What are the odds of being sick for Delaware's final visit to Hofstra as a CAA school? A thousand to one?
Apparently I need to miss games with the flu more often. The Flying Dutchmen finally put together a complete offensive game Thursday night, when Cruz Davis flirted with a triple-double and five players (!!!) scored in double figures in a 93-68 rout of Delaware. Everything is good again!
As will hopefully remain the case throughout the CAA season (7-for-7 so far!), here’s the postgame boilerplate material in Keep It Perky form. The individual news and notes from Thursday night and the Campbell preview will be posted early tomorrow morning. Enjoy!
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Cruz Davis (28 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) set career-highs in scoring and rebounding for the Dutchmen, who followed up another good first half with their most prolific second half of the season against a Division I foe. The Dutchmen took a quintet of nine-point leads in the first half, when they shot 53.1 percent (17-of-32) on their way to carrying a 43-36 lead into the locker room. The teams scored seven points apiece in the first 3:30 of the second half before Jean Aranguren and German Plotnikov hit 3-pointers to bookend an 8-0 run that ended any worries of another second-half fade and put the Dutchmen ahead by double digits for good. The Dutchmen later mounted runs of 7-0 and 9-0, expanded their lead to as many as 28 points down the stretch and finished the second half shooting a robust 67.7 percent. The 50 second-half points by the Dutchmen were 13 more than they had in the second half of the previous two games combined. Davis was 12-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point land, and committed no turnovers in 38 minutes. Plotnikov scored a season-high 14 points, including 11 in the first half, and finished with seven rebounds and three steals, each of which tied his season-best marks. Jean Aranguren had 13 points and six assists while Khalil Farmer (11 points) and Silas Sunday (10 points) each got into double figures off the bench. Michael Graham added eight points and six rebounds.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Delaware, 1/23)
3: Cruz Davis
2: German Plotnikov
1: Jean Aranguren
SEASON STANDINGS
Jean Aranguren 42
Cruz Davis 24
Michael Graham 14
Jaquan Sanders 12
KiJan Robinson 9
German Plotnikov 5
TJ Gadsden 5
Khalil Farmer 5
Silas Sunday 2
Eric Parnell 2
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
Yes! The Flying Dutchmen came within two points of a 93-68 final three times previously, most recently in a 92-67 win over St. Francis (PA) on Dec. 27, 1968. But they’d never won 93-68 before Thursday!
This is the Dutchmen’s fifth unicorn score of the season.
11/4/24: 89-62 over Old Westbury
11/8/24: 90-76 over Iona
12/6/24: 114-48 over St. Joseph’s
1/4/25: 55-37 over Northeastern
1/23/25: 93-68 over Delaware
It’s such a 2024-25 thing that the Dutchmen have scored in the 110s, the 50s and the 90s in their last three unicorn score wins.
This is also the Dutchmen’s 58th unicorn score victory since the start of the 2018-19 season, when we first started tracking unicorn scores.
2024-25: Five unicorn scores
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?
German Plotnikov made Keith Hernandez history Thursday night, when he hit the tie-breaking layup to put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 13-11 with 15:21 left in the first half. It’s the third career Keith Hernandez for Plotnikov but his first since Jan. 11, 2023, which is the longest a player has gone between Keith Hernandezes in history (or at least since the 2022-23 season) and also, obviously, makes Plotnikov the first player to return to the Keith Hernandez ranks after being blanked in the category the preceding season. Quirky!
Jean Aranguren tie-breaking layup vs. Old Westbury, 11/4/24 (19:47 left 2H)
Silas Sunday go-ahead layup vs. Iona, 11/8/24 (17:49 left 1H)
Jean Aranguren go-ahead layup vs. Seton Hall, 11/13/24 (2:19 left 2H)
Jean Aranguren tie-breaking free throw vs. UMass, 11/16/24 (4:58 left OT)
Cruz Davis tie-breaking layup vs. Rice, 11/29/24 (:59 left OT)
Michael Graham tie-breaking layup vs. Arkansas State, 12/1/24 (:00 left 2H)
Jean Aranguren tie-breaking layup vs. St. Joseph’s, 12/6/24 (19:30 left 1H)
KiJan Robinson go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/9/24 (10:33 left 1H)
Michael Graham tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 1/4/25 (19:14 left 2H)
Jean Aranguren go-ahead nostalgic 3-point play vs. UNC Wilmington, 1/11/25 (:31.1 left 2H)
German Plotnikov tie-breaking layup vs. Delaware 1/23/25 (15:21 left 1H)
SEASON STANDINGS
Jean Aranguren 5
Michael Graham 2
German Plotnikov 1
KiJan Robinson 1
Cruz Davis 1
Silas Sunday 1
ALL-TIME STANDINGS (or at least since the 2022-23 season)
Tyler Thomas 16
Darlinstone Dubar 14
Jean Aranguren 5
Aaron Estrada 4
German Plotnikov 3
Warren Williams 3
Michael Graham 2
Silas Sunday 2
Jacco Fritz 2
Jaquan Carlos 2
KiJan Robinson 1
Cruz Davis 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 TWENTY GAMES
With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 11-9 this season. This ties the 2024-25 team for the 36th-best record in school history through 20 games. It’s the second straight season the Dutchmen have opened 11-9 and the eighth time overall in school history. Prior to the last two seasons, the Dutchmen hadn’t been 10-9 through 19 games or 11-9 through 20 games since 1990-91 — my senior year of high school! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 20 games:
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 10-10 (loss in 20th game was final regular season loss)
1976-77: 14-6
1999-2000: 15-5
2000-01: 16-4 (marked eighth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-6 (most recent 14-6 start)
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 13-7
2004-05: 14-6
2005-06: 16-4 (most recent 16-4 start)
2006-07: 15-5 (most recent 15-5 start)
2015-16: 14-6
2018-19: 17-3 (most recent 17-3 start, win in 20th game marked 13th win in the 16-game winning streak)
2022-23: 12-8 (most recent 12-8 start, loss in 20th game was final loss of the regular season before a 12-game winning streak)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 15-5
1961-62: 18-2 (most recent 18-2 start)
1962-63: 14-6
1963-64: 17-3 (first 17-3 start)
Some other notable 20-game records:
2021-22: 13-7 (most recent 13-7 start)
2016-17: 9-11 (most recent 9-11 start; loss in 20th game marked final loss of Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)
2013-14: 7-13 (most recent 7-13 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 5-15 (most recent 5-15 start)
2007-08: 6-14 (most recent 6-14 start)
2003-04: 8-12 (most recent 8-12 start)
2001-02: 9-11 (Tom Pecora’s first team)
1996-97: 10-10 (most recent 10-10 start, last time at .500)
1995-96: 7-13 (loss in 20th game marked sixth loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)
1994-95: 6-14 (first 6-14 start, win in 20th game marked final win of three-game winning streak, the first winning streak of Wright’s first year)
1993-94: 3-17 (only 3-17 start, VBK’s final team)
1991-92: 12-8 (win in 20th game was first in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)
1987-88: 4-16 (only 4-16 start, loss in 20th game was 10th loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)
1960-61: 18-2 (first 18-2 start)
1959-60: 19-1 (most recent 19-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 20th game was ninth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)
1955-56: 19-1 (first 19-1 start, VBK’s first year)
1944-45: 8-12 (win in penultimate game was final win of season)
1940-41: 13-7 (won regular season finale)
Hofstra has never been 20-0, 2-18, 1-19 or 0-20 through 20 games.
Six seasons were completed in fewer than 20 games:
1936-37: 10-7
1937-38: 10-4
1938-39: 10-8
1943-44: 7-12
1945-46: 12-7
1947-48: 13-6
Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.
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 ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
With Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 77-43 (.642) as head coach. That’s the fourth-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 120 games at the helm.
Butch van Breda Kolff I 85-35 (.708, 120th game was the 18th game of his fifth season in 1959-60)
Frank Reilly 84-36 (.700, 120th game was the 20th game of his fifth season in 1951-52)
Paul Lynner 78-42 (.650, 120th game was the 10th game of his fifth season in 1966-67)
SPEEDY CLAXTON 77-43 (.642, 120th game was the 20th game of his fourth season in 2024-25)
Joe Mihalich 63-57 (.525, 120th game was the 19th game of his fourth season in 2016-17)
Butch van Breda Kolff II 63-57 (.525, 120th game was the fifth game of his fifth season in 1992-93)
Dick Berg 62-58 (.517, 120th game was the 10th game of his fifth season in 1984-85)
Roger Gaeckler 58-62 (.483, 120th game was the 18th game of his fifth season in 1976-77)
Tom Pecora 55-65 (.458, 120th game was the 30th and final game of his fifth season in 2004-05)
Jay Wright 53-67 (.442, 120th game was the seventh game of his fifth season in 1998-99)
The standings stay the same through 120 games as they were through 119 games. The 2004-05 Dutchmen are eliminated from the NIT in Tom Pecora’s 120th game while Jay Wright wins his 120th game as head coach to move within two games of his fellow perpetual slacker. Perpetual 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.
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