgers, which held the lead for the next 11-plus minutes before Estrada’s 3-pointer put the Dutchmen ahead at 54-53 with 12:28 left. Thomas then hit a layup before Rutgers embarked upon an 11-2 run in which Estrada fouled out. The Dutchmen got within three points four times — and Rutgers answered with a basket every time — before Thomas’ jumper cut the Scarlet Knights’ lead to 70-69 with 1:30 left. Caleb McConnell scored the next four points to seemingly end the Dutchmen’s season, but Thomas hit a 3-pointer out of a timeout and Cam Spencer — an 89 percent free throw shooter — missed the front end of a 1-and-1 after being fouled by Nelson Boachie-Yiadom. Jaquan Carlos missed a 3-pointer but Boachie-Yiadom put back the rebound to force overtime. Thomas hit a jumper to open a scorching overtime in which the teams combined to shoot 78.9 percent (10-of-13). The Dutchmen never trailed but Rutgers overcame a quartet of four-point deficits to tie the game at 80-80 with 32 seconds left. Thomas responded with his jumper and Simpson missed a layup that bounced around every inch of the rim just before time expired. Thomas scored 10 of his game-high 25 points after Estrada fouled out while Darlinstone Dubar had 17 points, including a banked 3-pointer to give the Dutchmen their final four-point lead. Carlos had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists while playing all 45 minutes. Estrada finished with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and five turnovers while Boachie-Yiadom tied a season-high with 10 points and added a team-high eight rebonds. 

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Rutgers, 3/14)

3: Tyler Thomas

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: Nelson Boachie-Yiadom

SEASON STANDINGS

Aaron Estrada 59

Tyler Thomas 52

Darlinstone Dubar 32

Jaquan Carlos 28

Warren Williams 14

Nelson Boachie-Yiadom 8

Amar’e Marshall 6

German Plotnikov 3

Bryce Washington 1

Griffin Barrouk 1

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! And for probably the first time, I knew as soon as this game was over that this wasn’t a unicorn score — and not because I remembered the Dutchmen edged Columbia 88-86 on Nov. 29, 2016. In a quirk that will surprise no one, I will always associate 88-86 with the Dutchmen’s double-overtime ECC championship game win over Northeastern Illinois on Mar. 6, 1994. I might have written about that last night!

The Dutchmen have recorded 12 unicorn score victories this season after recording 11 unicorn score victories last season, 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.

WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?

Tyler Thomas, well-accomplished in making Keith Hernandez-related history, did it again Tuesday night, when his tie-breaking jumper gave the Dutchmen the lead for good at (checks the score again) 88-86 with 9.2 seconds left in overtime. That’s the first overtime Keith Hernandez in history (or at least since November, when we began tracking Keith Hernandezes) and completes a triple crown of sorts for Thomas, who also recorded the first first-half Keith Hernandez and has the latest second-half Keith Hernandez. 

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)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Delaware, 12/29/22 (19:42 left 1H)

Aaron Estrada tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/5/23 (19:27 left 1H)

Aaron Estrada tie-breaking jumper vs. William & Mary, 1/7/23 (8:37 left 1H)

German Plotnikov tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Monmouth, 1/11/23 (7:50 left 1H)

Warren Williams tie-breaking nostalgic 3-pointer vs. Delaware 1/14/23 (14:28 left 1H)

Aaron Estrada tie-breaking jumper vs. UNC Wilmington, 1/19/23 (19:02 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Not Twitter Guy, 1/26/23 (14:03 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. Charleston, 1/28/23 (15:24 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Towson, 2/2/23 (:58.6 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/4/23 (6:54 left 1H)

Warren Williams tie-breaking free throw vs. Northeastern, 2/8/23 (6:32 left 1H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Monmouth, 2/11/23 (18:14 left 1H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Drexel, 2/13/23 (19:52 left 1H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/16/23 (19:38 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Stony Brook, 2/18/23 (4:06 left 2H)

Warren Williams go-ahead layup vs. Northeastern, 2/25/23 (6:14 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. William & Mary, 3/5/23 (19:32 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Rutgers 3/14/23 (:9.2 left, OT)

Tyler Thomas 10

Darlinstone Dubar 5

Aaron Estrada 4

Warren Williams 3

German Plotnikov 2

Jaquan Carlos 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTY-FOUR GAMES

With Tuesday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 25-9. This means the 2022-23 team has the third-best record in school history through 34 games — a point in the schedule reached by just six teams. The previous four teams to open 24-10 or better either made the NCAA Tournament or NIT or qualified for the NCAA before, well, you know. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 34 games:

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 26-8 (CAA champs! Win in 34th game was a 70-61 victory over Northeastern that clinched the Dutchmen’s first CAA championship and first NCAA Tournament berth since 2001. The Dutchmen then went on to win the NCAA championship, prove me wrong children)

The 1975-76 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 30 games (18-12), as did the 1976-77 team (23-7). The 1999-2000 NCAA Tournament team completed its season in 31 games (24-7), as did the 2000-01 team (26-5). 

All four Hofstra teams to reach the NCAA Tournament at the Division II level completed their seasons in 30 games or fewer. The 1958-59 team finished 20-7 while the 1961-62 team ended up 24-4, the 1962-63 team finished 23-7 and the 1963-64 team went 23-6.

NIT TEAMS

2018-19: 27-7 (lost to Northeastern in the CAA championship game)

2015-16: 24-10 (season ended with 80-78 loss to George Washington)

The 2005-06 NIT team completed its season at 26-7. The 2004-05 NIT team completed its season at 21-9 while the 1998-99 and 2006-07 teams both finished at 22-10 following first-round NIT losses. 

Some other notable 34-game records — in fact, all of them!

2014-15: 20-14 (season ended with loss to Vermont in the blasted CBI)

2009-10: 19-15 (season ended with loss to IUPUI in the blasted CBI, hmm, I’m starting to see a pattern here)

Hofstra has never been 34-0, 33-1, 32-2, 31-3, 30-4, 29-5, 28-6, 23-11, 22-12, 21-13, 18-16, 17-17, 16-18, 15-19, 14-20, 13-21, 12-22, 11-23, 10-24, 9-25, 8-26, 7-27, 6-28, 5-29, 4-30, 3-31, 2-32, 1-33 or 0-34 through 34 games.

Eighty-one seasons were completed in fewer than 34 games:

1936-37 (7-10)

1937-38 (10-4)

1938-39 (10-8)

1939-40 (12-9)

1940-41 (13-7)

1941-42 (15-6)

1942-43 (15-6)

1943-44 (7-12)

1944-45 (8-13)

1945-46 (12-7)

1946-47 (18-6)

1947-48 (13-6)

1948-49 (18-8)

1949-50 (17-9)

1950-51 (18-11)

1951-52 (26-3)

1952-53 (20-7)

1953-54 (15-9)

1954-55 (19-7)

1955-56 (22-4)

1956-57 (11-15)

1957-58 (15-8)

1958-59 (20-7)

1959-60 (23-1)

1960-61 (21-4)

1961-62 (24-4)

1962-63 (23-7)

1963-64 (23-6)

1964-65 (11-14)

1965-66 (16-10)

1966-67 (12-13)

1967-68 (13-12)

1968-69 (12-13)

1969-70 (13-13)

1970-71 (18-8)

1971-72 (11-14)

1972-73 (8-16)

1973-74 (8-16)

1974-75 (11-13)

1975-76 (18-12)

1976-77 (23-7)

1977-78 (8-19)

1978-79 (8-19)

1979-80 (14-14)

1980-81 (12-15)

1981-82 (12-16)

1982-83 (18-9)

1983-84 (14-14)

1984-85 (14-15)

1985-86 (17-13)

1986-87 (10-18)

1987-88 (6-21)

1988-89 (14-15)

1989-90 (13-15)

1990-91 (14-14)

1991-92 (20-9)

1992-93 (9-18)

1993-94 (9-20)

1994-95 (10-18)

1995-96 (9-18)

1996-97 (12-15)

1997-98 (19-12)

1998-99 (22-10)

1999-2000 (24-7)

2000-01 (26-5)

2001-02 (12-20)

2002-03 (8-21)

2003-04 (14-15)

2004-05 (21-9)

2005-06 (26-7)

2006-07 (22-10)

2007-08 (12-18)

2008-09 (21-11)

2010-11 (21-12)

2011-12 (10-22)

2012-13 (7-25)

2013-14 (10-23)

2016-17 (15-17)

2017-18 (19-12)

2020-21 (13-10)

2021-22 (21-11)

(Well) more than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52.

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 SIXTY-SIX

With Tuesday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 46-20 (.697) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 66 games at the helm. These last 13 games mark the highest Claxton has been in the all-time game-to-game standings since he became head coach last season.

Paul Lynner 50-16 (.758, 66th game was the seventh game of his third season in 1963-64)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 46-20 (.697, 66th game was the 34th game of his second season in 2022-23)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 42-24 (.636, 66th game was the 14th game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 33-33 (.500, 66th game was the 11th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Mo Cassara 31-35 (.470, 66th game was the first game of his third season in 2012-13)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 30-36 (.455, 66th game was the ninth game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 30-36 (.455, 66th game was the 33rd game of his second season in 2014-15)

Jay Wright 23-43 (.348, 66th game was the 11th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Roger Gaeckler 22-44 (.333, 66th game was the 18th game of his third season in 1974-75)

Tom Pecora 22-44 (.333, 66th game was the fifth game of his third season in 2003-04)

Butch van Breda Kolff and Joe Mihalich remain tied for sixth place while Jay Wright breaks the tie for eighth place after the Dutchmen and a freshman point guard named Speedy Claxton snap their seven-game losing streak. OK we’ll let them stick around. And Tom Pecora climbs into a tie for ninth (i.e. last) place with Roger Gaeckler, Maybe this will work out for Tom.

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 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.

IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part one)

The Dutchmen’s win on Tuesday night was their first in a postseason tournament since a 77-75 overtime win over Saint Joseph’s in the second round of the NIT on Mar. 20, 2006. That was 6,202 days ago! Well, now it’s 6,206 days ago. But you know what I mean. Here’s what Americans were listening to, watching and paying for gas the previous time Hofstra won a postseason game!

No. 1 song: “So Sick,” Ne-Yo

No. 1 album: “In My Own Words,” Ne-Yo

No. 1 movie: “V for Vendetta”

Price of a gallon of unleaded gas (in New York in March 2006): $2.38

IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part two)

The Dutchmen were one of 105 teams to play in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT in 2006. And prior to Tuesday, they were just one of nine teams to not win a postseason game — the NCAA Tournament as well as the NIT, CIT/The Basketball Tournament, CBI or Vegas 8 — in the subsequent 15 years in which postseason basketball was played. The other eight:

Charlotte***

Delaware State

Georgia Southern

Miami (OH)

Montana

Milwaukee****

Northwestern State

Southern 

***playing in the CBI Saturday

****playing in the CBI Sunday

IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part three)

The Dutchmen’s win on Tuesday was the first for a CAA team in the NCAA Tournament or NIT since Mar. 20, 2013, when James Madison beat Long Island University 68-55 in a first four game. That’s a span of 3,645 days -- and so long ago, James Madison is no longer a CAA member!

DOUBLE DIGIT COMEBACK

The Dutchmen, who trailed by 10 points in the first half Tuesday, overcame a double-digit deficit in a win for the fourth time this season, The Dutchmen trailed Princeton by 12 points in the first half of an 83-77 win in the season opener Nov. 7, trailed San Jose State by 14 points in the first half of an 85-76 win on Nov. 17 and trailed Towson by 11 points in the first half of a 76-72 win on Feb. 2. The Dutchmen had two comebacks from double-digit deficits last season.

COMEBACK KIDS

The Dutchmen, who trailed Rutgers 40-35 at the half, improved to 7-4 when trailing at the half this season after going 6-12 when trailing at the half the previous two seasons combined.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

The Dutchmen took their first lead Tuesday when Aaron Estrada hit a 3-pointer with 12:28 left in the second half. That’s the latest the Dutchmen have taken their first lead in a victory since Feb. 8, 2020, when Jalen Ray’s 3-pointer with 9:01 left in the game put the Dutchmen ahead in their 75-71 victory over Northeastern.

WIN PROBABILITY, SCHWIN PROBABILITY

Per KenPom.com, the Dutchmen’s win probability on Tuesday bottomed out at 2.1 percent when Caleb McConnell hit a layup to put Rutgers ahead 74-69 with 30 seconds left. The previous time the Dutchmen won a game in which their win probability sunk that low or lower was on Dec. 6, 2017, when they beat Monmouth 85-84 after their win probability was at 2.1 percent with the Hawks ahead 84-81 with 10 seconds left. That was the game in which the Dutchmen trailed 84-82 with five seconds left when Justin Wright-Foreman purposely missed his second free throw and Stafford Trueheart tapped the rebound to Jalen Ray, who sank the 3-pointer with two seconds left.

Per KenPom.com, the Dutchmen’s win on Tuesday night is tied for the 67th-least likely win of the season — with VCU’s 63-62 win over Dayton on Jan. 13. Those VCU guys can’t quit us, nor do they want to (nor do we want to quit them).

OK MAYBE GET TO THE WORKIN’ OVERTIME PART

The Dutchmen played an overtime game for the second straight game. They fell to UNC Wilmington, 79-73, in the CAA semifinals on Mar. 6. This is the first time the Dutchmen have played back-to-back overtime games since Feb. 21-23, 2019, when they outlasted Towson, 91-82, in double overtime and fell to James Madison, 104-99. 

1010101010 WINS

The Dutchmen had five players score in double figures on Tuesday for the second time this season. Tyler Thomas (26 points), Darlinstone Dubar (22 points), Jaquan Carlos (12 points), German Plotnikov (11 points off the bench) and Aaron Estrada (10 points) all got into double figures in an 83-78 win over Iona on Nov. 11. The Dutchmen are now 6-0 under Speedy Claxton when at least five players score in double figures.

ESTRADA’S DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAK

Aaron Estrada scored 13 points on Tuesday to extend his streak of double-digit scoring efforts to 23 games. Estrada, who has missed four games during his current streak, has scored in double figures in 29 of 30 games this season and in 56 of 62 games since debuting for Hofstra last season. He scored in double figures in 13 of the 37 games in which he played for Saint Peter’s and Oregon from 2019 through 2021.

ESTRADA HOLDS STEADY

Aaron Estrada remained in 26th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list on Tuesday. Estrada enters today 20 points shy of moving past fellow Saint Peter’s transfer Demetrius Dudley as well as John Mills, who are tied for 24th place, and 25 points away from surpassing Carlos Rivera.

22.) Roberto Gittens 1,240

23.) Carlos Rivera 1,225

24t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220

24t.) John Mills 1,220

26.) AARON ESTRADA 1,201

27t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186

27t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186

29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184

30.) Ted Jackson 1,159

31.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139

32.) Wandy Williams 1,132

33.) Mike Moore 1,128

34.) Richie Swartz 1,107

35.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090

36.) Derrick Flowers 1,069

37.) Darius Burton 1,060

38.) Percy Johnson 1,045

39.) James Shaffer 1,022

40.) John Irving 1,018

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas’ strong season continued on Tuesday, when he finished with 25 points. It was the 12th time this season Thomas has scored at least 20 points. He’s scored in double figures in 14 straight games as well as 20 times in the last 21 games and 28 times in 34 games overall. 

TORRID THOMAS

That 25-point effort for Tyler Thomas included an 8-of-8 effort from inside the 3-point line. Thomas is the first Hofstra player to enjoy a perfect night from inside the arc while hoisting at least eight shots since Rokas Gustys scored 16 points while going 8-of-8 from the field in an 84-82 win over Towson on Feb. 18, 2016.

D-STONE SURGES

Darlinstone Dubar had a much-needed big game on Tuesday, when he scored 17 points. It was the sixth time this season Dubar has scored at least 17 points and the first time since Jan. 28, when he had 18 points in the 85-81 upset of Charleston that pretty much made possible the Dutchmen even getting the chance to play an NIT game. The Dutchmen are 13-4 this season when Dubar scores in double figures and 30-10 when he does so since the start of last season.

D-STONE FROM DEEP

Darlinstone Dubar was 3-of-5 from 3-point land on Tuesday. The trio of 3-pointers tied a career-high — set seven times previously — for Dubar. The Dutchmen are 7-1 over the last two seasons when Dubar hits three 3-pointers in a game.

MARATHON MAN

Jaquan Carlos played all 45 minutes on Tuesday. It was the seventh time this season he’s played at least 40 minutes in a game, which means he’s played more minutes — by far — in just seven games than he did as a freshman last season, when he played just 163 minutes over 19 games.

CARLOS STAYS HOT

Jaquan Carlos, who snapped a lengthy 3-point shooting drought during the CAA Tournament, finished 2-of-4 from beyond the arc on Tuesday. Carlos is 8-of-16 from 3-point land in the last three games after having shot just 6-of-26 (23 percent) from 3-point land in his final 11 regular season games. In addition, the eight 3-pointers in a three-game span are a career-high for Carlos, whose had seven 3-pointers — while going 7-of-18 from beyond the arc — from Jan. 7-14 this season.

THE 10/5/5 CLUB

Jaquan Carlos finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists on Tuesday, It was the fourth time this season Carlos has collected at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists, the second-most such games behind Aaron Estrada (seven).

BOACHIE-YIADOM’S BIG GAME

Nelson Boachie-Yiadom had perhaps his best game of the year at the most important time for the Dutchmen on Tuesday, when he finished with 10 points and eight rebounds. The 10 points tied a season-high for Boachie-Yiadom, who had 10 points in a 76-48 loss to Saint Mary’s on Nov. 19, while the eight rebounds were one shy of his season-high, set first in a 68-47 loss to Towson on Jan. 16 and matched in an 84-52 win over Northeastern on Feb. 25.

LUCKY SEVENS FOR PLOTNIKOV

German Plotnikov scored seven points while going 3-for-3 from the field on Tuesday. The Dutchmen are 12-1 this season when Plotnikov scores at least seven points.

OVER THE AIR

This afternoon’s game will be carried on ESPNPlus, which you have if you have the Disney Bundle, which you have if you have a child under the age of 18. Hofstra will also provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

A HISTORIC GAME

At tipoff this afternoon, the Dutchmen will tie the school record for most games in a season — set just once. The 2018-19 team went 27-8 and fell to North Carolina State in the first round of the NIT.

LAST ONES STANDING

With Charleston’s 63-57 loss to San Diego State on Thursday afternoon (sorry everyone who read my advice to take them to reach the Sweet 16), the Dutchmen are the last CAA men’s basketball team playing this season. This is the first time the Dutchmen have been the last team to complete their season in their conference since 2001, when they reached the NCAA Tournament and were the only America East squad to play in the postseason.

CINCINNATI CONSTRUCTION

As the unofficial last seed (snort) in their region, the Dutchmen should be on the road today. But they drew an unexpected extra home game thanks to the planned renovation of the floor at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena. The construction needed to begin this week in order to be the arena to be ready for Cincinnati’s graduation ceremonies in May. Hey, we’re not complaining.

SCOUTING CINCINNATI

The Bearcats, under second-year head coach Wes Miller, are 22-12 this season after beating Virginia Tech, 81-72, in a first-round NIT game on Wednesday night, Cincinnati went 11-7 in the American and fell to eventual league champion (and no. 1 seed in the Midwest Region) Houston, 69-48, in the American semifinals last Saturday.

The Dutchmen and Cincinnati had one common opponent. The Dutchmen fell to South Florida 77-70 on Dec. 19. The Bearcats swept the Bulls in league play, earning an 85-69 win in Florida on Jan. 18 and cruising to an 84-65 victory in Ohio on Feb. 11.

The Dutchmen are ranked 86th at KenPom.com while the Bearcats are ranked 53rd.

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank 67th in the nation in offensive efficiency (111.5 points per 100 possessions) and 117th in defensive efficiency (102.4 points allowed per 100 possessions). Cincinnati ranks 51st in the nation in offensive efficiency (112.4 points per 100 possessions) and 63rd in defensive efficiency (98.8 points allowed per 100 possessions).

Redshirt senior guard Landers Nolley, who played previously at Virginia Tech and Memphis and won the 2021 NIT Most Valuable Player while leading the latter squad to the championship, leads Cincinnati in scoring (16.6 points per game) and ranks second in rebounding (5.8 rebounds per game). Graduate student guard David Dejulius, who opened his career at Michigan, ranks second on the Bearcats in scoring (14.7 points per game) and leads the team with 5.3 assists per game. Sophomore forward Viktor Lahkin ranks third in scoring (11.5 points per game) while pulling down a team-high 7.0 rebounds per game. 

KenPom.com predicts a 77-76 win for the Dutchmen. That sounds stressful but we’ll take it! Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 1-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 20-11-2 against the spread this season.

CINCINNATI IN THE NIT

The Bearcats are in the NIT for the 11th time and the first time since 2010, when they beat Weber State before falling to Dayton, which went on to win the championship. Cincinnati reached the NIT semifinals in 1955 and fell to Duquesne. The Bearcats are 9-10 all-time in the NIT.

ALL-TIME VS. CINCINNATI AND THE AMERICAN

This is the first meeting between Hofstra and Cincinnati in men’s basketball and just the fourth meeting in any sport. The Flying Dutchwomen volleyball team is 1-1 against Cincinnati, with a 3-0 win on Nov. 3, 1984 and a 3-0 loss on Sept. 13, 2013, while the Flying Dutchwomen basketball team fell to Cincinnati 65-63 at the Maggie Dixon Surf ’N Slam Classic in San Diego on Dec. 30, 2010.

The Flying Dutchmen are 7-21 all-time against schools currently in the American following the loss to South Florida on Dec. 19. 

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

Oscar Robertson bias! (Duh, one of the greatest NBA players of all-time graduated from Cincinnati)

Kenyon Martin bias! (The no. 1 pick in the 2000 NBA draft went to Cincinnati)

Sandy Koufax bias! (Loyal Reader Larry informed me Koufax went to Cincinnati, which I did not know)

Pat Kelsey roots for all the teams in your town bias! (We all knew that)

You’re going to the Big 12 bias! (At least they are for the moment, who really knows with realignment)

Can't Stop This Thing We Started

I walked out of the Arena three weeks ago tomorrow, my phone filled with pictures that would explain why my heart was bursting with joy and my mind racing with ideas for an end-of-season piece on how this was a season worth savoring.

Of course, I was hoping that piece would come after an NCAA Tournament appearance by the Flying Dutchmen. So when those hopes ended nine days later with an overtime loss to UNC Wilmington — the perpetual rakes to our Sideshow Bob — I lapsed into the woe-is-me self-pitying mode that’s been my stock-in-trade here for so long. 

I reminded myself I grew up in Connecticut, where I could have begun rooting for a national power in real time without leaving my hometown until my junior year (UConn had a branch — past tense, it was closed long ago — 15 minutes from my parents’ house). I could have just jumped on the bandwagon after the Huskies’ run to the Elite Eight in 1990, or continued rooting for North Carolina, which is what I did during my junior college years.

I leafed through some of my more melancholy posts here, settling on this piece from June 2012 — just after the Flying Dutchwomen softball team came achingly close to making the College World Series — as the most proper and prescient thing I ever wrote and only partially because I opened it with a link to a Night Ranger song.

Someday, if my wife and I have done our job as parents, our unborn child will carry the burden of yesterday as his or her own. It is part of the collective experience, from newborn to ninety, that bonds Hofstra fans, allows us to absorb the stings of these crushing near-misses and unites us in the belief that someday, the result will be different.

Of all the things to be right about as a parent. Molly, now 10 years old (!!!), was miserable the night of the loss to UNC Wilmington, first because it was too stressful to watch (she ran into her room and asked my wife to text her updates) and then because the loss meant we weren’t going to pull her from school Tuesday to attend the CAA championship game in Washington, D.C. 

From her iPad (the iPhone is coming for junior high, which is, Lord help me, fewer than five months away), she sent multiple texts to my wife describing how sad she was. She sidled up to me for a hug shortly after the game, and then asked for another hug before bed. Do you know how many hugs I got when I dropped her off with her great-aunt one day before I underwent surgery in November 2021? ONE! 

Of course, no matter how morose we felt, the season wasn’t over, thanks to the Dutchmen earning the automatic bid to the NIT by clinching the CAA regular season championship with their win over Northeastern three weeks ago tomorrow. But even for #olds like us who appreciate what the NIT used to be and what it still represents, falling short of the NCAA Tournament still felt like the unofficial period at the end of the sentence.

The NIT, now run by the NCAA, isn’t in the business of giving decent draws to mid-majors. And the Dutchmen were one-and-done in their previous five trips to a postseason tournament, which served as a reminder of how difficult it is for even the most impressive of teams to reboot after coming so close to an NCAA Tournament berth.

So when we settled in to watch Hofstra face Rutgers on Tuesday night, we did so anticipating the encore would consist of a song which we didn’t love, but to which we knew all the words anyway.

Instead, we got to witness a beloved deep cut encore that reminded us why we began attending these concerts in the first place — right down to the final score:

Hofstra 88, Rutgers 86 (OT)

If you’ve been reading me for 14-plus years, a.) thank you for your patience and b.) you know nothing’s shaped my Hofstra fandom and the belief that quirky magic is always possible quite like the run to the 1994 ECC championship by the Flying Dutchmen (who really WERE the Flying Dutchmen back then!), who entered the conference tournament with a 6-20 record before winning it all with three victories in as many days.

These now 25-win Dutchmen would run laps around that team, and not just because most of them are getting AARP mailings. (That was a depressing sentence to type) But at various points Tuesday night over a two-plus hour period in New Jersey, the Dutchmen extending the 2022-23 season seemed as unlikely as the 1993-94 squad winning a title in Buffalo. 

A mid-major hoping to make an NIT run usually needs to draw a power six foe that’s in mail-it-in mode in a mostly empty building. But Rutgers, the first team out of the NCAA Tournament field, raced out to a 14-4 lead fueled by a boisterous crowd of more than 5,000 at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Aaron Estrada missed his first five shots and was 2-of-7 from the field with four turnovers in the first half. 

The Dutchmen briefly tied the game late in the first half and took their first lead a little more than seven minutes into the second. But Rutgers went on an 11-2 run, during which Estrada picked up odiously called fourth and fifth fouls, to take a 64-58 lead as Estrada took a seat for possibly the final time in his career. 

The Dutchmen got within one point on a Tyler Thomas jumper with 1:30 left, but back-to-back baskets by Caleb McConnell left me lamenting how it was a good season. My wife left the room, but returned after Thomas hit a 3. Cam Spencer, an 89 percent free throw shooter, missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom’s putback forced overtime with two seconds left.

The extra session was played at an exhilaratingly high level in which the two teams combined to shoot 76.9 percent (10-of-13). The Dutchmen never trailed but never exhaled until Thomas hit a tie-breaking jumper with nine seconds left and a runner by Derek Simpson touched every part of the rim before bouncing out. Boachie-Yiadom tapped the ball and the buzzer sounded before it landed out of bounds, officially closing out a victory that ended with the same final score as Hofstra’s double overtime win over Northeastern Illinois in the 1994 ECC title game.

Then, like now, this one goes immediately into one of the collective experience that bonds us, but with a smile on our faces. We understand that near-misses and heartache are part of the mid-major experience, but it sure is nice to add a game in which a Hofstra team won to a list of instant classics that features the likes of the football team’s loss to and tie with Towson State and Delaware, respectively, in 1994 and the men’s basketball loss to William & Mary in 2015. 

And then, like now, I turned down the opportunity to see an instant classic in person, even if the decision not to brave a two-hour trip at rush hour in the middle of a swirling snowstorm is a more defensible one than going to see Bryan Adams. (We did get to see him and Sting sing “All For Love” for the only time, though) So now Molly will know what it’s like to turn down tickets to an all-time great Hofstra win.

But unlike 1994, when there was no next game to be enjoyed because the ECC winner didn’t earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament or NIT, this victory yields a doubly unexpected pleasure. Not only do the Dutchmen get to play at least one more game, but thanks to renovations at Cincinnati’s arena, Hofstra gets to host a future power conference team (the Bearcats move from the American to the Big 12 after this season) as the lower seed tomorrow. 

This allows us another chance to take more pictures and bank more memories of a special season — and to enjoy the collective experience in real time, instead of the hindsight I was already anticipating following the Northeastern game. 

Since Molly was born, I’ve enjoyed seeing the continued evolution of how Hofstra fandom is shared with loved ones. I still ask my Dad about the line on a Hofstra game, and any disappointment at Molly outgrowing taking her stuffies to a game is surpassed by the delight my wife and I feel watching Molly and her best friend scream their lungs out for the Flying Dutchmen. 

And the postgame sight Tuesday of Speedy Claxton — an America East champion at Hofstra and an NBA champion with the Spurs — wrapping Jaquan Carlos in a euphoric bear hug and the relief on Estrada’s face only confirmed how I felt watching players interact with fans after the win over Northeastern (full disclosure: Molly and her best friend got a picture with Estrada): That we get an opportunity here to watch players and coaches care about and savor this as much as we do, even of some of those responsible for this year’s success are likely to accept opportunities next season with programs at a higher level.

There’s no turning down an NIT bid because it’s not good enough, or players taking a seat for an NIT game because they’re already fully focused on their next destination. Right now, they care about Hofstra and the chance to keep winning together. This means a lot to them, and it’s always good, as fans, to feel like the investment is something close to being reciprocated. The 2022-23 team will be bonded as Dutchmen, regardless of how this season ends (it would be wonderfully quirky and magical to make the NIT final four the year it moves from Madison Square Garden to Las Vegas) and of where they play and coach thereafter.

The last few days of relishing the win over Rutgers and looking forward to Cincinnati have shifted my fandom-summarizing thoughts from those following the softball team’s elimination from the 2012 NCAA Tournament to those of the sheer unexpected joy of watching Charles Jenkins’ senior season in 2010-11. These are experiences that need to be cherished in real time, so that they can be properly reflected upon and appreciated later, regardless of how future editions of the Dutchmen fare. 

I’ve also been reminded we are doing our job as parents by offering Molly the promise of tomorrow and an understanding of what the collective experience is like for Hofstra fans — in which the question we ask is why we never chose to root for someone else, but why would we ever consider it?

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Rutgers

This will be an autobiography for me or Dave at the end of tonight.

Hello darkness our old friend. The Flying Dutchmen’s first loss in 48 days was enough to end their NCAA Tournament hopes last Monday night, when UNC Wilmington (who else?) came back from 12-point deficit (what else?) and beat the Dutchmen 79-73 in overtime (when else?) of the CAA semifinals. Well, at least it wasn’t the championship game. But as the CAA regular season champions, there’s at least one more game to play for the Dutchmen, who are slated to head to Rutgers for a first-round NIT game tonight. The NIT selection committee giving Hofstra a rough draw? In this economy? Here’s a look back at the loss to the Seahawks and a look ahead to the Scarlet Knights. 

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The Dutchmen started hot but ended in agonizingly ice-cold fashion as they authored the latest chapter in the Stephen King-esque tale that is Hofstra against UNC Wilmington in the CAA Tournament. Aaron Estrada scored 10 points in a game-opening 28-16 run for the Dutchmen, who still led 38-28 with six minutes left in the first half before the Seahawks ended the half on a 14-5 run. The Dutchmen twice trailed by seven points in the second half, when they held a pair of short-lived leads and went 0-for-6 with two turnovers after Estrada hit a 3-pointer to tie the score at 68-68 with 4:48 left. Tyler Thomas forced overtime by hitting three free throws with 19 seconds left, but Trazarien White opened the extra session with a free throw to give UNC Wilmington a lead it would never relinquish. The Dutchmen turned the ball over twice and went 0-for-4 from the field in overtime, when the most what-if miss was hoisted by Jaquan Carlos, whose potential game-tying 3-pointer seemed all the way down before rimming out with 18 seconds remaining. The Seahawks iced the win by going 3-of-4 from the line. Estrada had 25 points, six assists and five rebounds, though he was 9-of-20 from the field with six turnovers. Carlos finished with 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting — including 3-of-6 from 3-point land — and added a team-high eight rebounds. Thomas added 14 points and six rebounds.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. UNC Wilmington, 3/6)

3: Jaquan Carlos

2: Aaron Estrada

1: Tyler Thomas

SEASON STANDINGS

Aaron Estrada 59

Tyler Thomas 49

Darlinstone Dubar 30

Jaquan Carlos 28

Warren Williams 14

Nelson Boachie-Yiadom 7

Amar’e Marshall 6

German Plotnikov 3

Bryce Washington 1

Griffin Barrouk 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTY-THREE GAMES

With last Monday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 24-9. This ties the 2022-23 team for the fourth-best record in school history through 33 games. All five teams to open 24-9 or better either made the NCAA Tournament or NIT or qualified for the NCAA before, well, you know. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 33 games:

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 25-8 (only 25-8 start, beat Delaware in the CAA semifinals)

The 1975-76 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 30 games (18-12), as did the 1976-77 team (23-7). The 1999-2000 NCAA Tournament team completed its season in 31 games (24-7), as did the 2000-01 team (26-5). 

All four Hofstra teams to reach the NCAA Tournament at the Division II level completed their seasons in 30 games or fewer. The 1958-59 team finished 20-7 while the 1961-62 team ended up 24-4, the 1962-63 team finished 23-7 and the 1963-64 team went 23-6.

NIT TEAMS

2005-06: 26-7 (season ended with a loss to Old Dominion in the quarterfinals of the NIT)

2015-16: 24-9 (lost to UNC Wilmington — in overtime, natch — in the CAA championship game)

2018-19: 27-6 (only 27-6 start, beat Delaware in the CAA semifinals)

The 2004-05 NIT team completed its season at 21-9 while the 1998-99 and 2006-07 teams both finished at 22-10 following first-round NIT losses. 

Some other notable 33-game records — in fact, all of them!

2014-15: 20-13 (lost to William & Mary in double overtime in the CAA semifinals, well, that was more painful than last Monday night, at least)

2013-14: 10-23 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA quarterfinals)

2010-11: 21-12 (season ended with loss to Evansville in the blasted CBI)

2009-10: 19-14 (lost to Northeastern in double overtime in the CAA semifinals, hmm, I’m starting to see a pattern here)

Hofstra has never been 33-0, 32-1, 31-2, 30-3, 29-4, 28-5, 23-10, 22-11, 18-15, 17-16, 16-17, 15-18, 14-19, 12-21, 11-22, 9-24, 8-25, 7-26, 6-27, 5-28, 4-29, 3-30, 2-31, 1-32 or 0-33 through 33 games. 

Seventy-eight seasons were completed in fewer than 33 games:

1936-37 (7-10)

1937-38 (10-4)

1938-39 (10-8)

1939-40 (12-9)

1940-41 (13-7)

1941-42 (15-6)

1942-43 (15-6)

1943-44 (7-12)

1944-45 (8-13)

1945-46 (12-7)

1946-47 (18-6)

1947-48 (13-6)

1948-49 (18-8)

1949-50 (17-9)

1950-51 (18-11)

1951-52 (26-3)

1952-53 (20-7)

1953-54 (15-9)

1954-55 (19-7)

1955-56 (22-4)

1956-57 (11-15)

1957-58 (15-8)

1958-59 (20-7)

1959-60 (23-1)

1960-61 (21-4)

1961-62 (24-4)

1962-63 (23-7)

1963-64 (23-6)

1964-65 (11-14)

1965-66 (16-10)

1966-67 (12-13)

1967-68 (13-12)

1968-69 (12-13)

1969-70 (13-13)

1970-71 (18-8)

1971-72 (11-14)

1972-73 (8-16)

1973-74 (8-16)

1974-75 (11-13)

1975-76 (18-12)

1976-77 (23-7)

1977-78 (8-19)

1978-79 (8-19)

1979-80 (14-14)

1980-81 (12-15)

1981-82 (12-16)

1982-83 (18-9)

1983-84 (14-14)

1984-85 (14-15)

1985-86 (17-13)

1986-87 (10-18)

1987-88 (6-21)

1988-89 (14-15)

1989-90 (13-15)

1990-91 (14-14)

1991-92 (20-9)

1992-93 (9-18)

1993-94 (9-20)

1994-95 (10-18)

1995-96 (9-18)

1996-97 (12-15)

1997-98 (19-12)

1998-99 (22-10)

1999-2000 (24-7)

2000-01 (26-5)

2001-02 (12-20)

2002-03 (8-21)

2003-04 (14-15)

2004-05 (21-9)

2006-07 (22-10)

2007-08 (12-18)

2008-09 (21-11)

2011-12 (10-22)

2012-13 (7-25)

2016-17 (15-17)

2017-18 (19-12)

2020-21 (13-10)

2021-22 (21-11)

(Well) more than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52.

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 SIXTY-FIVE

With last Monday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 45-20 (.692) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 65 games at the helm. These last 12 games mark the highest Claxton has been in the all-time game-to-game standings since he became head coach last season.

Paul Lynner 49-16 (.754, 65th game was the sixth game of his third season in 1963-64)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 45-20 (.692, 65th game was the 33rd game of his second season in 2022-23)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 42-23 (.646, 65th game was the 13th game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 32-33 (.492, 65th game was the 10th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Mo Cassara 31-34 (.477, 65th game was the 32nd and final game of his second season in 2011-12)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 30-35 (.462, 65th game was the eighth game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 30-35 (.462, 65th game was the 32nd game of his second season in 2014-15)

Jay Wright 22-43 (.338, 65th game was the 10th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Roger Gaeckler 22-43 (.338, 65th game was the 17th game of his third season in 1974-75)

Tom Pecora 21-44 (.323, 65th game was the fourth game of his third season in 2003-04)

Dick Berg breaks a tie with Mo Cassara for fourth place while Butch van Breda Kolff and Joe Mihalich remain tied for sixth place. Jay Wright remains tied for eighth place with Roger Gaeckler after he loses for the SEVENTH STRAIGHT TIME with a freshman point guard named Speedy Claxton. Seriously, one more loss and everyone should probably cut bait. And Tom Pecora remains in sole possession of last place. Probably won’t work out for him, either.

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 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.

THE ONE, BUT NOT THE LAST ONE

The Dutchmen fell short of the championship game as the top seed in their conference tournament for the first time in seven tries. Prior to this season, the Dutchmen won the America East title game in 2000 and 2001 and the CAA championship game in 2020 (and then what happened) and lost to Towson State in the 1992 ECC title game and fell to UNC Wilmington in the 2016 CAA championship game before losing to Northeastern in the 2019 CAA championship game. 

In addition, the Dutchmen are the third straight no. 1 seed to fall before the championship game. James Madison was upset by eighth-seeded Elon in the 2021 quarterfinals while Towson fell to fifth-seeded Delaware in the 2022 semifinals. The no. 1 seed was eliminated prior to the championship game just three times in the 21 seasons between 2000 and 2020 and just six times in the CAA’s first 38 seasons.

LET’S NOT GET TO THE WORKIN’ OVERTIME PART

Did last Monday feel familiar? It should have! The Dutchmen fell in overtime in the CAA Tournament for the fourth time, which is twice more than anyone else (VCU, UNC Wilmington, James Madison and American have all lost in overtime in the CAA Tournament twice) even though Hofstra didn’t join the CAA until the 2001-02 season. Hooray for us! In addition, all four overtime losses have happened since 2010, a span in which the rest of the CAA has combined for just five overtime losses in the CAA tournament. That’s just great!

DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH (part one)

The Dutchmen squandered a double-digit lead for the fourth time this season and the seventh time since Speedy Claxton became head coach last season. The Dutchmen led George Mason by 11 points in the first half of an 81-77 overtime loss on Nov. 30, led North Carolina A&T by 13 points in the second half of an 81-79 loss on Dec. 31 and led Towson by 10 points in the first half of a 68-47 loss to Towson on Jan. 16.

DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH (part two)

The Dutchmen squandered a double-digit lead and lost a CAA Tournament game for the sixth time.

2023: Led UNC Wilmington by 12 pts in 1H of semis, lost 79-73 (OT)

2018: Led UNC Wilmington by 12 pts in 1H of quarters, lost 93-88

2017: Led Delaware by 10 pts in 1H of first round, lost 81-76

2016: Led UNC Wilmington by 12 pts in 2H of championship game, lost 80-73 (OT)

2009: Led Old Dominion by 11 pts in 1H of quarters, lost 52-51

2005: Led Old Dominion by 10 pts in 2H of semis, lost 72-58

Let’s never lead UNC Wilmington by exactly 12 points ever again.

IT WAS FUN WHILE IT LASTED

The loss to UNC Wilmington snapped the Dutchmen’s 12-game winning streak. It was the fourth-longest active streak in Division I as well as the sixth winning streak of at least 12 games in school history and the longest since the 2018-19 team won 16 straight. 

HARDWARE FOR ESTRADA

Aaron Estrada was named to the CAA all-tournament team after collecting 47 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in the Dutchmen’s two games. Estrada was joined on the team by Towson’s Nicolas Timberlake, whose squad also fell in the semifinals, as well as Donovan Newby and Trazarien White from UNC Wilmington and Ante Brzovic and Ryan Larson from Charleston, which won the CAA title by edging UNC Wilmington 63-58 last Tuesday night. I’m not sure why they kept playing the tournament, either. Larson was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

ESTRADA’S DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAK

Aaron Estrada scored 25 points last Monday to extend his streak of double-digit scoring efforts to 22 games. Estrada, who has missed four games during his current streak, has scored in double figures in 28 of 29 games this season and in 55 of 61 games since debuting for Hofstra last season. He scored in double figures in 13 of the 37 games in which he played for Saint Peter’s and Oregon from 2019 through 2021.

THE 25/5/5 CLUB

Aaron Estrada finished with 25 points, five rebounds and six assists last Monday. It was his third game this season with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists and the seventh of his career. The three 25/5/5 games are the most in a single season by a Hofstra player since Justin Wright-Foreman had three in 2018-19, while the seven 25/5/5 games are the most by a Hofstra player in his career since Wright-Foreman finished with eight such games. 

ESTRADA MOVIN’ ON UP

Aaron Estrada surged past three recent Dutchmen — Rokas Gustys and the duo of Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green — and moved into 26th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list last Monday. Estrada enters tonight 33 points shy of moving past fellow Saint Peter’s transfer Demetrius Dudley as well as John Mills, who are tied for 24th place, and 38 points away from surpassing Carlos Rivera.

22.) Roberto Gittens 1,240

23.) Carlos Rivera 1,225

24t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220

24t.) John Mills 1,220

26.) AARON ESTRADA 1,188

27t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186

27t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186

29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184

30.) Ted Jackson 1,159

31.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139

32.) Wandy Williams 1,132

33.) Mike Moore 1,128

34.) Richie Swartz 1,107

35.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090

36.) Derrick Flowers 1,069

37.) Darius Burton 1,060

38.) Percy Johnson 1,045

39.) James Shaffer 1,022

40.) John Irving 1,018

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas’ strong season continued last Monday night, when he finished with 19 points. He’s scored in double figures in 13 straight games as well as 19 times in 20 CAA games and 27 times in 33 games overall. 

CARLOS STAYS HOT

Jaquan Carlos, who snapped a lengthy 3-point shooting drought in the 94-46 win over William & Mary in the CAA quarterfinals, finished 3-of-6 from beyond the arc last Monday for the second straight game. Carlos entered the CAA Tournament having shot just 6-of-26 (23 percent) from 3-point land in the previous 11 games. In addition, the six 3-pointers in a two-game span ties a career-high for Carlos, who went 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in a 77-57 win over Monmouth on Jan. 11 and finished 2-of-3 from 3-point land in an 86-62 win over Delaware on Jan. 14.

CARLOS ON THE REBOUND

Jaquan Carlos led the Dutchmen with eight rebounds last Monday. It was the first time Carlos held at least a share of the team lead in rebounding since Feb. 16, when he had 10 rebounds in a 73-43 win over Hampton, and the sixth time he’s done so this season.

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried live on ESPNU, which is channel 217 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 IN THE POSTSEASON

This marks the Flying Dutchmen’s 14th appearance in a postseason tournament at the Division I level, their 11 appearance in a tournament we’ll gladly acknowledge and the program’s seventh trip to the NIT. The Dutchmen also appeared in the NIT in 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2016 and 2019.

The Dutchmen are 2-13 in postseason play at the Division I era, with the only wins recorded during the 2006 NIT, when they beat Nebraska 73-62 at the Arena and edged Saint Joseph’s 77-75 in overtime in Philadelphia.

LUCKY SEVENS?

The seven trips to the NIT since 1999 put Hofstra into some pretty select company. Only nine schools have made more appearances in the NIT in that span, with 12 other schools reaching the NIT seven times. Among mid-majors, only Dayton (nine trips), Toledo (nine trips) and, depending on how you define mid-major, BYU (eight trips) have made the NIT more frequently than the Dutchmen since 1999. Here is the full list of programs to make the NIT at least seven times since 1999:

Alabama 9

Colorado 9

Dayton 9

Toledo 9

BYU 8

Clemson 8

Mississippi 8

Mississippi State 8

Nebraska 8

HOFSTRA 7

Arizona State 7

Florida State 7

Georgetown 7

Illinois State 7

Miami (FL) 7

Minnesota 7

New Mexico 7

Saint Mary’s 7

Temple 7

Vanderbilt 7

Virginia 7

Virginia Tech 7

THE CAA IN THE NIT

The Dutchmen are the second CAA team in as many years to represent the league in the NIT. Towson, the regular season champion last season, fell to Wake Forest, 74-64, in a first-round game on Mar. 16. The last CAA team to record a win in the NIT was Drexel, which won its first two games in 2012 before losing to Massachusetts and Chaz Williams (of course) in the quarterfinals. The only CAA team to reach the NIT final four (which will be played this season in Las Vegas instead of Madison Square Garden, because tradition is for losers) is Old Dominion in 2006, which got there by beating the Dutchmen (of course) in the quarterfinals. The CAA is 17-38 all-time in the CAA.

THE CAA IN NCAA-SANCTIONED TOURNAMENTS

While we’ll all be rooting for Charleston to mount an NCAA Tournament run beginning Thursday against San Diego State (wow, mid-on-mid crime, who saw that coming besides EVERYONE), the Dutchmen will be the first team to get a chance at breaking the CAA’s lengthy drought in the NCAA and NIT. CAA schools have lost their last 14 games in the NCAA Tournament or NIT dating back to James Madison’s 68-55 win over Long Island University in a “first four” game on Mar. 20, 2013. That’s the second-longest streak for a league behind the Big Sky, which has lost 18 straight NCAA Tournament or NIT games dating back to Montana’s 87-79 win over Nevada on Mar. 16, 2006, and by far the longest streak in CAA history. 

(Here is where we’ll point out UNC Wilmington won the CBI last season. We’re very happy for them, but the CBI remains nightmare fuel for us)

SCOUTING RUTGERS

The Scarlet Knights, under seventh-year head coach Steve Pikiell, earned an NIT bid after going 19-14 overall and 10-10 in the Big 10 (which would be a neat numeric feat, except the Big 10 has 14 teams). Rutgers last played last Friday, when the Scarlet Knights fell to Purdue 70-65 in the Big 10 quarterfinals. 

Speaking of Purdue, the Boilermakers were the one common foe this season for the Dutchmen and Rutgers. The Dutchmen, playing without an injured Aaron Estrada, fell to Purdue 85-66 on Dec. 7. The Scarlet Knights split with Purdue, knocking off the then-no. 1 Boilermakers 65-64 win in Indiana on Jan. 2 before losing in the aforementioned Big 10 tournament.

The Dutchmen are ranked 90th at KenPom.com while the Scarlet Knights are ranked 35th. Per KenPom.com, Rutgers is the highest-ranked team left out of the NCAA Tournament. 

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank 87th in the nation in offensive efficiency (110.3 points per 100 possessions) and 103rd in defensive efficiency (101.9 points allowed per 100 possessions). Rutgers ranks 159th in the nation in offensive efficiency (105.8 points per 100 possessions) but fifth in defensive efficiency (90.1 points allowed per 100 possessions). 

Junior center Clifford Omoruyi leads Rutgers in both scoring (13.2 points per game) and rebounding (9.7 rebounds per game). Cam Spencer ranks second on the Scarlet Knights in both scoring (12.9 points per game) and assists (3.0 assists per game). Caleb McConnell ranks second in rebounding at 5.5 rebounds per game while Paul Mulcahy is averaging a team-high 4.9 assists per game.

KenPom.com predicts a 72-64 win for the Scarlet Knights. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 7 1/2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 19-11-2 against the spread this season.

I previewed the game for the Field Level Media wire services. Check it out here!

RUTGERS IN THE NIT

The Scarlet Knights are in the NIT for the 15th time and the first time since 2006, when they beat Penn State and fell to Saint Joseph’s, which then lost to…Hofstra! Rutgers reached the NIT title game in 2004 and lost to Michigan. The Scarlet Knights are 16-13 all-time in the NIT.

A RUTGERS REUNION

Hofstra made its NIT debut against Rutgers on Mar. 10, 1999, when the Scarlet Knights beat the Speedy Claxton-less Flying Dutchmen — who really were the Flying Dutchmen back then! — 58-45. Jason Hernandez had 15 points while Roberto Gittens (13 points, nine rebounds) flirted with a double-double as Claxton watched from the bench due to a quad injury he suffered in the America East tournament. 

Claxton said Monday that Hofstra — eager to participate in the NIT for the first time — didn’t exactly tell the selection committee that he was banged up.

“I kind of went thru (practice) and I’m there hobbling around like this,” Claxton said as he mimed a limp. “There’s no way in hell that I’m gonna play. But they kind of had to keep that under wraps. If the NIT committee knew that I wasn’t playing, we wouldn’t have gotten in.

“It’s just something that happened. I wish I would have gotten a chance to play.”

ALL-TIME VS. RUTGERS AND THE BIG 10

The Dutchmen are 3-3 all-time against Rutgers. The teams last played each other on Nov. 29, 2020, when the Dutchmen dropped their season opener in the pandemic year by falling to the Scarlet Knights, 70-56, in New Jersey. 

The Dutchmen are 4-13 all-time against current Big 10 foes, though none of those wins was recorded against a team actually in the Big 10 at the time. All three of the Dutchmen’s wins against Rutgers came before Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014. The Dutchmen beat Nebraska, which will always be a Big 8/Big 12 school to me, in the opening round of the NIT in 2006.

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

Double Ally McBeal bias! (Both Calista Flockhart and Jane Krakowski — the titular character and Elaine Vassel, respectively — graduated from Rutgers in 1988)

Scott Patterson bias! (The actor who portrayed Luke on Molly’s favorite show “Gilmore Girls” — they outgrow “Paw Patrol” and “Bubble Guppies” so fast, sniff — graduated from Rutgers)

Ray Lucas bias! (The former Jets quarterback graduated from Rutgers)

Dave White bias! (Our favorite mystery author and Indiana Jones fan graduated from — you guessed it — Rutgers)

Quincy Douby was ours first bias! (An oldie but goodie from the pre-transfer portal days)