Hey that's not Pete Alonso.
Things remained interesting far longer than anyone expected in Monday afternoon’s season opener, but then Molly and I walked into the Arena and the Flying Dutchmen kicked things into another gear while cruising to an 89-62 win over Old Westbury. The pursuit of a perfect season will continue tonight, when the Dutchmen host Iona in what should be an excellent clash of local mid-majors. Here’s a look back at the win over the Panthers and a look ahead to the Gaels.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
The Dutchmen trailed their Division III opponent for most of the first half before Jean Aranguren scored 10 of his game-high 25 points during a 21-0 run that spanned the halves. (Or 19-0 after Molly and I arrived) Old Westbury opened a trio of seven-point leads and further entertained the hopes of pulling off the Stendhal (thanks MasonFanatic!) when Bradley Young’s 3-pointer put the Panthers up 34-28 with 1:29 left in the first. But Cruz Davis sank a pair of free throws 19 seconds later to begin the decisive stretch for the Dutchmen, who tied the game at halftime before scoring the first 15 points of the second half. Old Westbury went 0-for-6 from the field while committing four turnovers during the run. The Dutchmen maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way, opened up a 20-point lead for the first time with 9:48 left and led by as many as 29 in the waning minutes. Davis (19 points, eight assists, seven rebounds) flirted with a triple-double while going 12-of-14 from the free throw line. Jaquan Sanders had 15 points, all from beyond the arc, and added four steals. KiJan Robinson (10 points, 10 rebounds) came off the bench to post his first career-double. Freshman Joshua DeCady had 11 points and five rebounds in a reserve role while starting big man Michael Graham had eight rebounds.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Old Westbury, 11/4)
3: Jean Aranguren
2: Cruz Davis
1: Jaquan Sanders
SEASON STANDINGS (duh)
Jean Aranguren 3
Cruz Davis 2
Jaquan Sanders 1
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
Yes!! What a way to start the season! The Dutchmen came within one point of an 89-62 final four times via two 89-61 wins (most recently over Colby during the 1964-64 season) and two 88-62 wins (most recently over Long Island University on Dec. 28, 2014, when Juan’ya Green posted the lone triple-double in school history). But they’d never won 89-62 before Monday!
This is the Dutchmen’s first unicorn score victory of the season (duh) and their 54th unicorn score victory since the start of the 2018-19 season, when we first started tracking unicorn scores.
2024-25: One unicorn score
2023-24: Seven unicorn scores
2022-23: 12 unicorn scores
2021-22: 11 unicorn scores
2020-21: Zero unicorn scores (really)
2019-20: 13 unicorn scores
2018-19: 10 unicorn scores
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?
Jean Aranguren, making his Hofstra debut, posted the first Keith Hernandez of the season by hitting the tie-breaking layup to give the Dutchmen the lead for good at 36-34 with 19:47 left in the game. That’s the earliest in the second half a Keith Hernandez has ever been recorded! Or at least the earliest it’s been recorded since we started tracking Keith Hernandezes in 2022-23.
SEASON STANDINGS (duh)
Jean Aranguren 1
ALL-TIME STANDINGS (or at least since the 2022-23 season)
Tyler Thomas 16
Darlinstone Dubar 14
Aaron Estrada 4
Warren Williams 3
Jacco Fritz 2
Jaquan Carlos 2
German Plotnikov 2
Jean Aranguren 1
Silas Sunday 1
Bryce Washington 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 ONE GAME
As you may have gathered by now, the Dutchmen are 1-0. This ties the 2024-25 team for the best record in school history through one game! Fifty-one other teams began 1-0, most recently last year’s squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through one game:
NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 1-0
1976-77: 1-0
1999-2000: 0-1
2000-01: 0-1
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 0-1
NIT TEAMS
2005-06: 1-0
2006-07: 0-1
2015-16: 1-0
2018-19: 1-0
2022-23: 1-0
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 0-1
1961-62: 1-0
1962-63: 1-0
1963-64: 1-0
Some other notable, uhh, one-game starts:
2021-22: Speedy Claxton loses his debut
2020-21: Mike Farrelly loses his debut
2013-14: Joe Mihalich loses his debut
2010-11: Mo Cassara wins his debut
2001-02: Tom Pecora wins his debut
1994-95: Jay Wright loses his debut, retires in shame
1988-89: Butch van Breda Kolff wins his re-debut
1980-81: Dick Berg wins his debut
1979-80: Joe Harrington loses his debut
1972-73: Roger Gaeckler loses his debut
1962-63: Paul Lynner wins his debut
1955-56: Butch van Breda Kolff wins his debut
1947-48: Frank Reilly wins his debut
1946-47: Jack McDonald wins his re-debut
1943-44: Jack Smith loses his debut
1936-37: Jack McDonald loses his debut in Hofstra’s first game
This feature is inspired by Mets superfan and blogger Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.
NUMBER TEN THROUGH ONE HUNDRED AND ONE
With Monday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 67-34 (.663) as head coach. That’s tied for the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 101 games at the helm.
Paul Lynner 69-32 (.683, 101st game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)
Butch van Breda Kolff I 68-33 (.673, 101st game was the 26th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)
Frank Reilly 67-34 (.663, 101st game was the first game of his fifth season in 1951-52)
SPEEDY CLAXTON 67-34 (.663, 101st game was the first game of his fourth season in 2024-25)
Joe Mihalich 54-47 (.535, 101st game was the 34th and final game of his third season in 2015-16)
Dick Berg 51-50 (.505, 101st game was the 19th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)
Butch van Breda Kolff II 51-50 (.505, 101st game was the 16th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)
Roger Gaeckler 45-56 (.446, 101st game was the 29th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)
Tom Pecora 44-57 (.436, 101st game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 2004-05)
Jay Wright 42-59 (.416, 101st game was the 19th game of his fourth season in 1997-98)
Two Van Hagar specials here as Dick Berg and Butch Van Breda Kolff II are both 51-50 through 101 games! Roger Gaeckler’s 45th win was in the 1976 ECC title game, which sent the Flying Dutchmen (who really were known as the Flying Dutchmen back then!) to the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a Division I program. And as always, Tom Pecora and Jay Wright bring up the rear. Slackers!
The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46).
Smith finished 27-32 in his three seasons while Mo Cassara finished 38-59 in his three seasons. 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.
FOR STARTERS
The Dutchmen won their third straight season opener following a three-game losing streak in season openers. The Dutchmen are now 51-38 all-time in season openers.
THE STREAK CONTINUES
The Dutchmen have won their last 25 games against non-Division I foes dating back to a 70-54 loss to Division II Florida Southern during the 1988-89 season.
A (RELATIVELY) CLOSE SHAVE
But Old Westbury gave the Dutchmen their biggest scare from a non-Division I opponent in almost 20 years. The Panthers led for 17:15 in the first half, when they opened a trio of seven-point leads. The time spent trailing and deficit were both the largest for the Dutchmen against a non-Division I opponent since Nov. 25, 2006, when they trailed Division II Alaska-Anchorage — the host school in the Great Alaska Shootout — for a total of 18:14 before overcoming a nine-point deficit.
In between, the Dutchmen trailed 13 non-Division I opponents for a total of 8:02. The only non-Division I opponents to lead the Dutchmen by more than two points in that span were Medaille (Nov. 25, 2016 and Rosemont (Dec. 22, 2018), each of whom had a four-point lead. (Wow this is nerdy even for me)
FIT TO BE TIED
Along the lines of Old Westbury giving the Dutchmen all they could handle for a half…the teams were tied 34-34 at the half on Monday. This is the first time the Dutchmen have been tied at the half this season (duh). They were 2-0 in games in which they were tied at the half last season and are 15-10 in such games dating back to the 2002-03 season.
RUN RUNAWAY
The Dutchmen’s 21-0 run spanning the halves was their longest of the season (duh) and their longest under Speedy Claxton. The Dutchmen’s longest run last season was a 19-0 spurt in the 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20, 2023.
1010101010 WINS
The Dutchmen had five players score in double figures on Monday for *checks math* the first time this season. Starters Jean Aranguren (25 points), Cruz Davis (19 points) and Jaquan Sanders (15 points) were joined by reserves Joshua DeCady (11 points) and KiJan Robinson (10 points). The Dutchmen are now 9-0 under Speedy Claxton when at least five players score in double figures.
HELLO OUR NAMES ARE…
Speedy Claxton’s fourth opening day lineup featured five program newcomers, all of whom transferred to Hofstra. That’s the entire starting lineup! Guards Jean Aranguren, Jaquan Sanders and Cruz Davis all played at least 29 minutes while combining for 59 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists. Center Michael Graham had six points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes while forward TJ Gadsden was scoreless without a rebound in nine minutes.
Claxton’s first lineup in 2021-22 featured four newcomers. Three newcomers took the floor for the opening tip in the 2022-23 opener while one newcomer was in the lineup last season.
SIGN OF THE TIMES
It will not come as a surprise to know that 79 points — or 88.8 percent of the Dutchmen’s points — came Monday from players who did not suit up for the team last season. In addition to transfers Jean Aranguren (25 points), Cruz Davis (19 points), Jaquan Sanders (15 points), Michael Graham (six points) and true freshman Joshua DeCady (11 points), sophomore Eric Parnell added three points after redshirting last season. The 79 points by newcomers are the most in an opener for the Dutchmen since at least the 1991-92 season.
The previous opening day high for points by newcomers was set Nov. 14, 2014, when transfers Brian Bernardi (22 points), Ameen Tanksley (16 points), Malik Nichols (15 points) and Juan’ya Green (14 points) and true freshmen Rokas Gustys (four points), Andre Walker (four points) and Eliel Gonzalez (two points) combined for 77 points in a 94-61 win over Jacksonville.
HERE’S TO YOU, MR. ROBINSON (part one)
Sophomore KiJan Robinson was the only returnee to score for the Dutchmen Monday, when he had 10 points off the bench. German Plotnikov was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in 21 minutes while Silas Sunday did not take a shot in five minutes. Sophomores Khalil Farmer and Jayden Henriquez did not play.
COMPLETING THE TRANSFER
As you may have read two blurbs ago, the Dutchmen were led by a spate of transfers Monday. Sophomore Jean Aranguren scored 25 points while fellow Iona transfer Cruz Davis had 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Junior Jaquan Sanders, a Seton Hall transfer, had 15 points, four steals, three rebounds and two assists while Loyola Marymount transfer Michael Graham added six points, eight rebounds and two blocks. TJ Gadsden, who played the last two seasons at Canisius, didn’t score or record a rebound in nine minutes. Here are some notable debuts by transfers since 1991:
2023: Jacco Fritz: 0 pts/6 rebs/6 assists/1 blk/1 steal vs. St. Joseph’s (NY)
2023: Silas Sunday: 8 pts/7 rebs/2 assists/1 steal vs. St. Joseph’s (NY)
2022: German Plotnikov: 9 pts/3 rebs/2 steals/1 assist vs. Princeton
2022: Tyler Thomas: 6 pts/1 reb/1 assist vs. Princeton
2022: Bryce Washington: 3 pts/1 reb vs. Princeton
2022: Nelson Boachie-Yiadom: 2 pts/2 rebs vs. Princeton
2021: Zach Cooks: 26 pts/4 rebs/3 assists vs. Houston
2021: Aaron Estrada: 15 pts7 rebs/2 assists vs. Houston
2021: Darlinstone Dubar: 9 pts/7 rebs/2 steals vs. Houston
2021: Abayomi Iyiola: 6 pts/11 rebs vs. Houston
2021: Jarrod Simmons: 0 pts/1 reb vs. Houston
2020: Shawndarius Cowart: 2 pts/2 assists/2 steals vs. Rutgers**
2019: Isaac Kante: 8 pts/11 rebs vs. San Jose State
2018: Jacquil Taylor: 6 pts/10 rebs vs. Mount St. Mary’s
2018: Dan Dwyer: 3 pts/6 rebs/2 blks vs. Mount St. Mary’s
2018: Tareq Coburn: 2 pts/2 rebs vs. Mount St. Mary’s
2017: Joel Angus III: 13 pts/6 rebs vs. Army-West Point
2017: Kenny Wormley: 3 pts/2 rebs/4 assists vs. Kennesaw State
2016: Deron Powers: 12 pts/5 assists/4 rebs vs. Coppin State
2016: Hunter Sabety: 2 pts/5 rebs/1 blk vs. Coppin State
2015: Denton Koon: 14 pts/5 rebs/1 steal/1 blk vs. Canisius
2014: Juan’ya Green: 14 pts/9 assists/5 rebs vs. Jacksonville
2014: Ameen Tanksley: 16 pts/3 assists/2 assists/1 blk vs. Jacksonville
2014: Brian Bernardi: 22 pts/3 assists/2 rebs/1 steal vs. Jacksonville (6-8 3PT)
2014: Malik Nichols: 15 pts/3 assists/2 rbs/1 blk vs. Jacksonville**
2013: Zeke Upshaw: 22 pts/3 assists/3 rebs vs. Monmouth (2-8 3PT)
2013: Dion Nesmith: 10 pts/5 assists/2 rebs vs. Monmouth
2012: Taran Buie: 14 pts/2 assists/2 rbs vs. South Dakota State
2012: [name redacted]: 12 pts vs. Monmouth
2012: Daquan Brown: 2 pts/1 assist vs. Tulane
2011: Stevie Mejia: 7 pts/1 rb/4 assists/1 steal vs. Long Island
2011: Bryant Crowder: 13 pts/6 rbs/1 steal vs. Rhode Island**
2010: Mike Moore: 13 pts/4 rbs/4 assists vs. Farmingdale State
2010: Dwan McMillan: 15 pts/2 rbs/6 assists/1 steal vs. Farmingdale State**
2010: Brad Kelleher: 2 pts vs. Florida Atlantic**
2008: Tony Dennison: 5 pts/4 rbs/1 assist vs. Clemson**
2008: Cornelius Vines: 12 pts/3 rbs/3 steals vs. Clemson**
2008: Miklos Szabo: 4 pts/11 rbs/2 assists/1 steal vs. E. Tennessee State**
2007: Darren Townes: 5 pts/5 rbs/1 steal/1 blocked shot vs. Holy Cross**
2007: Dane Johnson: 3 pts/1 rb/3 blocked shots vs. Holy Cross**
2004: Kenny Harris: 3 pts/1 rb/1 assist/2 steals vs. Florida International**
2004: Adrian Uter: 0 pts/2 rbs/1 block vs. Florida International**
2000: Osei Miller: 2 pts/2 rbs vs. Northern Illinois
1999: Greg Springfield: 7 pts/5 rbs/10 blocked shots vs. New Mexico State***
1998: Jason Hernandez: 7 pts/ 2 rbs/1 assist/2 steals vs. Maryland
1998: Abdul Sylla 0 pts/3 rbs vs. Youngstown State
1997: Mike Renfro 6 pts/3 rbs/1 assist/1 steal vs. Bucknell**
1996: Lance Dunkley 2 pts/3 rbs/1 assist vs. Stony Brook**
1996: Duane Posey 8 pts/4 rbs/1 assist/2 blks vs. Stony Brook
1995: Seth Meyers 14 pts/5 rbs vs. Stony Brook
1995: Lawrence Thomas 20 pts/4 rbs/2 assists vs. Villanova
1994: Jamil Greene 1 pt/2 rbs/1 assist vs. New Hampshire**
1993: Chris Johnke 0 pts/5 rbs vs. Iona**
1991: Demetrius Dudley 33 pts/7 rbs vs. Navy
**--junior college transfer
***--10 blocked shots are a school record
DECADY IS THE FRESHMAN ONE
Joshua DeCady was the lone freshman to see the floor Monday, when he had 11 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes. This is the third straight season in which a Hofstra freshman has scored in double digits in the season opener. Here are some notable debuts by Hofstra freshman since 1991:
2023: KiJan Robinson: 11 pts/3 assists/1 reb vs. St. Joseph’s (NY)
2023: Khalil Farmer: 5 pts/3 rebs/2 assists/1 steal vs. St. Joseph’s (NY)
2022: Amar’e Marshall: 15 pts/3 rebs/1 assist/1 steal/1 block vs. Princeton
2022: Christian Tomasco: 2 pts/1 reb/1 block vs. Princeton
2022: Griffin Barrouk: 0 pts/2 rebs vs. Princeton
2021: Jaquan Carlos: 0 pts/2 rebs vs. Duquesne (game no. 2)
2020: Kvonn Cramer: 8 pts/4 rebs/3 steals vs. Rutgers
2020: David Green: 0 pts/1 reb vs. Rutgers
2020: Vukasin Masic: 0 pts/1 reb vs. Rutgers
2019: Caleb Burgess: 0 pts vs. San Jose State
2019: Jermaine Miranda: 0 pts/2 rebs vs. San Jose State
2018: Kevin Schutte: 0 pts vs. Mount St. Mary’s
2017: Jalen Ray: 10 pts/2 assists vs. Army-West Point
2017: Matija Radovic: 5 pts/5 rebs vs. Army-West Point
2017: Stafford Trueheart: 0 pts/1 reb vs. Kennesaw State
2016: Eli Pemberton: 20 pts/4 rebs/1 steal vs. Coppin State
2015: Justin Wright-Foreman: 0 pts/1 reb vs. Canisius
2015: Desure Buie: 2 pts/2 assists/1 steal vs. Canisius
2014: Rokas Gustys: 4 pts/10 rebs vs. Jacksonville
2014: Andre Walker: 4 pts/11 rebs/6 blks vs. Jacksonville
2013: Chris Jenkins: 17 pts/2 rebs/1 blk/1 steal vs. Monmouth
2013: Jamall Robinson: 8 pts/4 rebs/2 assists vs. Monmouth
2012: Jordan Allen: 2 pts/1 reb vs. Monmouth
2011: Moussa Kone: 6 pts/2 rebs/1 steal vs. Long Island U.
2010: Shemiye McLendon: 16 pts/4 rbs/2 assists vs. Farmingdale State
2010: Stephen Nwaukoni: 8 rebs vs. Farmingdale State
2010: Roland Brown: 4 pts/5 rebs/1 steal/1 blk vs. Farmingdale State
2009: Chaz Williams: 7 pts/6 assists/5 rebs/37 mins vs. Kansas
2009: Halil Kanacevic: 12 pts/12 rebs/3 blks 31 mins vs. Kansas
2007: Charles Jenkins: 5 pts/9 rebs/1 assist/1 steal vs. Holy Cross
2007: Nathaniel Lester: 2 rebs vs. Holy Cross
2007: Greg Washington: 2 rebs/2 blks/1 assist/1 steal vs. Holy Cross
2005: Arminas Urbutis: 6 pts vs. Florida International
2005: Greg Johnson: 12 pts vs. Florida International
2004: Antoine Agudio: 20 pts vs. Florida International
2003: Loren Stokes: 2 pts vs. Marist
2003: Carlos Rivera: 10 pts vs. Marist
2001: Kenny Adeleke: 10 pts vs. Florida Atlantic
2000: Joel Suarez: 22 pts vs. Northern Illinois
1999: Rick Apodaca: 5 pts/2 assists vs. New Mexico State
1999: Danny Walker: 0 pts vs. New Mexico State
1998: No freshmen
1997: Roberto Gittens: 15 pts/6 rebs vs. Bucknell
1997: Norman Richardson: 2 pts/3 rebs vs. Bucknell
1996: Speedy Claxton: 13 pts/9 rebs vs. Stony Brook
1996: Joe Brown: 4 pts/3 rebs vs. Stony Brook
1995: Tim Beckett: 6 pts/7 rebs vs. Stony Brook
1995: Anthony Davis: 7 pts/2 assists vs. Stony Brook
1995: Ahmad Jackson: 2 pts/4 rebounds vs. Stony Brook
1993: James Parisi: 23 pts/7 rebs vs. Lehigh
ALL A’S FOR ARANGUREN
Sophomore Jean Aranguren, an Iona transfer, scored a career-high 25 points Monday night — the most points by a Hofstra player in his debut since graduate student Zach Cooks had 26 points in the 83-75 overtime loss to no. 15 Houston on Nov. 9, 2021. Aranguren, Cooks and the late great Demetrius Dudley are the only players to score at least 25 points in their Hofstra debuts since 1991. Dudley had 33 points for the Flying Dutchmen (who really WERE the Flying Dutchmen back then!) in an 85-62 win over Navy on Nov. 23, 1991.
CRUZ-IN
Sophomore Cruz Davis, a transfer from St. John’s, flirted with a triple-double Monday, when he finished with 19 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Davis is the first Hofstra player to finish with at least seven points, seven assists and seven rebounds since Tyler Thomas had 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in a 59-56 win over Towson on Feb. 3.
CRUZ-IN AT THE LINE
Cruz Davis scored most of his points via free throws Monday, when he was 12-of-14 from the charity stripe. The free throws made and free throws attempted were both the most for a Hofstra player since Tareq Coburn went 14-of-16 against Monmouth in a 96-88 win on Dec. 15, 2020. Davis is just the fourth player to go to the line at least 10 times in a game since Speedy Claxton became head coach prior to the 2021-22 season.
SHARP-SHOOTING SANDERS
Junior Jaquan Sanders, a Seton Hall transfer, looked every bit the confident volume shooter Monday, when he scored 15 points while going 5-of-12 from 3-point land and 0-for-4 from inside the arc. Sanders is the first Hofstra player to reach double figures while scoring all his points via 3-pointers since Bryce Washington had 12 points via (does the math) four 3-pointers in a 76-72 win over Towson on Feb. 2, 2023.
GRAHAM’S BOXSCORE FILLER
Graduate student Michael Graham, a Loyola Marymount transfer who spent his first two seasons at Elon, finished with six points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes. Graham had at least six points and eight rebounds three times in 30 games last season with Loyola Marymount.
HERE’S TO YOU, MR. ROBINSON (part two)
Sophomore KiJan Robinson came off the bench to post his first career double-double Monday, when he had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Robinson is the first Hofstra player to produce a double-double off the bench since Warren Williams finished with 11 points and 14 rebounds in a 96-48 win over Old Westbury on Dec. 22, 2022.
DECADY SHOPPING AT THE FIVE AND DIME
True freshman Joshua DeCady had a strong game Monday, when he finished with 11 points and five rebounds. He’s the first freshman to post at least 10 points and five rebounds for Hofstra since Amar’e Marshall had 15 points and six rebounds in a 96-48 win over Old Westbury on Dec. 22, 2022.
GERMAN OFF THE BENCH
Senior German Plotnikov, the Dutchmen’s lone three-year veteran, came off the bench Monday, when he was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting over 21 minutes. Plotnikov was scoreless in four of 28 games last season, when he started the final 16 games.
PARNELL’S DEBUT
Redshirt sophomore Eric Parnell joined the all-time Hofstra scoring list Monday, when he drained a 3-pointer with 9:14 left. It was the only attempt from the field for Parnell, who added a rebound in 10 minutes.
TWICE AS NICE?
The Dutchmen are looking to start 2-0 for the first time since 2022-23 and the 31st time in program history.
OVER THE AIR
Tonight’s game is slated to be carried live on FloHoops.com (subscription required) as well as on MSG Networks if you are in the New York area or somehow paid one billion dollars (approx) for the Gotham Sports app. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.
IONA AND THE MAAC
Iona, under second-year head coach Tobin Anderson after finally moving on from that no name Rick Pitino, is 0-1 this season after squandering a 16-point second half lead Monday in an 81-80 loss to Princeton.
Iona, which fell short of winning the MAAC Tournament last year for just the third time in the last nine seasons, was picked to finish third in the 11-team MAAC.
If you thought Hofstra’s overhaul was something, wait until you see Iona, whose 16-man roster is comprised entirely of newcomers. Freshman Adam Nije had a team-high 19 points and six assists Monday while senior Clarence Rupert, a transfer from Southern Illinois who opened his career at Saint Peter’s, scored 15 points and added six rebounds. Senior DeJour Reaves, a Northern Colorado transfer, and sophomore Comeh Emuobor, a Central Florida transfer, also got into double figures with 12 points and 11 points respectively. Junior James Patterson, a transfer from Division II St. Thomas Aquinas, had eight points and 10 rebounds.
Reaves was selected to the preseason All-MAAC first team while Patterson earned second-team honors and Rupert was named to the third team
The Dutchmen and Gaels have four common opponents this season. Iona will host Delaware (still in the CAA, for one more season) on Tuesday night before joining Hofstra at the Baha Mar Hoops tournament in the Bahamas Thanksgiving weekend, when both teams will play Rice and Tarleton State. The Dutchmen will then visit MAAC preseason favorite Quinnipiac (hey TP!) on Dec. 29.
The all-time series between the teams is tied at 22-22 after the Dutchmen never trailed in a 62-57 win in New Rochelle last Dec. 6. Darlinstone Dubar (12 points, 10 rebounds) posted a double-double in the victory.
Iona is Hofstra’s third-most frequent non-conference opponent behind only Manhattan (66 games) and Wagner (53 games). Though apparently Delaware (103 games) will be a non-conference opponent soon enough. Sigh.
Hofstra is 106-118 all-time against current MAAC schools. The Dutchmen are playing at least two MAAC foes this season for the 16th time in the last 19 seasons.
At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 182nd while Iona is ranked 184th. That’s pretty close! KenPom.com predicts a 76-73 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2-point favorites.
REUNITED
Three Dutchmen will oppose their former school tonight, though only Jean Aranguren played for second-year head coach Tobin Anderson. Aranguren averaged 8.1 points and 3.8 reboudns over 33 games last season. Cruz Davis averaged 6.5 points over 24 games under Rick Pitino in 2022-23, when Silas Sunday averaged 1.5 points and 1.6 rebounds over 27 games.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
We don’t even know half these people bias! (Or any of them)
Division II and III generate really good head coaches bias! (Tobin Anderson spent 21 seasons coaching D-II and D-III ball before arriving at Fairleigh Dickinson in 2022-23)
Pete Alonso’s walkup song bias! (Don McLean, the singer and songwriter behind “American Pie,” went to Iona)
You dropped football before we did bias! (Sigh)
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