No Sunny clip today as we look ahead to the likelihood a walk-on crushes the Dutchmen in unique fashion.
Well, the month ends today, so we’ve all got that going for us as a declining society. The Dutchmen will attempt to salvage a January that began with so much promise this afternoon, when they try to halt a five-game losing streak while visiting Monmouth.
As will hopefully become the routine once again the rest of the season, I ran down the boilerplate material from Thursday night’s loss to Charleston in last night’s Keep It Perky. Today will be about the individual news and notes from that loss as well as a preview of the Hawks. Enjoy!
WE’RE STREAKING (in the other way)
As you’ve no doubt gathered by now, the loss Thursday night was the fifth straight for the Dutchmen. The skid is the longest of the season for the Dutchmen and is tied for the longest current losing streak in the CAA with Campbell. It’s also the Dutchmen’s longest losing streak since the season-tanking six-game losing streak from last Feb. 1-20. This is the first time the Dutchmen have endured CAA losing streaks of five games or longer in at least two consecutive seasons since a three-season stretch from 2011-12 through 2013-15. The Dutchmen had a six-game losing streaks in 2011-12, a seven-game losing streak in 2012-13 and a pair of five-game losing streaks in 2013-14.
DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH
The Dutchmen, who held a pair of 11-point leads early in the second half, squandered a double-digit lead in a loss for the second time this season and the 15th time since Speedy Claxton became head coach for the 2021-22 season. The Dutchmen led North Carolina A&T by 16 points in a 79-78 loss on Jan. 15.
SHUTTING THEM DOWN FROM LONG DISTANCE…
…and losing anyway? Now this is quirky. The Dutchmen, who gave up a season-high 18 3-pointers in last Saturday’s 89-82 loss to William & Mary, tied a season-best by surrendering just three 3-pointers Thursday. It was the first time since way back on Jan. 23, 2020, when Delaware was 3-of-20 from 3-point land in a 73-71 win, that the Dutchmen have lost a game in which they allowed three or fewer 3-pointers.
SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY (part one)
With Thursday’s loss, the Dutchmen became just th second team to open 4-0 or better in CAA play and then fall below .500 in league action since 2001-02, when the America East four arrived to save the CAA (once again, you’re welcome). The only other team to open 4-0 or better and fall below .500 was Northeastern in 2016-17, when the Huskies raced out to a 5-0 start but fell under .500 for good at 7-8 before finishing 8-10 finish and losing in the first round of the conference tournament. So this is the fastest any CAA team has fallen below .500 after starting 4-0 or better in the last 26 seasons. Hooray?
SLIP SLIDIN’ AWAY (part two)
The Dutchmen are one of just two Division I teams this season to fall below .500 in league play after starting 4-0 or better. Northern Iowa of the Missouri Valley Conference also lost five straight following a 4-0 start and is currently 5-6. So maybe that means the Dutchmen win today?
CLOSE PAINFUL SHAVES
The Dutchmen have lost each of their last five games by seven points or fewer. It’s the first time the Dutchmen have dropped at least five straight games by 10 points or fewer since Jan. 4-18, 2012, when they lost five straight by eight points or fewer. That team finished 3-15 in CAA play so at least that won’t happen this year!
STAYING (within) SINGLE (digits)
Speaking of five straight losses by seven points or fewer…here’s an upbeat quirky stat! The Dutchmen (13-9) have yet to lose a game this season by more than eight points. They are one of just 15 Division I schools nationwide without a double-digit loss this season — and one of two in the CAA, where UNC Wilmington (19-3) has yet to lose a game by more than nine points. The Dutchmen and Seahawks are two of just six mid-majors who have yet to suffer a double-digit loss and the CAA is the only mid-major league with two such teams.
HOFSTRA (13-9)
Miami Ohio (21-0)
Saint Louis (21-1)
UNC Wilmington (19-3)
Belmont (19-3)
Stephen F. Austin (18-3)
And I guess here are the other teams yet to suffer a double-digit loss:
Arizona (21-0)
Connecticut (20-1)
Michigan (20-1)
Nebraska (20-1)
Duke (19-1)
Houston (18-2)
Michigan State (19-3)
Clemson (17-4)
Florida (15-6)
Pretty good company for the Dutchmen, UNC Wilmington and the CAA in general. The only other leagues with multiple teams who have yet to suffer a double-digit loss are the Big 10, Big 12 and ACC.
DRY JANUARY
With Thursday night’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 3-5 this month and dropped to 11-14 in January over the last three years. They’ve lost consecutive games in January once in each of the last three years. They were 19-6 in January from 2021 through 2023, a span in which they had just one losing streak (a three-game skid from Jan. 7-15, 2021, in the midst of the condensed pandemic season). At least the longest month in American history ends today!
BIGGIE’S BIG GAME
Biggie Patterson had his second straight impressive game Thursday night, when he scored a career-high 21 points while adding 11 rebounds. Patterson, who had 17 points in an 83-77 win over Bucknell on Nov. 14 and 17 points in a 92-23 win over Division III Old Westbury on Dec. 10, scored 19 points for Iona in a 70-66 loss to Rice on Dec. 1, 2024. The 11 rebounds were one shy of his season high set against Old Westbury and his most against a Division I foe since he pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds for Iona against Harvard in a 67-61 loss on Dec. 29, 2024. Patterson is averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in 12 starts compared to 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in six appearances off the bench, but the Dutchmen are 5-7 with him in the starting lineup and 6-0 when he’s a reserve.
BIGGIE’S FAST START
Biggie Patterson scored 10 points in the first 7:11 CONVENIENCE STORE BIAS Thursday night. It was the fastest a Hofstra player has reached double figures since Cruz Davis had 11 points in the first 3:01 of a 74-66 win over Quinnipiac on Dec. 21. Davis actually scored the Dutchmen’s first 12 points in that game.
PRESTO!
Preston Edmead continued the most impressive freshman season by a Hofstra player this decade Thursday night, when he scored a 18 points while adding seven rebounds and seven assists. Edmead has scored in double figures in 18 games this season, the most double-figure scoring efforts by a Hofstra freshman since Eli Pemberton scored in double figures 21 times in 31 games in 2016-17. The seven rebounds were his most since he had a career-high eight rebounds in a 76-71 loss to Stony Brook on Jan. 15 while the seven assists were his most since he collected a career-high eight assists in a 77-60 win over Pennsylvania on Nov. 30. Edmead’s 342 points (15.5 ppg) through 22 games are 18 more than Antoine Agudio had through 22 games during his freshman season in 2004-05 and 16 more than Speedy Claxton had through 22 games during his freshman season in 1996-97. Pretty good company.
PRESTON VS. SPEEDY
Speaking of which…Preston Edmead’s first 22 games as a true freshman point guard have been just as impressive as Speedy Claxton’s first 22 games as a true freshman point guard way back in 1996-97.
Speedy Claxton: 14.8 points per game/3.2 assists per game/4.7 rebounds per game
Preston Edmead: 15.5 ppg/4.2 apg/3.0 rpg
Pretty quirky and neat!
PRESTON’S TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH
Preston Edmead at least flirted with a triple-double Thursday night, when he finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Edmead is the first Hofstra player with at least 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a single game since Cruz Davis had 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in a 95-61 win over Division II Molloy on Nov. 10 and the first player to post such a line against a Division I foe since Davis collected 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a 70-49 win over North Carolina A&T last Mar. 1. In addition, Edmead is the first Hofstra freshman with at least 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists since Chaz Williams had 20 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a 75-64 win over Drexel on Feb. 10, 2010. How is that almost 16 years ago?
ALEX ANSWERS THE CALL
Graduate student Alex Tsynkevich was an unexpected contributor Thursday night, when he was pressed into duty by Victory Onuetu’s early ejection and tied his season-highs by collecting four points and six rebounds while playing a career-high 19 minutes. Tsynkevich entered Thursday having played just 29 minutes over seven games all season. Most of his action came in the 92-23 win over Division III Old Westbury on Dec. 10, when he also had four points and six rebounds. The four points Thursday were Tsynkevich’s most against a Division I opponent since his debut for Alcorn State on Nov. 6, 2023, when he scored a career-high seven points against Arkansas. The six rebounds were his most against a Division I foe since he pulled down a career-high eight rebounds for Alcorn State against Clemson on Nov. 24, 2023. And the 19 minutes exceeded his previous high of 18 minutes, set against Arkansas on Nov. 6, 2023.
GERMAN FOR STARTERS
German Plotnikov returned after a two-game absence due to injury Thursday night, when he had eight points on 3-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-8 from 3-point land, while adding six rebounds, two blocks and one assist over 37 minutes. Plotnikov has scored at least eight points in 14 of the 20 games in which he’s played this season after scoring at least eight points 29 times in his first 95 games over the previous three seasons He has also scored in a career-high 29 straight games dating back to last Feb. 8.
CRUZ HALTED
Cruz Davis’ season-long streak of 21 straight double-digit scoring efforts ended Thursday night, when he finished with eight points while shooting 3-of-16 from the field, including 1-of-8 from 3-point land. Davis also missed both his free throw attempts with 4:26 left and the Dutchmen down 56-50. While Davis added eight rebounds and four assists, it was the second straight rough shooting game for Davis, who had 14 points while going 5-of-19 from the field in last Saturday’s 89-82 loss to William & Mary. The seven points on Thursday night were the fewest for Davis since he had seven points in the 65-60 loss to Monmouth in the second round of the CAA Tournament last Mar. 8. Davis’ streak of double digit scoring efforts was the longest of his career and the longest streak by Hofstra player since Tyler Thomas ended his collegiate career by scoring in double figures in 25 straight games from Dec. 9, 2023 through Mar. 11, 2024. Davis has scored in double figures in 42 of the 53 games in which he’s played for Hofstra after reaching double figures just five times over 28 games in his first two seasons at Iona and St. John’s. The Dutchmen are 25-17 when Davis scores in double figures.
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!
Silas Sunday had a solid all-around game while playing through foul trouble Thursday night, when he had six points, five rebounds, three blocks and one assist over 20 minutes. The three blocks tied a season- and career-high set nine times (how many times?) previously, most recently in a 89-85 loss to ELO on Jan. 17. Sunday has scored in all 22 games this season after scoring in 26 of 33 games last season.
JUST JOSH-IN
Graduate student Joshua Aaron Reaves was part of the rotation again Thursday night, when he was scoreless on 0-of-2 shooting from 3-point land while finishing with two rebounds, two steals and one rebound in 10 minutes. Reaves, who set season-highs with nine points over 27 minutes in last Saturday’s 89-82 loss to William & Mary, has played in consecutive games for the first time since he logged two scoreless minutes apiece against Merrimack and Pennsylvania from Nov. 29-30. The 37 minutes over the last two games are easily the most minutes Reaves has played over a two-minute span this season, exceeding the 32 minutes he played against Iona and Division II Molloy from Nov. 7-10, and are the most minutes he’s played in consecutive games since he logged 40 minutes for Illinois-Chicago against Division III St. Mary’s (MN) and James Madison (hey we know them!) from Nov. 16-21, 2024.
JAEDEN JUMPS INTO ACTION
Freshman Jaeden Roberts was scoreless with one rebound and one steal while playing just two minutes Thursday night. The two minutes were the fewest for Roberts since he had three points over two minutes in a 77-60 win over Pennsylvania on Nov. 30. Roberts has 83 points while averaging 12.7 minutes per game over the last 12 games in which he’s played after scoring just five points in three appearances spanning 11 minutes over the first nine games of the season. The Dutchmen won each of Roberts’ first 11 appearances before dropping their last four games.
A DISQUALIFIED VICTORY
Rarely does a headline work out so well, or so poorly. Junior newcomer Victory Onuetu’s midseason slump continued Thursday, when he was scoreless on 0-of-2 shooting with one rebound before getting ejected for drawing a flagrant two after fewer than two minutes of first-half action off the bench. It was the third time in the last four games Onuetu has been scoreless before being disqualified. He played just four minutes before fouling out in an 89-85 loss to ELO on Jan. 17 before fouling out in 11 minutes in a 79-78 loss to North Carolina A&T on Jan. 22. Onuetu is averaging 2.4 points and 6.6 rebounds over 14.6 minutes per game during the Dutchmen’s five-game losing streak after he averaged 4.9 points and 8.6 rebounds over 22.8 minutes per game during the eight-game winning streak from Dec. 7 through Jan. 10.
OVER THE AIR
This afternoon’s game is slated to be carried live on FloHoops.com (subscription required, click here for options) as well as on SNY if you are in the New York area. For reasons I don’t entirely understand, SNY is also available on the MLB app if you are looking to stream the game. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.
SCOUTING MONMOUTH
The Hawks, under 15th-year head coach King Rice, are 11-11 this season and 5-4 in CAA play following a dramatic 83-81 overtime win over North Carolina A&T on Thursday night. Walk-on Corey Miller hit a 38-footer at the buzzer to give Monmouth the win. That’s such a Hofstra thing to happen, I can’t believe it happened to someone else.
The Dutchmen and Hawks had three common opponents during non-league play. The Dutchmen beat La Salle (63-58 on Nov. 28), Syracuse (70-69 on Dec. 13) and Quinnipiac (74-66 on Dec. 21), all of whom defeated Monmouth. In CAA play, both teams have defeated Towson. The Dutchmen beat Campbell, who split with Monmouth, and Drexel, which beat the Hawks. Hofstra lost to North Carolina A&T and William & Mary, each of whom Monmouth defeated.
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish tied for eighth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 117th at KenPom.com, second in the CAA — FINALLY, it only took five straight losses — behind UNC Wilmington. The current ranking for the Dutchmen is 45 spots higher than they were to open the season but 20 spots lower than their season-high entering the Jan. 10 game against Monmouth, which was of course their most recent win. The Hawks, who were picked to finish sixth, are ranked 214th, which is 12 spots lower their preseason ranking but also 25 spots lower than their season-high entering a game against Drexel on Jan. 15 and a whopping 16 spots lower than their ranking prior to Thursday’s game. The Dutchmen only fell four spots for blowing a 16-point lead and losing to North Carolina A&T on Jan. 15. Bizarre.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank first in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (115.2 points per 100 possessions) and ninth in defensive efficiency (113.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 64.8 possessions per 40 minutes, the 10th-most in league play. The Hawks rank 10th in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (103.9 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (99.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the seventh-most in league play.
The Hawks return a whopping nine players from last year’s team. Junior Jason Rivera-Torres, a newcomer who opened his career with one season apiece at Vanderbilt and San Francisco, leads Monmouth with 16.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while ranking second with 3.1 assists per game. Sophomore Justin Ray is averaging 11.9 points per game while freshman Stefanos Spartalis is averaging 10.3 points per game. Senior Jack Collins, a preseason all-CAA second team selection who has spent his entire career at Monmouth, is averaging 7.8 points per game and leads the Hawks with 5.4 assists per game while ranking second with 5.5 rebounds per game. Junior Cornelius Robinson, a three-year member of the program, is averaging 9.1 points per game while junior Andrew Ball, another three-year player with the Hawks who will absolutely wreck the Dutchmen again this afternoon, is averaging 8.8 points per game.
KenPom.com predicts a 71-69 win for the Dutchmen. OK. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 1 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 11-9 against the spread this season after failing to cover in their last six games and seven times in the last eight contests. The wise guys always know.
ALL-TIME VS. MONMOUTH
Hofstra is 9-9 all-time against Monmouth in a series that began in 1983-84. The Dutchmen tied the season series Jan. 10, when they edged the Hawks 67-64. Haven’t won since! AJ Wills earned the quirkiest Keith Hernandez of all-time by draining the tie-breaking 3-pointer to open overtime before the Dutchmen held on. The win ended a three-game losing streak in the series for he Dutchmen and marked the fourth straight game between the teams decided by six points or fewer. This marks the first time the Dutchmen and Monmouth face each other twice in the regular season since 2022-23, when the Dutchmen won both games during the Hawks’ first season in the CAA. In addition, this afternoon marks the first rematch of the CAA season for the Dutchmen.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER (OR BLUESKY) IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Walk-on buzzer-beater bias! (If anyone can fall victim to a team pulling that for a second straight game, it sure is us!)
Apple TV bias! (Monmouth star Jason Rivera-Torres starred in “Swagger,” a basketball drama produced by Kevin Durant)
Josh Newman likes Beverly Hills 90210 bias! (Shoutout to our pal, former Monmouth beat guy and staunch 90210 fan)
Dee and Dennis did angel dust and saw someone get murdered bias! (But Charlie, Frank and Mac had a great night at least)
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