tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40784650967381602472024-03-17T21:37:26.794-04:00Defiantly DutchOld-school Hofstra PrideJerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.comBlogger1131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-61662089466203280192024-03-11T16:50:00.003-04:002024-03-11T16:50:30.541-04:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Stony Brook (CAA semifinals)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9dBx_UFqb2CGgAnCbocOcxM35y2wKvS9deejulPKnRE4lnOzVHUFKVnrSTepqyh2_TnEjXev8uhgea3LdqRPyEMz5U1sTk_GvW5NmPY4wvD3QwIWxC4egoVt5jSi58VGSsZDGc2b60pKBN5ZLhzacKBxCL_pzDpl-TpsxbYu4f4AtTY4tCwz7uI-xe0/s640/LemonOfTroyRomanNumeralIII.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9dBx_UFqb2CGgAnCbocOcxM35y2wKvS9deejulPKnRE4lnOzVHUFKVnrSTepqyh2_TnEjXev8uhgea3LdqRPyEMz5U1sTk_GvW5NmPY4wvD3QwIWxC4egoVt5jSi58VGSsZDGc2b60pKBN5ZLhzacKBxCL_pzDpl-TpsxbYu4f4AtTY4tCwz7uI-xe0/s320/LemonOfTroyRomanNumeralIII.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>The IIIrd matchup of the season between Springfield and Shelbyville is for (almost) all the marbles! </i></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Remember how you thought Tyler Thomas’ season-saving, game-winning shot in the final second against Stony Brook on Feb. 1 was a great way to close out the season series and further ratchet up the intensity in the Long Island rivalry? Boy do I have a surprise for you!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It’s the Flying Dutchmen-Seawolves III: In 3-D tonight, with a berth in the CAA championship game on the line. Intense! The third clash of the season was set up last night, when the Dutchmen gradually pulled away for a 73-58 win over Delaware after Stony Brook advanced to the semis by virtue of their 91-88 double overtime win over Drexel. A Long Island team? Winning a CAA Tournament game in double overtime? In this economy?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We already ran down the boilerplate postgame material from the Delaware win in this morning’s Keep It Perky. This afternoon will be all about the Dutchmen and Speedy Claxton notching another 20-win season, the team-related quirkiness and individual news from the victory over the Blue Hens and a preview of the Shelbyville Seawolves. Enjoy!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TWENTY'S THE MAGIC NUMBER…</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">…for pitchers (well, back when wins mattered) and college basketball programs. And I’ll fully acknowledge I didn’t expect to be typing this note when the Dutchmen were 8-9 overall and down 18 points to Hampton on Jan. 18. But Sunday’s win — the 12th in the last 14 games — assured the Dutchmen of the 26th 20-win season in program history, including the 17th in the Division I era (dating back to 1966-67), the 12th since joining the CAA in 2001-02, the fifth in the last six seasons and the third in as many seasons for Speedy Claxton. Pretty good run!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No other current CAA school has as many 20-win seasons as a member of the CAA and only Charleston (13 20-win seasons, including eight as a member of the Southern Conference) has more 20-win seasons since 2001-02. And among former CAA members, only VCU (16 20-win seasons and with 19 wins this season) has as many or more 20-win seasons since 2001-02. Once again, pretty good.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SELECT COMPANY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With their 20th win of the season Sunday, the Dutchmen became just the 27th Division I program to record at least five 20-win seasons in the last six campaigns — a stretch that, of course, includes the 2019-20 season, when the NCAA Tournament wasn’t played due to the pandemic, and the 2020-21 season, which was shorter than usual for most schools due to the pandemic. Hofstra is one of just 13 mid-majors (defined by me as everyone outside the power six conferences, the American and the West Coast Conference) to win at least 20 games in at least five of the last six seasons. Here’s the list, starting with the mid-majors and then including all the other schools from those other boring big leagues.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">HOFSTRA</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Belmont***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Colgate</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dayton</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Drake***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Liberty***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Louisiana Tech</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Loyola Chicago</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">San Diego State***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Toledo</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">UNC Greensboro</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Utah State</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Vermont</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Auburn </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Baylor***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Colorado</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Creighton***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Duke</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gonzaga***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Houston***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kansas***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Memphis***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Oregon***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Saint Mary’s</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">San Francisco</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">UAB</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Virginia </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">***—has won 20 games in each of the last six seasons except Liberty, which is at 18 wins heading into the Conference USA Tournament </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, 12 schools won at least 20 games in four of the previous five seasons and are still playing in or have yet to begin their conference tournaments.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY’S SELECT COMPANY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton was one of 13 first-year head coaches to win 20 games in his debut season in 2021-22. And now he’s just the third third-year head coach to win 20 games in his third season in 2023-24, following in the footsteps of Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd (33 wins in 2021-22, 28 wins in 2022-23 and 24 wins so far this season) and North Carolina’s Hubert Davis (29 wins in 2021-22, 20 wins in 2022-23 and 25 wins so far this season). The only other third-year head coach with a chance to record a third straight 20-win season is Indiana’s Mike Woodson, who went 21-14 and 23-12 in his first two years and has directed the Hoosiers to an 18-13 record entering the Big 10 Tournament. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY’S ALL BY HIMSELF</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton established his own exclusive club Sunday, when he became the first coach in Hofstra history to win 20 games in each of his first three seasons at the helm. The only other coach to win 20 games in each of his first two seasons is Paul Lynner, who did so back in 1962-63 and 1963-64. Not too shabby.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen won while surrendering fewer than 60 points Sunday night. The Dutchmen are 10-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 57 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen again scored more points in the second half than on the first half Sunday night, when they followed up a 35-point first half with a 38-point second half. The Dutchmen are now averaging 39.7 points per second half (1,270 points overall) and 34.7 points per first half (1,111 points overall). In a quirky twist, the Dutchmen’s first- and second-half averages have remained the same following the last three games. The Dutchmen have scored more points in the first half than in the second half just six times in CAA play and nine times overall this season. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TWO TWENTY-SOMETHINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar (23 points) and Tyler Thomas (20 points) each scored at least 20 points Sunday night. It was the ninth time this season two Hofstra players have scored at least 20 points and the sixth time Dubar and Thomas were the tandem, though the first time since a 69-68 loss to Campbell on Jan. 13. The Dutchmen are 5-4 this season when two players score at least 20 points. And to update a note established last season by Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov and WRHU alums Kevin Dexter and Rob Joyce, the Dutchmen now 34-16 since the start of the 2013-14 season (Joe Mihalich’s first season) when at least two players score 20 points.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Sunday, when he scored 23 points to increase his career total to 1,317 points and leapfrog past Kenny Adeleke and Desure Buie into 19th place. Dubar is 14 points away from surpassing Dave Bell for 18th place and 28 points away from moving past Barry White for 17th place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">17.) Barry White 1,444</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">18.) Dave Bell 1,330</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>19.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,317</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">20.) Desure Buie 1,310</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">21.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>22.) TYLER THOMAS 1,288</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">23.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Sunday, when he scored 20 points to increase his career total to 1,288 points and move past Mike Tilley into 22nd place. Thomas is nine points away from surpassing Kenny Adeleke for 21st place and 23 points away from moving past Desure Buie for 20th place. Let’s hope tonight turns into a rough week for Buie and Adeleke on the all-time standings, shall we?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>19.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,317</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">20.) Desure Buie 1,310</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">21.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>22.) TYLER THOMAS 1,288</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">23.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar reverted to his double-double form at the perfect time Sunday night, when he finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double was the eighth of the season for Dubar but his first since Jan. 22, when he had 30 points and 11 rebounds in the 80-74 win over Stony Brook. Dubar entered this season with just two double-doubles in his first two seasons with the Dutchmen. He is the first Hofstra player with at least eight double-doubles in a season since Isaac Kante recorded eight double-doubles during the 2019-20 campaign.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S TOURNAMENT DOUBLE-DOUBLE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar, as you may have just read, posted a double-double Sunday night, when he had 23 points and 11 rebounds. At least one Hofstra player has recorded a double-double in CAA Tournament play in six of the last seven seasons.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rokas Gustys 12 pts/10 rebounds vs. UNC Wilmington (QFs), 3/4/18</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacquil Taylor 16 pts/11 rebounds vs. James Madison (QFs), 3/10/19</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eli Pemberton 19 pts/12 rebounds vs. Drexel (QFs), 3/8/20</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tareq Coburn 13 pts/12 rebounds vs. Delaware (SFs), 3/9/20</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Isaac Kante 14 pts/13 rebounds vs. Delaware (QFs), 3/7/21</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 22 pts/10 rebounds vs. William & Mary (QFs), 3/5/23</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 23 pts/11 rebounds vs. Delaware (QFs), 3/10/24</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S BACK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar’s resurgence continued with Sunday’s strong effort (once again, he had 23 points and 11 rebounds). He has scored in double figures in 31 of 32 games this season after doing so 42 times over 67 games in his first two seasons with the Dutchmen. Dubar has scored 124 points in the last six games since his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts was snapped at 27 games when he was limited to nine points in a 79-77 loss to Drexel on Feb. 15.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE NEARLY PULLS THE LAETTNER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar did a pretty nifty Christian Laettner impersonation (minus stepping on someone’s chest) Sunday night, when he scored his 23 points while going 9-of-11 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Dubar hit his first eight shots (including one 3-pointer) and each of his first two free throw attempts before a 3-pointer rimmed in and out with 9:36 left.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CRAZY EIGHTS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar was perfect from inside the 3-point line Sunday night, when he was 8-of-8 on his 2-point field goal attempts. Dubar is the first Hofstra player to be perfect from inside the arc (minimum eight attempts) since Tyler Thomas was 8-of-8 on his 2-point field goal attempts in the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT last Mar. 14.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BACK TO THE EIGHTIES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar finished 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) from the field Sunday night. It was the second time in three games Dubar has made at least 80 percent of his shots. He was 11-of-13 (84.6 percent) from the field in a 69-58 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 29. Prior to Dubar, the last Hofstra player to shoot at least 80 percent in two games at any point in his career was Rokas Gustys, who was 9-of-10 against James Madison in an 86-82 overtime loss on Jan, 16, 2016 and 9-of-11 against UNC Wilmington in the 80-73 overtime loss in the CAA championship game on Mar. 7, 2016. Bad times and a long time ago!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAQUAN THE STAT-STUFFER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos, as newly minted MAAC Coach of the Year Tom Pecora (LOL Fordham) used to say about Loren Stokes, stuffed the stat sheet Sunday night, when he finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. The 18 points were tied for his third-highest single-game total behind a 19-point effort against UNC Wilmington in a 79-73 overtime loss in the CAA Tournament semifinals last Mar. 6 and his 23-point game in an 80-74 win over Stony Brook on Jan. 22. He also had 18 points against High Point in 97-92 overtime win on Nov. 22.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, the solid all-around game Sunday marked the sixth time this season Carlos has finished with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists and the 10th time he’s done so in the last two seasons. That’s tied with Justin Wright-Foreman for the third-most such games among Hofstra players since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference, behind only Juan’ya Green (23) and Aaron Estrada (17).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos continued emerging from his slump Sunday night, when he finished with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Carlos has 67 points, 36 rebounds and a whopping 50 assists in his last six games after collecting just 40 points, 27 rebounds and 29 assists in his previous six games from Jan. 27-Feb. 15.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER THOMAS THE THIRD OPTION?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hey, that’ll work. Tyler Thomas had an off-game by his standards Sunday night, when he scored 20 points while going 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from the field, including 3-of-9 from 3-point land. The overall shooting percentage and 3-point shooting percentage were each the lowest for Thomas since Jan. 25, when he was 4-of-17 (23.5 percent from the field) and 1-of-10 from 3-point land in a 64-55 win over William & Mary.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TENS AND TWENTIES FOR TYLER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Even in the midst of a quiet shooting game, Tyler Thomas still finished with 20 points Sunday night. Thomas has scored in double figures in 24 straight games, 54 of his last 56 games and 62 times overall in the last two seasons. The 20-point effort also marked the 22nd time this season he has scored at least 20 points and the 32nd time he’s done so in the last two seasons.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz was limited to 22 minutes by first-half foul trouble Sunday night, when he scored six points while hitting all three of his field goal attempts. It was the fourth time this season Fritz has been perfect from the field and the first time since Jan. 13, when he was 4-of-4 in the 69-68 loss to Campbell.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov had one point and two rebounds in 36 minutes Sunday night, when the Dutchmen improved to 12-3 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov is averaging 8.3 points and 2.6 rebounds over 30 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONE IS NOT JUST A SONG BY METALLICA OR U2</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov scored one point Sunday, when he split a pair of free throws with 7:28 left in the first half. Plotnikov is the first Hofstra player to score exactly one point in a game since KiJan Robinson had one point in the 62-57 win over Iona on Dec. 6.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday played 18 key minutes Sunday night, when he finished with five points and two rebounds while filling in for Jacco Fritz. Sunday played just 16 minutes combined in the final three games of the regular season, a span in which he was scoreless with five rebounds. In addition, Silas went 3-for-4 from the free throw line after entering the game just 1-of-3 from the line all season. Quirky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington’s quiet stretch continued Sunday night, when he had two rebounds and didn’t attempt a shot in eight minutes. He has gone scoreless in three consecutive games in which he’s played for the first time since Dec. 29, 2022-Jan. 11. 2023 when he went scoreless in three straight games. The Dutchmen are now 8-2 in the last nine games in which Washington scores fewer than seven points after going 0-8 when he scored fewer than seven points as a starter this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight’s game will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BACK IN THE SEMIS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are in the CAA semifinals for the second straight season, the fifth time in the last six seasons, the seventh time in the last 10 seasons and the 11th time since joining the league prior to the 2001-02 season. Pretty good run! The seven semifinal appearances in a 10-year span are the most by a CAA school since Northeastern reached the semifinals eight times from 2012-21. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra fell in the semifinals in 2002, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023, reached the title game before losing in 2006, 2016 and 2019 and, of course, won it all in 2020.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is the Dutchmen’s 16th trip to the conference semifinals dating back to 1994. Hofstra fell in the America East semifinals in 1998 and 1999 and won it all in the ECC in 1994 and in the America East in 2000 and 2001.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING STONY BROOK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seawolves, under fifth-year head coach Geno Ford, advanced to the semifinals by overcoming a 13-point second-half deficit to upset Drexel, 91-88, in double overtime in the third quarterfinal Sunday night. Aaron Clarke (27 points) and Chris Maidoh (26 points) each set career-highs for scoring in the instant classic. Stony Brook, which improved to 19-14, earned the no. 7 seed by finishing 10-8 in CAA play. The Seawolves began tourney play Saturday by beating 10th-seeded Northeastern, 75-65.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Seawolves had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat St. Joseph’s (NY) 101-48 on Nov. 6, four days before the Seawolves earned a 91-50 win over the local Division III foe.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In CAA regular season play, both teams swept Northeastern, won their lone meetings against UNC Wilmington, Not Twitter Guy and North Carolina A&T and lost their only games against Campbell. The Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Stony Brook beat in the lone meeting between the teams, and split with Drexel, which beat the Seawolves in the lone regular season clash. Hofstra won its lone meeting with William & Mary, whom Stony Brook swept, and lost to Monmouth, which split with the Seawolves. The Dutchmen beat Delaware, which split with Stony Brook and defeated Towson, who beat the Seawolves. Hofstra was swept by Charleston, which beat Stony Brook.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 108th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. They’ve maintained their <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> positioning or moved up following each of the last eight games following a nine-game span in which they fell or stayed the same following each game. College basketball, the best way to drive yourself insane. The Seawolves, who were picked to finish ninth, are ranked 176th.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (111.3 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (102.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league. The Seawolves rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (108.7 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (104.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 67.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the fifth-most in the league. That’s consistent!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Graduate student Tyler Stephenson-Moore, who was named to the all-CAA second team, leads the Seawolves with 16.1 points per game. Graduate student Aaron Clarke, who played four seasons at Sacred Heart and spent three seasons as teammates with Tyler Thomas, is averaging 14.0 points per game. Graduate student Keenan Fitzmorris, who began his career at Stanford, is averaging 10.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Andre Snoddy, who played his first two seasons at Central Connecticut, leads Stony Brook with 7.2 rebounds per game while graduate student Chris Maidoh, who played four seasons at Fairfield, is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 74-69 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 7 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 14-17 against the spread this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. STONY BROOK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 28-6 all-time against Stony Brook, including 10-2 since the series resumed in 2014. The Dutchmen swept the regular season series for the second straight year this year, when Darlinstone Dubar tied a career-high by scoring 30 points in an 80-74 win out east on Jan. 22 before Tyler Thomas hit a semi-miraculous jumper in the final second to cap a 13-point comeback in a 72-71 win at the Arena on Feb. 1. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 46-40-2 in all sports against Stony Brook since the two schools began scheduling each other again in the spring of 2014, including 42-29-2 since the 2016-17 school year began.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Your coach didn’t score 2,000 points in college bias! (But Geno Ford’s 1,752 points at Ohio University are pretty damn good anyway)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kirk Cousins isn’t going to play for any of your former coaches this upcoming season bias! (Cousins signed today with the Falcons, because everyone knows the cool kids play for Raheem Morris)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Why can’t the Mets get World Series winners like Travis Jankowski bias! (Oh Mets, will you ever stop Metsing?)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’ve won as many football games since the start of the school year as you bias! (I know this was used prior to both regular season games but I’m sorry, facts are facts)</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-37905239956497437162024-03-11T03:16:00.005-04:002024-03-11T03:16:43.515-04:00Keep It Perky: Delaware postgame (CAA Tournament quarterfinals)<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/UgeiZY2H7zc?si=7adwvf2uflNfoQnP" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UgeiZY2H7zc/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Big Mistake. Huge. We have to go get ready for the CAA semifinals now. </i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So you didn’t think Darlinstone Dubar was an all-CAA first-teamer or that Jaquan Carlos was one of the 15 best players in the league, huh? Big mistake. Huge.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dubar and Carlos appeared to play with the proverbial chips on their shoulders Sunday night, when they led the Flying Dutchmen to a thorough 73-58 win over Delaware in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals. With the win the Dutchmen advance to the semifinals against…Stony Brook. Well this is gonna be SOMETHING, isn’t it? Make sure to stop by later today for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over the Blue Hens and a look ahead to the Seawolves, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material in the postgame Keep It Perky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar (23 points, 11 rebounds) posted a double-double and Jaquan Carlos (18 points, five rebounds, five assists) had another stat-stuffer of a game as the Dutchmen pulled away from Delaware over the final 25-plus minutes. The Dutchmen held four one-possession leads and the Blue Hens took a sextet (that’s six), of four-point leads, the last at 29-25 on Christian Ray’s jumper with 5:59 left, before the Dutchmen began asserting themselves on both ends of the floor. Tyler Thomas, who opened the game in a 2-for-11 slump, drained a 3-pointer to begin a 14-0 run bridging the halves in which Delaware was 0-for-7 from the field with three turnovers. Delaware pulled within eight points three times before Carlos’ jumper put the Dutchmen ahead by double digits for good at 46-36 with 17:06 left. Dubar scored 19 of his points in the final 25-plus minutes and finished a robust 9-of-11 from the field, including 8-of-8 from inside the 3-point line. He also added a team-high two blocks and tied Thomas for the team lead with three steals. Thomas scored 20 points despite going 6-of-22 from the field. Pretty good day when the league Player of the Year and one of the nation’s top five scorers is your third-best player. Jacco Fritz, limited to 22 minutes by first-half foul trouble, scored six points while Silas Sunday had five points and two rebounds in 18 key minutes.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Delaware, 3/10)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Tyler Thomas</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 65</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 58</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 35</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! But it’s just the third 73-58 win in program history and the first since a victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 30, 2020 — the first win and second game of that very weird pandemic-shortened season. The first 73-58 win happened way back in the 1951-52 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have recored seven unicorn score victories this season after recording 12 unicorn scores last season, 11 unicorn scores in 2021-22, 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 <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar recorded his third straight Keith Hernandez Sunday night when he gave the Dutchmen the lead for good at 30-29 with a dunk out of the under-four media timeout with 3:58 left in the first half. Dubar is the only player in history (dating back to last year) to record the Keith Hernandez in three consecutive victories. He also had three Keith Hernandezes in as many games from Feb. 11-16, 2023. This stretch of three Keith Hernandezes spans four games for the Dutchmen. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Drexel, 2/22/24 (9:43 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Not Twitter Guy, 2/24/24 (12:18 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead 3-pointer vs. UNC Wilmington, 2/29/24 (9:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead dunk vs. Delaware, 3/10/24 (3:58 left 1H)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 9</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 16</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTY-TWO GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Sunday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 20-12. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 11th-best record in school history through 32 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 20-12 since 2014-15 and the second time overall in school history. This is after the Dutchmen were 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games, 16-11 after 27 games, 17-11 after 28 games, 18-11 after 29 games, 19-11 after 30 games and 19-12 after 31 games, all for the first time since 2017-18. That was pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 32 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 24-8 (most recent 24-8 start, beat Drexel in the CAA quarterfinals)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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). </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 22-10 (season ended with a loss to Rutgers in the first round of the NIT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 26-6 (beat Saint Joseph’s, 77-75, in the second round of the NIT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 22-10 (season ended with a loss to DePaul in the first round of the NIT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 24-8 (beat William & Mary in the CAA semifinals, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 26-6 (most recent 26-6 start, beat James Madison in the CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 24-8 (most recent 24-8 start, win in 32nd game marked final win of 12-game winning streak that ended in the CAA Tournament semifinals OH NO YOU DON’T)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 2004-05 NIT team completed its season at 21-9.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 32-game records — in fact, all of them!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 21-11 (season ended with a loss to Charleston in the CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 15-17 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA first round)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 20-12 (beat James Madison in CAA quarterfinals, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 10-22 (beat UNC Wilmington in CAA first round, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 7-25 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA quarterfinals, worst 32-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 10-22 (season ended with loss to Georgia State in CAA first round)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2010-11: 21-11 (lost to Old Dominion in CAA semifinals, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 19-13 (beat Georgia State in CAA first round, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2008-09: 21-11 (season ended with loss to Old Dominion in CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 12-20 (season ended with loss to VCU in CAA semifinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been (deep breath) 32-0, 31-1, 30-2, 29-3, 28-4, 27-5, 25-7, 23-9, 18-14, 17-15, 16-16, 14-18, 13-19, 11-21, 9-23, 8-24, 6-26, 5-27, 4-28, 3-29, 2-30, 1-31 or 0-32 through 32 games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seventy-one seasons were completed in fewer than 32 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (7-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1946-47 (18-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50 (17-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51 (18-11)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1951-52 (26-3)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55 (19-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56 (22-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57 (11-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62 (24-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63 (23-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64 (23-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66 (16-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70 (13-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76 (18-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77 (23-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1979-80 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82 (12-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83 (18-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1983-84 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1984-85 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86 (17-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88 (6-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1989-90 (13-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92 (20-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94 (9-20)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997-98 (19-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99 (22-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000 (24-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01 (26-5)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03 (8-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05 (21-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08 (12-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2017-18 (19-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(Well) more than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-NINE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Sunday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 66-33 (.667) as head coach. That’s tied for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 99 games at the helm.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 67-32 (.677, 99th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 66-33 (.667, 99th game was the 28th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 66-33 (.667, 99th game was the 24th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 66-33</b> (.667, 99th game was the 32nd game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 54-45 (.545, 99th game was the 32nd game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 50-49 (.505, 99th game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 49-50 (.495, 99th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 43-56 (.434, 99th game was the 27th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 43-56 (.434, 99th game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 41-58 (.414, 99th game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A loss for Butch van Breda Kolff I in his 99th game and wins for Frank Reilly and Speedy Claxton create the three-way tie for second, one game behind Paul Lynner. And Jay Wright remains the losingest head coach in program history, this time through 99 games. Should probably move on from him!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p></div>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-44248366079341681372024-03-10T04:14:00.003-04:002024-03-10T04:14:15.691-04:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Delaware (CAA Quarterfinals)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvXCuovB4cVVDxWE-a6G0-H3Jcdww631u6rJ1VPC3GRqUNTgHW5gY6ISwlpPWW6UhlVNVeB0ZAcMC4sjcH7irKu70Rva8zsKsmJMf0RXm-qPouZumYTcB2gdcN8F-ZVDJKDXn_11xfkXxIuBg6pQETSAvOMsIRaVSCIg5Q0709s3XlCx81iBLTLQd1lQ/s638/TaylorSwiftShakeItOff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="638" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvXCuovB4cVVDxWE-a6G0-H3Jcdww631u6rJ1VPC3GRqUNTgHW5gY6ISwlpPWW6UhlVNVeB0ZAcMC4sjcH7irKu70Rva8zsKsmJMf0RXm-qPouZumYTcB2gdcN8F-ZVDJKDXn_11xfkXxIuBg6pQETSAvOMsIRaVSCIg5Q0709s3XlCx81iBLTLQd1lQ/s320/TaylorSwiftShakeItOff.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Let's hope it's Taylor Swift's Dad who has to shake it off tonight! (This is a shameless attempt to game the SEO) </i></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hey! Wake up! The Flying Dutchmen, who last played when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, will finally begin CAA Tournament play tonight, when your beloved no. 3 seed opposes sixth-seeded Delaware at 8:30 PM. I will not think worst-case scenarios, I will not think worst-case scenarios, I will not think worst-case scenarios. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We already ran down the boilerplate postgame material as well as all the team-related quirkiness and individual news and notes from last Saturday’s 87-76 loss to Charleston in Saturday’s <a href="http://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/03/keep-it-perky-charleston-postgame.html" target="_blank">Keep It Perky</a>. Today will be all about another impressive awards haul for the Dutchmen as well as CAA Tournament historical nuggets about Hofstra and the no. 3 seed and the preview of the Blue Hens. Enjoy!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>AWARDS SEASON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Congrats again to Tyler Thomas, who continued a Hofstra tradition by being named the CAA’s Player of the Year Thursday. Thomas is the third straight Hofstra player to win the award, following in the footsteps of 2021-22 winner Aaron Estrada. Hofstra is the first school with three straight CAA Player of the Year winners since George Mason from 1999 through 2001, when George Evans three-peated, and the first school to win three straight awards with multiple honorees. The only other school to have a player win Player of the Year three straight seasons was Navy from 1985-87, when some guy named David Robinson pulled off the feat. Pretty good company!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So, too, is this: Thomas is the sixth Hofstra player to earn Player of the Year honors, joining Estrada, Loren Stokes (2006), Charles Jenkins (2010-11), Juan’ya Green (2016) and Justin Wright-Foreman (2018-19). The six Player of the Year honorees and nine awards are each the most in CAA history, which is pretty impressive considering Hofstra didn’t join the league until 2001-02.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, Darlinstone Dubar was named to the all-CAA second team. The Dutchmen have had at least two players make an all-CAA team in each of the last seven seasons, the longest active streak in the league. Jaquan Carlos also made the all-CAA defensive team for the second straight season, the first time a Hofstra player has done that since Desure Buie did so in 2019-20.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE CAA RACE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen tied UNC Wilmington for third place in the CAA with a 12-6 record but earned the no. 3 seed by virtue of their 69-58 win over the Seahawks on Feb. 29. Once again, viva la unbalanced schedule! This marks the third time the Dutchmen have gone 12-6 in league play (2005 and 2018).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GO FOR FOURTH, YOUNG MEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen earned a top-four seed in the CAA Tournament for the seventh straight season, which is the longest streak in the league since William & Mary was a top-four seed for seven straight years from 2014 through 2020. The Dutchmen’s run of consecutive top-four finishes in their league is matched or exceeded by just five other Division I schools:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gonzaga (West Coast Conference), 33</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Vermont (America East), 18</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Yale (Ivy League), 15***</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">South Dakota State (Summit), 13</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">UC Irvine (Big West), 12</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">***Yale’s streak dates back to the 2008-09 season, but the Ivy League didn’t hold a postseason tournament until 2017 and didn’t compete in 2020-21 due to the pandemic. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DUTCHMEN IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PLAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen enter today 20-21 in CAA Tournament play since 2002, 29-26 in conference tournament play in the NAC/America East/CAA era (1994-present) and 32-26 in conference tournament play in the Defiantly Dutch era (1993-present), which, let’s face it, is the only era that matters because it includes the ECC. Hello Litos.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In the CAA, the Dutchmen fell in the title game three times — in 2006, 2016 and 2019 — before finally breaking through and winning it all by beating Northeastern 70-61 in the title game on Mar. 10, 2020. It was a nice 24 hours.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition to the one title game win and three title game losses as a CAA member, the Dutchmen have fallen in the semifinals five times — including last year, when they lost to UNC Wilmington, 79-73, in overtime — while being eliminated in the quarterfinals nine times and losing on Pillowfight Friday four times since 2002. Dating back to 1994, the Dutchmen have won four championships (1994 ECC, 2000 America East, 2001 America East, 2020 CAA), fallen in the title game three times, lost in the semifinals eight times, fallen in the quarterfinals 10 times and been eliminated in an outbracket game five times (we didn’t call it Pillowfight Friday back in the NAC).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TOP THREE OR ELSE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">History suggests it was better the Dutchmen finished third rather than fourth or fifth. Top three seeds have accounted for 36 of the 41 championships in CAA history. The top seed has won 21 titles, the second seed has won 11 titles and the three seed has cut down the net four times. However, two of the Cinderella runs were mounted in the last three seasons, when sixth-seeded Drexel won it all in 2021 before fifth-seeded Delaware took home the title in 2022.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DUTCHMEN AS THE THREE SEED</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is the fifth time the Dutchmen have earned the three seed since joining the CAA in 2001-02 and the first time since 2017-18. Earlier, the Dutchmen earned the three seed in the America East tournament in 1999, when they fell in the semifinals (because Speedy Claxton was hurt, damnit).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are 3-3 as the three seed in CAA Tournament play and 4-4 as the three seed overall.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018 CAA: lost to no. 6 UNC Wilmington in QFs</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011 CAA: beat no. 11 William & Mary in QFs, lost to no. 2 Old Dominion in championship</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007 CAA: lost to no. 6 George Mason in QFs (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLAY STATION PASS THE BALL TO AGUDIO HE’S WIDE OPEN FOR THREE)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006 CAA: beat no. 6 VCU in QFs, beat no. 2 George Mason in SFs (grr), lost to no. 1 UNC Wilmington in championship (double grr)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999 A-East: beat no. 6 Vermont in QFs, lost to no. 2 Drexel in SFs</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>IS THREE THE MAGIC NUMBER?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The three seed is 48-37 all-time in CAA Tournament play and, as noted, has won the championship four times (Northeastern in 2015, James Madison in 2013, George Mason in 2008, Richmond in 1998), lost in the finals 11 times, lost in the semifinals 14 times and lost in the first round 12 times.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Since 2002, the three seed is 27-19, including 15-7 in its first game. In addition to winning three titles, the third seed has lost in the finals six times since 2002, lost in the semifinals four times and been eliminated in the quarterfinals seven times — including four times in the last six years, a stretch that began with Hofstra’s loss to UNC Wilmington in 2018, and three straight years before Towson beat Delaware last season. Gulp. The third seed has not reached the title game since Northeastern won the championship in 2015.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEEING THE BLUE HENS AGAIN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are 3-3 against Delaware in the CAA Tournament and 5-5 against the Blue Hens in conference tournaments dating back to 1994-95, when Hofstra joined the North Atlantic Conference. The Blue Hens are the Dutchmen’s most common conference tournament foe of the last 31 seasons and their second-most frequent CAA Tournament foe. The Dutchmen are 2-5 against UNC Wilmington.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is the first postseason clash between the rivals since Mar. 7, 2021, when the Dutchmen ran their postseason winning streak over Delaware to three games with an 83-75 victory in a quarterfinal game. Will this one be the last postseason clash between Hofstra and the Blue Hens? Stupid Division I-A football. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997 America East QFs: Delaware 86-73</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998 America East SFs: Delaware 60-51</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000 America East championship: Hofstra 76-69</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001 America East championship: Hofstra 68-54</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013 CAA QFs: Delaware 62-57</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014 CAA QFs: Delaware 87-76</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2017 CAA PFF: Delaware 81-76</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019 CAA SFs: Hofstra 78-74 (overtime)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020 CAA SFs: Hofstra 75-61</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021 CAA QFs: Hofstra 83-75</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING DELAWARE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Blue Hens, under eighth-year head coach Martin Ingelsby, advanced to the quarterfinals by routing Hampton, 80-50, in Saturday night’s final second-round game. The 30-point margin of victory was tied for the fourth-largest in CAA Tournament history. Delaware, which improved to 19-13, earned the no. 6 seed by finishing 10-8 in CAA play.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Blue Hens had two common opponents in non-conference play. The Dutchmen lost to Princeton 74-67 on Nov. 10 and fell to George Washington, 71-60, on Nov. 14. The Blue Hens also lost to both teams, dropping an 81-71 decision to George Washington on Nov. 26 and falling to Princeton 84-82 on Dec. 30. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In CAA play, the Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Delaware beat in the lone regular season meeting between the teams, as well as Stony Brook, with whom the Blue Hens split. The Dutchmen won their lone games against North Carolina A&T and William & Mary, each of whom were swept by the Blue Hens. The Dutchmen beat UNC Wilmington and Not Twitter Guy, each of whom defeated Delaware. Hofstra split with Northeastern, whom Delaware beat in the lone meetings between the teams, and lost to Campbell and Monmouth, each of whom the Blue Hens defeated. The Dutchmen split with Drexel which swept Delaware, and won their lone game against Towson, which split with the Blue Hens. Hofstra was swept y Charleston, which won the lone game against Delaware.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 116th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Blue Hens, who were picked to finish tied for fifth with Towson, are ranked 166th.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (111.3 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (102.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league. The Blue Hens rank eighth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.3 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (104.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.6 possessions per 40 minutes, the sixth-most in the league. IRON MAIDEN BIAS!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Junior Jyáre Davis, who was named to the all-CAA second team, leads the Blue Hens with 17.2 points per game and ranks second with 7.6 rebounds per game. Graduate student Gerald Drumgoole Jr., who opened his career with two seasons apiece at Pittsburgh and Albany, is averaging 13.6 points per game. Fifth-year senior Christian Ray, who played his first three seasons at La Salle, leads Delaware with a CAA-high 8.8 rebounds per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 72-69 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 4-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 13-17 against the spread this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. DELAWARE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 68-34 against Delaware in a series that began during the 1954-55 season. The Dutchmen won the lone meeting between the teams this season on Jan. 6, when Tyler Thomas scored 22 points and Darlinstone Dubar (18 points, nine rebounds), Jaquan Carlos (nine points, 10 assists) and Jacco Fritz (15 points, nine rebounds) all flirted with double-doubles in a 76-71 victory.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This year marks the second straight season in which the Dutchmen are playing a CAA Tournament game against a team they opposed just once in the regular season. The Dutchmen beat William & Mary 94-46 in the quarterfinals last year before falling to UNC Wilmington, 79-73, in overtime in the semifinals.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Blue Hens are Hofstra’s most common foe. The Dutchmen and Delaware were rivals in the East Coast Conference and the North Atlantic Conference/America East before heading to the CAA, along with Drexel and Towson, for the 2001-02 season. I bet we’re together forever!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Taylor Swift’s Dad provided publicity for I-AA football by playing at Delaware bias! (I’ve referenced Scott Swift before but, you know, you can never mention Taylor Swift enough TAYLOR SWIFT TAYLOR SWIFT TAYLOR SWIFT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Marriott bias! (J.W. Marriott Jr. received an honorary degree form Delaware in 2005, which has me wondering why I always slummed it in the beat-up Howard Johnson’s right near campus)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Wikipedia bias! (Former Delaware professor Thomas Leitch wrote a book about Wikipedia)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mike Pegues’ team should be playing Hofstra every year bias! (Pegues is an assistant at Butler, c’mon Mike and Speedy, get that series going)</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-44224501249907264232024-03-09T04:04:00.001-05:002024-03-09T04:04:05.598-05:00Keep It Perky: Charleston postgame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1ClWGrlTZBx399kMlcABRzfR1-7_Elg7263B7diTRFzvn4lAYNeHkEtSKISJrtRtu1ofixaKx6b-BY-lRh6mT95o-dMm2ljEZC0cYAHLJ61KKvxRJJD3BNVlkCLXrPFz0zkvtYCYmgv1wtqHoObNH5yOFYZvCbDOgWIRr47zdag93VUS7rFxxXqEViw/s640/HomerWhimpering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1ClWGrlTZBx399kMlcABRzfR1-7_Elg7263B7diTRFzvn4lAYNeHkEtSKISJrtRtu1ofixaKx6b-BY-lRh6mT95o-dMm2ljEZC0cYAHLJ61KKvxRJJD3BNVlkCLXrPFz0zkvtYCYmgv1wtqHoObNH5yOFYZvCbDOgWIRr47zdag93VUS7rFxxXqEViw/s320/HomerWhimpering.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>A Keep It Perky after a loss? Oh my God, look at this. *whimpering*</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Well, the Flying Dutchmen probably couldn’t win forever, and better to get a loss out of the way on the first weekend of March than anytime thereafter, right? The Dutchmen’s four-game winning streak ended last Saturday afternoon, when regular season champion Charleston led nearly wire-to-wire in an 87-76 victory. The loss, coupled with Drexel’s 73-59 win over Northeastern later last Saturday, locked the Dutchmen into the no. 3 seed in the CAA Tournament, where they will begin quarterfinal action tomorrow night. The quarterfinal 3-6 slot, now THAT is worthy of Homer whimpering.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, that anxiety is for tomorrow. Make sure to stop by then for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the Dutchmen’s game against the winner of tonight’s Delaware-Hampton second-round game. With that Quirky jam-packed with tournament-related history and the preview of the quarterfinal, this jam-packed, first-ever #Redundant post-loss Keep It Perky will feature not only the boilerplate postgame material but also the usual team-related quirkiness and individual news and notes from the loss to the Cougars. Enjoy!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas put the finishing touches on his CAA Player of the Year candidacy #SpoilerAlert by scoring 27 points, but the Dutchmen couldn’t recover from Charleston’s game-opening 16-6 run. The Dutchmen, who fell behind 18-6 in the CAA season opener against the Cougars on Jan. 4, got within three points four times in a span of a little more than four minutes bridging the midway point of the half before Charleston gradually began pulling away and took a 45-36 lead into the locker room. The Cougars began the second half by hitting six 3-pointers in a 20-11 run that extended their lead to 63-45 before Thomas scored the first seven points in an 18-7 surge by the Dutchmen, who pulled within 70-63 on German Plotnikov’s 3-pointer with 9:44 remaining. But Charleston scored the next six points and the Dutchmen got as close as nine just once thereafter. Thomas added four rebounds, two assists and one steal while Darlinstone Dubar had 19 points and four rebounds. Jaquan Carlos (13 points, seven assists) had another solid game as a distributor. Jacco Fritz added 12 points and Plotnikov pulled down a team-high five rebounds.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Charleston, 3/2)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Jaquan Carlos</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 64</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 55</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 33</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTY-ONE GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With last Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 19-12. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 13th-best record in school history through 31 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 19-12 since 2017-18 and the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games, 16-11 after 27 games, 17-11 after 28 games, 18-11 after 29 games and 19-11 after 30 games for the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Also quirky: Speedy Claxton has been a part of all four 19-11 teams, first as a player in 1997-98 and then as an assistant coach in 2014-15 and 2017-18. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 31 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 24-7 (season ended with an 86-66 loss to Oklahoma State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, only 24-7 start) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 26-5 (season ended with a 61-48 loss to UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which snapped the program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak, best 31-game record in program history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 23-8 (most recent 23-8 start, beat James Madison in regular season finale to clinch second straight CAA regular season title)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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). 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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 22-9 (lost to Drexel in America East semifinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 25-6 (beat Nebraska, 73-62, in the first round of the NIT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 22-9 (most recent 22-9 start, lost to George Mason—PASS THE BALL TO AGUDIO, GREG—in the CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 23-8 (beat Drexel in the CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 25-6 (most recent 25-6 start, beat Delaware in regular season finale to clinch the outright CAA regular season title)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 23-8 (most recent 23-8 start, win in 31st game marked 11th win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 2004-05 NIT team completed its season at 21-9.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 31-game records — in fact, all of them!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2017-18: 19-12 (most recent 19-12 start, season ended with a loss to UNC Wilmington in the CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 15-16 (only 15-16 start, beat James Madison in regular season finale to get within one game of .500 for the fifth time since falling under .500 for good on Jan. 14, last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 19-12 (lost to James Madison in regular season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 9-22 (only 9-22 start, beat James Madison in regular season finale, Joe Mihalich's first season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 7-24 (lost to Towson in regular season finale, worst 31-game record in program history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 10-21 (only 10-21 start, beat UNC Wilmington in regular season finale, last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2010-11: 21-10 (beat William & Mary in CAA quarterfinals, last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 18-13 (only 18-13 start, beat Georgia State in regular season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2008-09: 21-10 (beat UNC Wilmington in CAA first round, last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 12-19 (only 12-19 start, beat George Mason in CAA quarterfinals, hee hee, last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997-98: 19-12 (season ended with loss to Delaware in America East semifinals)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 31-0, 30-1, 29-2, 28-3, 27-4, 20-11, 17-14, 16-15, 14-17, 13-18, 11-20, 8-23, 6-24, 6-25, 5-26, 4-27, 3-28, 2-29, 1-30 or 0-31 through 31 games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sixty-six seasons were completed in fewer than 31 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (7-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1946-47 (18-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50 (17-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51 (18-11)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1951-52 (26-3)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55 (19-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56 (22-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57 (11-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62 (24-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63 (23-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64 (23-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66 (16-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70 (13-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76 (18-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77 (23-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1979-80 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82 (12-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83 (18-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1983-84 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1984-85 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86 (17-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88 (6-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1989-90 (13-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92 (20-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94 (9-20)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03 (8-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05 (21-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08 (12-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(Well) more than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-EIGHT</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With last Saturday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 65-33 (.663) as head coach. That’s tied for the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 98 games at the helm.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 66-32 (.673, 98th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 66-32 (.673, 98th game was the 23rd game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 65-33</b> (.663, 98th game was the 31st game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 65-33 (.663, 98th game was the 27th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 53-45 (.541, 98th game was the 31st game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 50-48 (.510, 98th game was the 16th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 48-50 (.490, 98th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 42-56 (.429, 98th game was the 26th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 42-56 (.429, 98th game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 41-57 (.418, 98th game was the 16th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A notable game in Hofstra head coaching annals as Speedy Claxton becomes the 12th-most tenured head coach in program history. And Paul Lynner and Butch van Breda Kolff I win their 98th games as the three-way tie with Claxton breaks. Frank Reilly also won his 98th game to create the tie for third with Claxton. Alas Jay Wright is now the losingest head coach in program history through 98 games. Should probably move on from him!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A RARE REGULAR SEASON-ENDING LOSS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With last Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 16-7 in regular season finales during the CAA era (2001-pres). However, said era began with three straight losses in the regular season finale for the Dutchmen, whose won eight straight regular season finales before dropping the final game of the 2012-13 regular season The Dutchmen also lost their CAA regular season finale in 2015 and 2021, the latter of which, of course, happened two weeks earlier than scheduled because of pandemic-related cancellations.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>STUPID SMARCH WEATHER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With last Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 3-3 in regular season games played in March in the CAA era. The Dutchmen earned regular season finale wins in March in 2008 (56-48 over Drexel on Mar. 1), 2014 (82-71 over James Madison on Mar. 1) and 2019 (92-70 over Delaware on Mar. 2) and lost regular season finales in March in 2003 (77-46 to Old Dominion on Mar. 1) and 2013 (67-64 to Towson on Mar. 2).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FIRST IMPRESSIONS, LAST LEAD</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen led just once last Saturday at 3-0 following Darlinstone Dubar’s 3-pointer 36 seconds after tipoff. It was the first time the Dutchmen have held their lone lead following their first points since a 62-54 loss to James Madison way back on Jan. 5, 2017, when Ty Greer opened the game with a pair of free throws. Ty Greer! That was such a long time ago he was starting over Justin Wright-Foreman, who had 25 points off the bench. It was the penultimate non-start for Wright-Foreman.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A quirky wrinkle back here in 2024: The three-point lead against Charleston wasn’t the Dutchmen’s smallest in a game this season. Dubar opened the scoring with a dunk against Northeastern on Jan. 11, when the Dutchmen fell behind by as many as 19 before taking a trio of one-point second-half leads in an eventual 71-68 loss. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>MARATHON MEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen’s starters all played at least 30 minutes last Saturday It marked the second time this season all five starters have played at least 30 minutes and the first time since Nov. 30, when Bryce Washington joined Jaquan Carlos, Darlinstone Dubar, Jacco Fritz and Tyler Thomas in pulling marathon duty in an 82-63 win over South Florida, which I’m sure will not enter emerge as a top-25 team at any point over the next three months.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>(ALMOST) NO BENCH BRIGADE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen came within 19 seconds of receiving all their points from their starters for a second straight game last Saturday, when KiJan Robinson hit both his free throws after he was fouled so Charleston could pull its seniors and starters. Bryce Washington had the only field goal attempt among a group of reserves that also included Washington, Khalil Farmer, Jayden Henriquez and Silas Sunday. The quintet combined for just 15 minutes, the fewest by Hofstra reserves since Mar. 10, 2020, when Kevin Schutte, Stafford Trueheart and Caleb Burgess combined for six minutes in the 70-61 win over Northeastern in the CAA championship game. I’m gonna take that as a good sign. In addition, the two combined points for Hofstra reserves over a two-game span are the fewest since Mar. 9-10, 2010, when Trueheart’s two points against Delaware in a 75-61 win accounted for the only bench points in the final two games of the CAA Tournament. I will also take that as a good sign. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen again scored more points in the second half than on the first half last Saturday, when they followed up a 36-point first half with a 40-point second half. The Dutchmen are now averaging 39.7 points per second half (1,232 points overall) and 34.7 points per first half (1,076 points overall). In a quirky twist, the Dutchmen’s first- and second-half averages each remained the same last Saturday. The Dutchmen have scored more points in the first half than in the second half just six times in CAA play and nine times overall this season. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list last Saturday, when he scored 19 points to increase his career total to 1,294 points and move past Mike Tilley into 21st place. Dubar is just three points away from moving past Kenny Adeleke into 20th place and 17 points away from surpassing Desure Buie for 19th place.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">18.) Dave Bell 1,330</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">19.) Desure Buie 1,310</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">20.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>21.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,294</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">22.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>23.) TYLER THOMAS 1,268</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS HOLDS STEADY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, remained in 23rd place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list last Saturday, when he scored 27 points to increase his career total to 1,268 points. Thomas is 19 points away from surpassing Mike Tilley for 22nd place, 27 points away from teammate Darlinstone Dubar, who is in 21st place, and 29 points away from moving past Kenny Adeleke who is in 20th place.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">20.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>21.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,294</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">22.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>23.) TYLER THOMAS 1,268</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marks the first time since Thomas joined the 1,000-point club at Hofstra that he hasn’t gained at least one spot on the all-time list.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 25: 42nd place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 27: 40th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 1: 39th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 3: 37th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 8: 36th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 10: 35th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 15: 32nd place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 17: 31st place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 22: 28th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 24: 24th place</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 29: 23rd place</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas bounced back from an off-game (at least by his recent standards) last Saturday, when he scored 27 points two days after being limited to 13 points in a 69-58 win over UNC Wilmington. Thomas was 5-of-12 from 3-point land last Saturday and is 43-of-102 from beyond the arc over his last 11 games — a span in which he’s scored at least 20 points eight times — after going just 34-of-116 from 3-point land in 11 games from Dec. 12-Jan. 25. He has scored in double figures in 23 straight games, 53 of his last 55 games and 61 times overall in the last two seasons. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S BACK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar had another solid game last Saturday when he finished with 19 points. He has scored in double figures in 30 of 31 games this season after doing so 42 times over 67 games in his first two seasons with the Dutchmen. Dubar has scored 101 points in the last five games since his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts was snapped at 27 games when he was limited to nine points in a 79-77 loss to Drexel on Feb. 15.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAQUAN’S 7/10 SPLIT</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bowling reference! Jaquan Carlos finished with 13 points and seven assists last Saturday — the 10th time this season he’s recorded at least 10 points and seven assists in a single game. Carlos had just three such games last season, his first as the Dutchmen’s starting point guard. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos continued emerging from his slump last Saturday, when he finished with 13 points, three rebounds and seven assists. Carlos has 52 points, 31 rebounds and a whopping 45 assists in his last five games after collecting just 34 points, 23 rebounds and 21 assists in his previous five games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FREEBIES FOR FRITZ <i>(part one)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz scored 12 points last Saturday, when he was 8-of-12 from the free throw line. The 12 free throw attempts were tied for the most in a single game this season in the Speedy Claxton era — Darlinstone Dubar was 10-of-12 from the line in an 86-77 win over Hampton on Jan. 18 — and just the third time a Hofstra player has taken at least 10 field goal attempts under Claxton. Tyler Thomas was 10-for-10 from the line in the 97-92 overtime win over High Point on Nov. 22. Another way to put it: A Hofstra player has attempted at least 10 free throws in a game as many times in the last 98 games as in the shortened 23-game 2020-21 season, when Tareq Coburn (twice) and Jalen Ray combined for three such games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FREEBIES FOR FRITZ <i>(part two)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 12 free throw attempts for Jacco Fritz were the second-most of his career and his most since way back on Feb. 12, 2021, when he was 10-for-13 from the line for Canisius against Quinnipiac. Hofstra connection!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz scored in double figures last Saturday for the fourth time in the last seven games after scoring in double figures just twice in his first 23 games. The Dutchmen are 4-2 when Fritz scores at least 10 points.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov had three points and five rebounds in 34 minutes last Saturday, when the Dutchmen fell to 11-3 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov is averaging 8.9 points and 2.6 rebounds over 29 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FIVE IS FINE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov led the Dutchmen with five rebounds last Saturday. It was the first time the Dutchmen’s leading rebounder recorded fewer than five boards since Jan. 26, 2023, when Darlinstone Dubar had five rebounds in an 82-65 win over Not Twitter Guy.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington’s quiet stretch continued last Saturday, when he was missed his lone field goal attempt while recording one rebound, one assist and one turnover in seven minutes. He has gone scoreless in consecutive games in which he’s played for the first time since Dec. 29, 2022-Jan. 11. 2023 when he went scoreless in three straight games The Dutchmen are now 7-2 in the last nine games in which Washington scores fewer than seven points after going 0-8 when he scored fewer than seven points as a starter this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY QUIET SUNDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday also continued his quiet stretch last Saturday, when he had three rebounds in five minutes. Sunday is scoreless in each of his last three games, a span in which he’s pulled down five rebounds in just 16 total minutes. He had 18 points and 26 rebounds in his previous six games from Feb. 3-22, a span in which he played at least 13 minutes per contest.</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-35922123179613484972024-03-08T09:01:00.007-05:002024-03-08T09:01:29.805-05:002024 CAA Tournament Thumbnails<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2dC_K2yvMGmemP-2ur6GeICKJ_6-3OAed9ERMFYUFfWMAXSMSr7M6BAhKm_Aoz1j9gcGqjNk3A6b4eHT3V7w1umUc4XXHdT-akHrX0Crlc-Yj0MPm6r3fCQNl9hSawL_jt16N7aw_JQPjSNkukWTzQwQZi5ugFVzbkg-Obx2Rmf2y8Zm1Vw4UbfBIyI/s640/MilhouseBartSoul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN2dC_K2yvMGmemP-2ur6GeICKJ_6-3OAed9ERMFYUFfWMAXSMSr7M6BAhKm_Aoz1j9gcGqjNk3A6b4eHT3V7w1umUc4XXHdT-akHrX0Crlc-Yj0MPm6r3fCQNl9hSawL_jt16N7aw_JQPjSNkukWTzQwQZi5ugFVzbkg-Obx2Rmf2y8Zm1Vw4UbfBIyI/s320/MilhouseBartSoul.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Would you sell your soul for a CAA championship?</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There has been predictability within the parity that finally arrived in the CAA 11 years ago, after the Atlantic 10 poached VCU and George Mason and Old Dominion sacrificed its men’s basketball program for the pursuit of appearances in the Bahamas Bowl.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seven schools have combined to win the last 11 titles after the CAA’s first 30 titles were won by just eight schools, But only two of the recent champs — Drexel in 2021 and Delaware in 2022 — entered the tournament seeded fourth or lower. Other than the whole top-seeded team getting knocked out in the semifinals thing (still not over it), order seemed to be restored last season, when second-seeded Charleston outlasted fourth-seeded UNC Wilmington in the title game. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There seems to be plenty of parity baked in entering this season’s tournament. The top four seeds — Charleston, Drexel, Hofstra and UNC Wilmington — were all picked to finish in the top four in the preseason, marking the first time that’s happened since 2018-19. Five teams are ranked 300th or lower at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, two fewer than the CAA’s nadir a year ago but still as many sub-300s as the league had from 2018-19 through 2021-22 combined.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And yet there may not be a league in the country with more teams harboring legitimate hopes for a deep run in the conference tournament than the CAA.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The league has no teams in the KenPom.com top 100 but eight between 100 and 200 — the most of any conference. The four teams that earned the double bye all looked like the league’s best team at some point — and all had extended slumps except Charleston, which was swept by UNC Wilmington. Only Drexel and Hofstra rank within the top four in the CAA in both conference-only offensive and defensive efficiency. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Fifth-seeded Towson handed Charleston its first league loss, and was also victimized by Hampton for the Pirates’ first CAA win following an 0-13 start. Sixth-seeded Delaware still has Jyáre Davis, the Most Outstanding Player in the Blue Hens’ run to the CAA championship two years ago, while La Salle transfer Christian Ray led the league in rebounding.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seventh-place Stony Brook, with Tyler Stephenson-Moore leading a quintet of five graduate students in its rotation, and eighth-place Monmouth, sparked by graduate senior guards Xander Rice, have the type of veteran leadership and prolific guards who can carry a team in March. The Seawolves are also fifth in both conference-only offensive and defensive efficiency while the Hawks rank sixth and seventh, respectively.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And ninth-place Campbell, the no. 303 team at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, upset Hofstra and UNC Wilmington this season while 10th-seeded Northeastern, the lone team in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> 200s at no. 249, is directed by Bill Coen, the CAA’s all-time leader in conference and tournament wins.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Everyone thinks anything is possible in their conference tournament, but that might really be the case in the CAA. It could be chalky, it could be chaotic. Buckle up for a potentially wild ride…and prepare for the madness with the mostly annual CAA Tournament thumbnails!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>1.) CHARLESTON (15-3 CAA, 24-7 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Cougars were picked first in the preseason poll and became the first preseason favorite to earn the no. 1 seed since Hofstra in 2019-20. That’s a good and a bad omen for our purposes! Charleston is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. The regular season title is the second for Charleston, which went 16-2 last season but lost the tiebreaker to Hofstra. The top seed has won the CAA tournament 21 times, most recently in 2020, when Hofstra did so (hooray!). The Cougars opened 4-0 in CAA play before losing three of five — a span in which they dropped two games to UNC Wilmington — but ended the regular season by winning their last nine games. It was the Cougars’ second nine-game winning streak of the year. Charleston has earned a top-three seed six times in the last eight seasons.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Charleston, in its 11th season in the CAA, won its second championship last season, when the Cougars edged UNC Wilmington 63-58 in the title game before falling to eventual national runner-up San Diego State 63-57 in a classic #MidOnMidCrime first-round NCAA Tournament game The NCAA Tournament trip was the sixth for Charleston, which won three Trans Atlantic American Conference titles in five years from 1994 through 1998 before winning the Southern Conference crown in 1999 and the CAA in 2018.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Cougars rank 103rd at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are first in conference-only offensive efficiency (120.0) and sixth in conference-only defensive efficiency (105.0).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Junior forward Ante Brzovic was named to the all-CAA first team while junior guard Reyne Smith was named to the all-CAA second team and junior forward Ben Burnham was named to the all-CAA third team. Forward James Scott was also named to the all-rookie team while graduate student guard Bryce Butler won Sixth Man of the Year honors. The Cougars were the only school with a player on each of the three all-CAA teams as well as the all-rookie team. In addition, Pat Kelsey was named CAA Coach of the Year. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> In a perfect representation of how deep the Cougars go, CJ Fulton — who ranked third in assists (4.10 per game), percentage points behind North Carolina A&T’s Camian Shell — was the only Charleston player to rank in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding, assists or steals.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>2.) DREXEL (13-5 CAA, 20-11 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dragons were picked third in the preseason poll. The last team to finish second or higher after being picked third in the preseason was Hofstra, which was picked third in 2018-19 before winning the regular-season crown. The second-place finish is the highest for Drexel since it earned the no. 1 seed in 2011-12, when the Dragons absolutely positively did not get screwed by having to play VCU in the title game in Richmond. The no. 2 seed has won the CAA tournament 11 times, most recently last year, when Charleston did so. Drexel is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. The Dragons were the last unbeaten team in the CAA at 7-0 before enduring a 1-4 stretch, after which they won five of their last six games.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Drexel, which is in its 23rd season in the CAA, fell to UNC Wilmington, 73-68, in the quarterfinals last year. The Dragons won the league title for the first time in 2021, when they were seeded sixth and knocked off seventh-seeded Elon in the championship game. Only one other CAA champion, seventh-seeded East Carolina in 1993, was seeded lower. The Dragons fell to Illinois 78-49 in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1996, when, led by Malik Rose, they completed a three-peat in the North Atlantic Conference. Drexel has made five NCAA Tournaments, the first of which it reached after beating Hofstra in the 1986 ECC title game. Even I didn’t know that was a real thing back then, Litos.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Dragons rank 123rd at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are third in conference-only offensive efficiency (114.0) and third in conference-only defensive efficiency (103.1).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Senior forward Amari Williams was named the Defensive Player of the Year for a record third straight year and made the all-CAA first team for the second straight season. Sophomore guard Justin Moore was named to the all-CAA second team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Williams finished fifth in rebounding (7.8 rpg), Moore ranked seventh in assists (3.4 apg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3.) HOFSTRA (12-6 CAA, 19-12 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen were picked fourth in the preseason poll. The last team to finish third after being picked fourth was…Hofstra in 2017-18. The no. 3 seed has won the CAA tournament four times, most recently in 2015, when Northeastern did so. Hofstra is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. The Dutchmen earned the no. 3 seed by virtue of their 69-58 win over UNC Wilmington in the penultimate game of the season. Hofstra opened 1-3 in the CAA, the worst four-game start in league play for a team that eventually finished in the top four since 2016-17, when Towson finished third at 11-7 after beginning 0-4. The Dutchmen have finished in the top four in each of the last seven seasons, the longest streak in the CAA since Old Dominion finished in the top four in nine straight seasons from 2003-04 through 2011-12.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Hofstra, which is in its 23rd season in the CAA, fell to UNC Wilmington, 79-73, in overtime in the semifinals last year. An overtime loss? To UNC Wilmington? In the CAA Tournament? In this or any other economy? The Flying Dutchmen finally won the league title in 2020 after falling in the 2006, 2016 and 2019 championship games. Then the Dutchmen won the national championship. Prove me wrong, children! The Flying Dutchmen last officially appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2001, when they won the America East before falling to UCLA, 61-48, in Jay Wright’s final game at Hofstra. The Dutchmen have officially made five NCAA Tournaments. It should have been six.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Dutchmen rank 118th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are fourth in conference-only offensive efficiency (111.3) and second in conference-only defensive efficiency (102.6).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Graduate student guard Tyler Thomas was named the CAA Player of the Year. He is the sixth player to win the Player of the Year award for Hofstra, which has won the award a total of nine times. Nice. Both figures are league records, which is pretty impressive considering Hofstra didn’t join the league until 2001-02 and didn’t produce its first Player of the Year until Loren Stokes in 2006. Stokes was followed by Charles Jenkins (2010-11), Juan’ya Green (2016), Justin Wright-Foreman (2018-19) and Aaron Estrada (2022-23). Hofstra is the first school to produce the Player of the Year in three straight seasons since George Mason’s George Evans won it three straight times from 1999 through 2001. Junior guard Darlinstone Dubar was named to the all-CAA second team while junior guard Jaquan Carlos was named to the all-CAA defensive team for the second straight season.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Thomas led the league in scoring (22.3 ppg) and ranked eighth in assists (3.3 apg). Dubar ranked fifth in scoring (18.1 ppg) while Carlos led the league in assists (6.4) for a second straight year and was tied for third in steals (1.55 spg). </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>4.) UNC WILMINGTON (12-6 overall, 21-9 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seahawks were picked second in the preseason poll. The last team to finish fourth after being picked second was Charleston in 2019-20. The no. 4 seed has won the CAA tournament twice but not since 2000, when UNC Wilmington did so. The Seahawks posted the most impressive win by a CAA school in non-conference play Dec. 2, when they upset then-no. 12 Kentucky 80-73. UNC Wilmington lost its first two CAA games before winning 10 of 11 prior to a season-ending 2-3 stretch that included upset losses to Not Twitter Guy (which won 73-72 on a buzzer-beating tip-in) and Campbell (which earned a 105-100 double overtime win). The Seahawks ended last season by losing two of their last three before reaching the title game.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> UNC Wilmington, which is the second-most senior CAA program with 38 years in the league, fell to Charleston, 63-58, in the title game last season. The Seahawks have won six league titles, one fewer than the other 13 teams in the tournament combined. UNC Wilmington made its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017, when the Seahawks fell to Virginia 76-71.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Seahawks rank 112th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are second in conference-only offensive efficiency (116.6) and eighth in conference-only defensive efficiency (106.2).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Junior forward Trazarien White was named to the all-CAA first team while graduate student guard Shykeim Phillips was named to the all-CAA third team as well as the all-CAA defensive team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> White ranked third in the league in scoring (19.6 ppg) while Phillips ranked ninth (14.0 ppg) for the Seahawks who were the only team with two players in the top 10. White also ranked ninth in rebounding (7.0 rpg). Phillips ranked fifth in assists (3.8 apg) and led the league in steals (1.8 spg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>5.) TOWSON (11-7 CAA, 18-13 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Tigers were picked to finish tied for fifth in the preseason poll. The last team to finish fifth after being picked fifth (or tied for fifth) was Delaware in 2019-20. Speaking of Delaware, the only fifth seed to win the CAA Tournament was the Blue Hens in 2022. Towson is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. The Tigers opened CAA play 7-2 before going 4-5 on the back half of the schedule, a stretch in which they lost to every other top-six team except Drexel as well as Hampton, which earned its first CAA win by beating Towson 67-61 on Feb. 17. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Towson is in its 23rd season in the CAA and is the only active CAA school that’s never advanced to a championship game. The Tigers have fallen in the semifinals five times, including last season, when Charleston earned a 77-72 win. Towson made its two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1990 and 1991, when it won the ECC’s final automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers lost to Ohio State, 97-86, in the 1991 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers also won the ECC in 1992, when the league did not carry an automatic bid.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Tigers rank 158th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are seventh in conference-only offensive efficiency (107.1) and first in conference-only defensive efficiency (99.6).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Graduate student forward Charles Thompson was named to the all-CAA third team as well as the all-CAA defensive team. Guard Tyler Tejada was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and was joined on the all-rookie team by guard Dylan Williamson.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Thompson was second in rebounding (8.48 rpg), percentage points ahead of Hampton’s Kyrese Mullen.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>6.) DELAWARE (10-8 CAA, 18-13 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Blue Hens were picked to finish tied for fifth in the preseason poll. The last team to finish sixth after being picked fifth (or tied for fifth) was UNC Wilmington in 2017-18. Delaware is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. The Blue Hens earned the no. 6 seed by virtue of going 2-1 against Stony Brook and Monmouth, the other 10-8 teams. Delaware alternated wins with losses in its first eight CAA games before winning four straight games from Feb. 1-10 in which its average margin of victory was 13.8 points. The Blue Hens then went 2-4 down the stretch with three of those losses by double digits. When Delaware won it all in 2022, it did so after ending the regular season on a three-game losing streak.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Delaware, which is in its 23rd season in the CAA, fell short in its repeat bid last season, when the Blue Hens lost to Towson, 86-60, in the quarterfinals, The Blue Hens won their second championship in 2022, when they became the first five seed to triumph in the tournament. Delaware, making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance, fell to Villanova #NARRATIVE ALERT 80-60 in the first round.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Blue Hens rank 169th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are eighth in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.3) and fourth in conference-only defensive efficiency (104.2).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Redshirt junior Jyáre Davis was named to the all-CAA second team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Davis finished sixth in both scoring (17.5 ppg) and rebounding (7.7 rpg). Ray led the league in rebounding (9.0 rpg) while Cavan Reilly finished eighth in steals (1.33 spg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>7.) STONY BROOK (10-8 CAA, 17-14 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seawolves were picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll. The last team to finish seventh after being picked ninth was Charleston in 2015-16. The only no. 7 seed to win the CAA Tournament was East Carolina, which did so in 1993. Stony Brook earned the no. 7 seed by virtue of going 2-2 against the other 10-8 teams, Delaware and Monmouth. The Seawolves were the only team to never win or lose more than two straight games in CAA play, though they were better in the second half (6-3) than in the first half (4-5). In addition, five of their wins were by 10 points or fewer while six of their losses were by six points or fewer or in overtime.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> The Seawolves beat North Carolina A&T 76-61 in a first-round game last year before falling to Charleston, 74-52, in the quarterfinals. Stony Brook moved to Division I in 1999-2000 and lost four America East championship games before breaking through to its lone NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016, when the Seawolves fell to Kentucky, 85-57.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Seawolves rank 188th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are fifth in conference-only offensive efficiency (108.7) and fifth in conference-only defensive efficiency (104.7).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Graduate student guard Tyler Stephenson-Moore was named to the all-CAA second team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Stephenson-Moore ranked seventh in scoring (16.0 ppg) while Andre Snoddy was seventh in rebounding (7.2 rpg). Dean Noll finished seventh in steals (1.35 spg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>8.) MONMOUTH (10-8 CAA, 17-14 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Hawks were picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll. The three-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish ties Monmouth with Campbell for the biggest positive gap this season. No no. 8 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. Monmouth earned the no. 8 seed by virtue of going 1-2 against Delaware and Stony Brook, the other 10-8 teams. Each of the last five teams picked 11th in the preseason have finished higher than 11th in the regular season. The last team to finish eighth after being picked 11th was William & Mary way back in 2006-07, the second season of the 12-team CAA alignment. The Hawks had the most drastic home/away splits in the CAA this season, when they went 9-0 in West Long Branch and 1-8 on the road, where they were winless until beating Not Twitter Guy 85-70 last Saturday. That snapped a 12-game road losing streak dating back to Nov. 10, when Monmouth upset West Virginia 73-65.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> The Hawks beat Hampton 100-64 in an opening round game last year before falling to Drexel, 64-45. Monmouth has made four NCAA Tournament appearances, all after winning the Northeast Conference. The Hawks most recently played in the NCAA Tournament in 2006, when they beat Hampton (Spider Man meme goes here) 71-49 in a First Four game before falling to Villanova (another Spider Man meme goes here), 58-45.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Hawks rank 197th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are sixth in conference-only offensive efficiency (107.5) and seventh in conference-only defensive efficiency (105.5).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Graduate student guard Xander Rice, the son of head coach King Rice, was named to the all-CAA first team. Freshman forward Jaret Valencia was named to the all-rookie team as well as the all-defensive team. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Xander Rice finished second in scoring (20.8 ppg), sixth in assists (3.5 apg) and ninth in steals (1.32 spg). Nikita Konstantynovskyi was fourth in rebounding (8.1 rpg). Jakari Spence was fourth in assists (3.9 apg) and tied Carlos for third in steals (1.55 spg). Jack Collins was 10th in steals (1.29 spg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>9.) CAMPBELL (8-10 CAA, 14-17 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Fighting Camels, who joined the CAA this year, were picked to finish 12th in the preseason poll. The three-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish ties Campbell with Monmouth for the biggest positive gap this season. No no. 9 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The last team to finish ninth after being picked 12th was Not Twitter Guy last year. The Fighting Camels and Monmouth are the only teams to finish seventh or lower with multiple wins over teams that earned the double bye. Campbell beat beat Hofstra 69-68 on Jan. 13 and outlasted UNC Wilmington 105-100 in double overtime on Feb. 26. The Fighting Camels never won more than two straight games in CAA play and had just one three-game losing streak.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Campbell, which moved to Division I in 1977, became a founding member of the Big South in 1985 and made its lone trip to the NCAA Tournament in 1992, when the Fighting Camels were a no. 16 seed and lost to eventual national champion Duke, 82-56. Campbell has lost four Big South title games since — including last year, when the Fighting Camels fell to UNC Asheville and former Hofstra point guard Caleb Burgess. The Fighting Camels also lost to Winthrop in 2017 and 2021, when the Eagles were coached by Pat Kelsey, Guess who Campbell plays in the quarterfinals if it wins Saturday?</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Fighting Camels rank 303rd at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are ninth in conference-only offensive efficiency (105.8) and 12th in conference-only defensive efficiency (111.5).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Sophomore guard Anthony Dell’Orso was named to the all-CAA second team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Dell’Orso was fourth in scoring (19.4 ppg) and second in steals (1.58 spg). Laurynas Vaistaras finished ninth in assists (3.13 apg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>10.) NORTHEASTERN (7-11 CAA, 12-19 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Huskies were picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. No no. 10 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The last team to finish 10th after being picked seventh (bowling reference!) was Hofstra in 2012-13. The Huskies opened 3-3 in CAA play before losing eight of their final 12 games. Northeastern had three two-game winning streaks in league action and four losing streaks of at least two games. It alternated wins with losses just once. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Northeastern, which is in its 19th year in the CAA, fell to Delaware, 77-74, in overtime in a second-round game last year. The Huskies are one of three 21st-century additions with multiple champions, along with Delaware and Charleston. The Huskies beat William & Mary in the 2015 title game and defeated Hofstra (rats) in the 2019 championship game. The Huskies also lead all 21st-century additions with five title game appearances overall, Northeastern has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances and fell to Kansas 87-53 in 2019.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Huskies rank 249th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are 11th in conference-only offensive efficiency (103.0) and ninth in conference-only defensive efficiency (108.2).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> No Northeastern player made any of the all-CAA league teams.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Chris Doherty ranked 10th in both scoring (13.83 ppg) and rebounding (6.9 rpg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>11.) NOT TWITTER GUY (6-12 CAA, 13-18 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Phoenix were picked to finish 10th in the preseason poll. Not Twitter Guy is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. No no. 11 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. The last team to finish 10th after being picked 11th was Towson in 2009-09. The Phoenix opened 1-6 in CAA pay and was 3-9 before upsetting Delaware and UNC Wilmington in consecutive games from Feb. 15-17. Not Twitter Guy then lost three of its last four games and finished with nine losses by double digits, the most in the league.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> Not Twitter Guy, which is in its ninth season in the CAA, lost to William & Mary 73-51 in a second-round game last year. The Phoenix has never made the NCAA Tournament in 25 years as a Division I program. Not Twitter Guy has reached two conference title games, falling to Drexel as the no. 8 seed in 2021 and to Elite Eight-bound Davidson — featuring Stephon Curry — in the Southern Conference in 2008.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Phoenix ranks 314th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where it is 10th in conference-only offensive efficiency (103.7) and 13th in conference-only defensive efficiency (113.9).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Guard Nick Dorn was named to the all-rookie team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> TK Simpkins ranked 10th in assists (3.07 apg) and fifth in steals (1.5 spg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>12.) NORTH CAROLINA A&T (5-13 CAA, 7-24 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Aggies were picked to finish 14th and last in the preseason poll. No team has ever been picked 14th before, possibly because the CAA never had 14 teams prior to this season. No no. 12 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament. North Carolina A&T opened league play at 5-4 before losing its last nine games, a span in which it suffered six losses by at least 16 points. Star sophomore Landon Glasper played in just four of the final 12 regular season games. Monté Ross, whom you may know as the head coach from such CAA champions as Delaware in 2014, will become the first coach to direct two teams in the CAA Tournament.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> North Carolina A&T fell to Stony Brook, 76-61, in the first round last year. The Aggies have made 10 NCAA Tournaments, all after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. North Carolina A&T made its most recent NCAA Tournament appearance in 2013, when it earned the first NCAA Tournament win in school history by beating Liberty, 73-72, in a First Four game before falling to eventual national champion Louisville 79-48.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Aggies rank 344th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are 14th and last in conference-only offensive efficiency (95.3) and 11th in conference-only defensive efficiency (109.7).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> Sophomore guard Landon Glasper was named to the all-CAA third team.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Camian Shell ranked second in assists (4.10 apg), percentage points ahead of Charleston’s CJ Fulton, and sixth in steals (1.37 spg). Glasper averaged 20.9 ppg, which would have been second in the league if he played enough games to qualify for the league leaders. He played just 23 of 31 games, which left him one game shy of the 75 percent threshold necessary.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>13.) WILLIAM & MARY (4-14 CAA, 9-22 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Tribe was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll. The five-spot difference between preseason prognostication and finish is the biggest negative gap this season. The last team to be picked eighth and finish 10th or lower was UNC Wilmington in 2020-21. No no. 13 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament, possibly because this is only the second season in which there’s even been a no. 13 seed in the CAA Tournament. William & Mary opened CAA play 2-1 but went 2-13 the rest of the way with eight losses by single digits. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> The Tribe, the lone remaining original CAA members from the league’s inaugural season in 1982-83, beat Not Twitter Guy 73-51 in the second round last year before falling to Hofstra, 94-46, in the quarterfinals. William & Mary has never made the NCAA Tournament, though it has fallen in the CAA title game four times since 2008. William & Mary is one of just three original Division I programs to never reach the NCAA Tournament, along with Army West Point and The Citadel. Farewell, St. Francis (NY). Army West Point was eliminated from the Patriot League tournament Tuesday, when it fell to Holy Cross 84-68, while The Citadel is slated to begin Southern Conference tournament play against Mercer on Friday.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Tribe ranks 323rd at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where it is 13th in conference-only offensive efficiency (99.7) and 10th in conference-only defensive efficiency (109.4).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> No William & Mary player made any of the CAA’s all-league teams.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Chase Lowe ranked eighth in rebounding (7.1 rpg).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>14.) HAMPTON (3-15 CAA, 8-23 overall)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Pirates were picked to finish 13th in the preseason poll. Hampton is one of seven teams to finish within one spot of the preseason prognostication. The Pirates were also picked to finish 13th last season in their CAA debut as well as the first season of a 13-team CAA. No no. 14 seed has ever won the CAA Tournament, possibly because there’s never been a no. 14 seed in the CAA Tournament. Hampton opened CAA play 0-13 — the worst start in league action since Towson finished 0-18 in 2010-11 — before upsetting the Tigers 67-61 on Feb. 17 to begin a season-ending 3-2 stretch.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY:</b> The Pirates fell to Monmouth, 100-64, in a first-round game last year. Hampton has made six NCAA Tournaments, all after winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. The Pirates made their most recent NCAA Tournament in 2016, when they fell to Virginia 81-45.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BY THE NUMBERS:</b> The Pirates rank 337th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, where they are 12th in conference-only offensive efficiency (100.5) and 14th and last in conference-only defensive efficiency (115.7).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAA HONOR ROLL:</b> No Hampton player made any of the CAA’s all-league teams.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ON THE CAA LEADERBOARD:</b> Kyrese Mullen ranked eighth in scoring (15.1 ppg) and third in rebounding (8.48 rpg, percentage points behind Charles Thompson).</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-90166171392333932212024-03-02T12:15:00.011-05:002024-03-02T12:15:50.178-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Charleston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_KE-dNgyOX5Y8aGcx9jeg0eMsuFwq8qHy7ihcDCgG8AOpAYbx0-tQbjcEgch3DJi08NpyYjqQemLIeLJHSs2OCDx3E85-XKBQ0BwbqdBoMM_M3LYzvc4FgVu-84gKkVH77bsxQuDMLkrhU1QHq0PVvFG_vVQ5ERRdOmU-FSdfIsM4FymeJ982OPVVsg/s841/ChrisSabo1989ToppsRookies.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_KE-dNgyOX5Y8aGcx9jeg0eMsuFwq8qHy7ihcDCgG8AOpAYbx0-tQbjcEgch3DJi08NpyYjqQemLIeLJHSs2OCDx3E85-XKBQ0BwbqdBoMM_M3LYzvc4FgVu-84gKkVH77bsxQuDMLkrhU1QHq0PVvFG_vVQ5ERRdOmU-FSdfIsM4FymeJ982OPVVsg/s320/ChrisSabo1989ToppsRookies.webp" width="231" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>It's Spuds McKelsey! (Chris Sabo hit .300 for the Reds in 1991 and also played for the White Sox and Cardinals, in case it ever comes up in a certain grid game) </i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">From tied for next-to-last to tied after play seven weeks ago today to playing for a chance to finish next-to-first (most people would call that second, but then it wouldn’t flow as quirkily). Nothing like the college basketball season, folks! The Dutchmen locked up a double bye and moved into position to potentially finish second with Thursday’s 69-58 win over UNC Wilmington. Read all about it in the Keep It Perky <a href="http://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/03/keep-it-perky-unc-wilmington-postgame.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Thursday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing today’s game against regular season champion Charleston. As always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all about the Dutchmen’s Leap Day success, double-digit wins after squandering a double-digit lead, Darlinstone Dubar and Tyler Thomas now residing next to each other on the all-time Hofstra scoring list, Dubar’s big game in his home state and much more before a look at the Cougars!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CAN’T LOSE ON LEAP DAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">One more Leap Day factoid before we move on to March! I dug into microfilm (ask your parents) and discovered the Dutchmen are unbeaten in FOUR games on Feb. 29, not three. On Feb. 29, 1964, the Flying Dutchmen — who really WERE nicknamed the Flying Dutchmen back then — beat Muhlenberg 82-70 in the third-place game of the Middle Atlantic Conference tournament. That was enough to earn the Dutchmen an at-large bid to the Division II tournament, where they won a pair of games. This means the Dutchmen — who beat UMBC 103-87 before falling in the ECC championship game in 1992 and beat James Madison 97-82 on Leap Day 2020 before, well, you know — have had a chance to play for a bid in a national tournament the first three times they’ve played on Feb. 29. Hmmmm.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ROLLERCOASTER RIDE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen led by 13 points in the second half before falling behind and then winning by 11 points Thursday. That’s the first time — deep breath here — the Dutchmen won by at least 10 points after squandering a double-digit lead and falling behind since way back on Feb. 13, 2016, when the Dutchmen opened a 14-point lead against Delaware and behind by nine points in the second half before coming back to earn a 77-66 win. Quirky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAKING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have won four straight games, all by double digits. That’s the longest such streak since they won five straight by at least 10 points from Feb, 8-16, 2023. Those wins came in the midst of the 12-game winning streak that ended against UNC Wilmington in the CAA Tournament semifinals *shudders*</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO BENCH BRIGADE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen received all 69 points from their starters Thursday, when Bryce Washington, KiJan Robinson and Silas Sunday combined to go 0-for-4 from the field in 21 minutes. It was the third time this season Dutchmen reserves were held scoreless and the first time since Feb. 1, when Bryce Washington, KiJan Robinson, Silas Sunday and Khalil Farmer combined to go 0-for-7 from the field in 25 minutes in the 72-71 win over Stony Brook. Farmer, Robinson, Sunday and German Plotnikov also didn’t score in 36 minutes in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONCE AGAIN A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen returned to form Thursday night, when they scored more points in the second half (37) than in the first half (32). The Dutchmen are now averaging 39.7 points per second half (1,192 points overall) and 34.7 points per first half (1,040 points overall). In a quirky twist, the Dutchmen’s first- and second-half averages each dropped a tenth of a point Thursday. The Dutchmen have scored more points in the first half than in the second half just six times in CAA play and nine times overall this season. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE 1-2 THOUSAND POINT PUNCH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now this is cool. Darlinstone Dubar and Tyler Thomas are occupying consecutive spots on the all-time Hofstra scoring list, with Dubar in 22nd place with 1,275 points and Thomas in 23rd place with 1,241 points. I believe this is the first time two teammates with at least 1,000 points have occupied consecutive spots on the all-time Hofstra scoring list since way back on Feb. 25, 2012, when Nathaniel Lester (1,128 points) and Mike Moore (1,112 points) were in 23rd and 24th place, respectively. There have been other pairs of teammates, but I don’t think any of them were traveling up the list at the same time. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR HOLDS STEADY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar remained in 22nd place on the the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday night, when he scored 28 points to increase his career total to 1,275 points. Dubar enters today 12 points shy of surpassing Mike Tilley for 21st place and 22 points shy of moving past Kenny Adeleke for 20th place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">19.) Desure Buie 1,310</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">20.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">21.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>22.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,275</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>23.) TYLER THOMAS 1,241</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marks just the third game since Dubar joined the 1,000-point club on Jan. 6 that he hasn’t gained at least a half-spot on the all-time list.</p><div><br /></div>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when his 13 points increased his career total to 1,241 points and lifted him past Roberto Gittens (who has been surpassed in consecutive games, rough week for Roberto) into 23rd place. Thomas, as you have likely surmised by now, is 35 points away from surpassing the next player on the list, current teammate Darlinstone Dubar, for 22nd place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>22.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,275</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>23.) TYLER THOMAS 1,241</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DIMES FOR JAQUAN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos moved into eighth place on the Hofstra all-time assist list Thursday night, when he collected five assists to increase his career total to 381 and surpass Loren Stokes. Carlos is 83 assists shy of moving past Juan’ya Green for seventh place, so we’ll assume he’ll be in eighth place for a bit, Still, pretty impressive considering Carlos had just 23 assists as a freshman two years ago.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7.) Juan’ya Green 463</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>8.) JAQUAN CARLOS 381</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">9.) Loren Stokes 377</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">10.) Woody Souffrant 362</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11.) Carlos Rivera 351</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S BACK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar once again flirted with a double-double Thursday night, when he finished with 28 points and eighth rebounds. It was the third straight game in which Dubar had at least 10 points and seven rebounds and the 14th time he’s done so this season. He did so just 12 times in his first two seasons at Hofstra combined. In addition, Dubar has scored 82 points in the last four games since his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts was snapped at 27 games when he was limited to nine points in a 79-77 loss to Drexel on Feb. 15.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A HAPPY HOMECOMING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar, a native of Charlotte, N.C., continued to thrive in his home state Thursday, when he scored a team-high 28 points and pulled down eight rebounds, tied for the most on the Dutchmen with Jacco Fritz. It was the second big game in as many trips to North Carolina this season for Dubar, who led the Dutchmen with 24 points and eight rebounds in the 89-68 loss to then-no. 21 Duke on Dec. 12. Dubar also had eight rebounds to go along with 12 points in his first game in North Carolina with the Dutchmen on Jan. 29, 2022, when UNC Wilmington recorded a 78-72 win.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOW MANY TIMES DID DARLINSTONE DUBAR SCORE FROM INSIDE THE 3-POINT LINE THURSDAY?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Niiiiiiiine times. Dubar was a remarkable 9-of-10 on his 2-point field goals Thursday, when he became the first Hofstra player with at least nine 2-point field goals in a game since Feb. 4, 2023, when Tyler Thomas was 10-of-12 from inside the arc in a 79-58 win over Stony Brook.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DOING WORK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar was also 2-of-3 from beyond the 3-point line Thursday, which made him (carries the one, drops the remainder) 11-of-13 overall from the field. That’s a field goal percentage of 84.6 percent, which is the best by a Hofstra player who had at least 13 field goal attempts since Adrian Uter went 12-of-13 (92.3 percent) in a 76-62 win over Siena in that stupid blasted BracketBuster on Feb. 18, 2006. A child born that day might be going to Hofstra in the fall! We are all very old.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAQUAN THE STAT-STUFFER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos, as Tom Pecora used to say about Loren Stokes, stuffed the stat sheet Thursday night, when he finished with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. The 18 points were tied for his third-highest single-game total behind a 19-point effort against UNC Wilmington in a 79-73 overtime loss in the CAA Tournament semifinals lats Mar. 6 and his 23-point game in an 80-74 win over Stony Brook on Jan. 22. He also had 18 points against High Point in 97-92 overtime win on Nov. 22.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, the solid all-around game Thursday marked the fifth time this season Carlos has finished with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists and the ninth time he’s done so in the last two seasons. That’s tied with Desure Buie for the fourth-most such games among Hofstra players since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference, behind only Juan’ya Green (23), Aaron Estrada (17) and Justin Wright-Foreman (10).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos continued emerging from his slump Thursday, when he finished with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Carlos has 39 points, 28 rebounds and a whopping 38 assists in his last four games after collecting just 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in his previous four games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas finally cooled off a bit Thursday night, when he scored 13 points while going 4-of-11 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point land, Thomas, who’d scored at least 18 points in each of his previous nine games, is 38-of-90 from beyond the arc over his last 10 games after going just 32-of-111 from 3-point land in 10 games from Dec. 16-Jan. 25. He has scored in double figures in 22 straight games, 52 of his last 54 games and 60 times overall in the last two seasons. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz had an up-and-down game Thursday night, when he scored six points and tied Darlinstone Dubar for the team lead with eight rebounds but also committed a career-high five turnovers in a season-high 36 minutes. The Dutchmen are now 8-1 this season when Fritz recorded at least eight rebounds. Fritz, who had five four-turnover games at Canisius, hadn’t played as many as 36 minutes since last Mar. 7, when he played 40 minutes for the Golden Griffins in a 67-66 overtime loss to Mount St. Marys in the MAAC Tournament. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov had four points and three rebound in 28 minutes Thursday night, when the Dutchmen improved to 11-2 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov is averaging 9.3 points and 2.5 rebounds over 29 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington’s quiet stretch continued Thursday, when he was scoreless with one turnover while missing his lone field goal attempt over 15 minutes. The Dutchmen are now 7-1 in the last eight games in which Washington scores fewer than seven points after going 0-8 when he scored fewer than seven points as a starter.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING CHARLESTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The defending CAA champions Cougars, under third-year head coach Pat Kelsey, are 23-7 overall and 14-3 in CAA play after clinching the regular season crown and no. 1 seed by beating Campbell, 96-73, on Thursday night. It was the eighth straight win for Charleston, which won the CAA regular season crown for the first time since joining the league in 2013-14.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Cougars had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat Iona, 62-57 on Dec. 6, exactly one month after Charleston opened its season with a 71-69 win over the Gaels.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In CAA play, both teams won their lone meetings against Elon, North Carolina A&T and Delaware. The Dutchmen swept Stony Brook and Hampton, each of whom Charleston defeated in the lone meeting between the schools, and beat Towson, which split with the Cougars. The Dutchmen won their lone meetings against William & Mary, whom Charleston swept, and UNC Wilmington, which swept the Cougars. Hofstra lost its lone game to Monmouth, whom Charleston beat, and split with Northeastern, whom the Cougars beat in their lone meeting.The Dutchmen split with Drexel, whom Charleston beat and lost to Campbell, which was swept by the Cougars. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 116th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Cougars, who were picked to finish first, are ranked 106th. Charleston and Hofstra are the top two teams in the CAA per <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (110.9 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (100.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league. The Cougars rank first in the CAA in offensive efficiency (119.3 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (104.4 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 69.1 possessions per 40 minutes, the most in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Junior Reyne Smith, who was selected to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Cougars with 12.4 points per game. Junior Ante Brzovic, a preseason all-CAA first team selection who is in his second season at Charleston after opening his career at Southeast Oklahoma State, is averaging 12.3 points per game and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game. Junior Ben Burnham is averaging 12.0 points per game. Graduate student native Frankie Policelli, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection who went to high school on Long Island and played the previous three seasons at Stony Brook, ranks second on the Cougars with 5.1 rebounds per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 77-74 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 6 1/2-point underdogs. Big gap there. The Dutchmen are 13-16 against the spread this season but have covered five straight to improve to 7-10 against the spread in CAA play.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE COUGARS ARE FOR CLOSERS (AND STARTERS)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen will finish CAA regular season play against Charleston after opening the league schedule with a 73-61 loss to the Cougars on Jan. 4. Time flies. This marks the first time the Dutchmen have opened and closed the CAA slate against the same opponent since way back in 2019-20, when they beat James Madison 82-76 on Dec. 28 and defeated the Dukes 97-81 on Feb. 29 The Dutchmen were scheduled to open and close against William & Mary in 2021-22 but ended the regular season with a makeup game against Charleston. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE CAA RACE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who clinched a double bye and a top-three seed with Thursday’s win over UNC Wilmington, will be the no. 2 seed with a win today or a Drexel loss to Northeastern. Charleston’s win over Campbell ended the Dutchmen’s slim hopes of winning the regular season championship (the prestige of which disappeared with the NCAA yanking the NIT auto bid for mid-major regular season champions, another fine move by those buffoons)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1.) x-Charleston 14-3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>2.) HOFSTRA 12-5</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3.) Drexel 12-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">4.) Towson 11-6 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">5.) UNC Wilmington 11-6</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen will win any tiebreakers in a two-way tie with Drexel at 13-5 by virtue of going 1-0 against Charleston, which won the lone meeting against Drexel. The Dutchmen will also win any two- or three-way tie at 12-6 with Drexel and either Towson or UNC Wilmington, who are slated to play later today. In a three-way tie with Drexel and UNC Wilmington, the Dutchmen would be the no. 2 seed by virtue of going 2-1 in the round robin, where Drexel went 2-2 and UNC Wilmington went 1-2. In a three-way tie with Drexel and Towson, the Dutchmen would be the no. 2 seed by virtue of going 2-1 in the round-robin and 1-0 against Towson, which also went 2-1 in the round robin. Viva la unbalanced schedule, I guess! </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. CHARLESTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 10-9 against Charleston in a series that began with the Cougars joining the CAA prior to the 2013-14 season. As noted earlier, Charleston earned a 73-61 win in the first meeting between the teams on Jan. 4, when the Dutchmen overcame an early 12-point deficit and led 57-53 with fewer than seven minutes left before the Cougars ended the game on a 20-4 run. Charleston is seeking its first season sweep of the Dutchmen since 2017-18. The Cougars were the only team Hofstra didn’t face during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Elly De La Cruz might be the next Eric Davis bias! (Pat Kelsey, of course, is a huge Cincinnati Reds fan)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Pat Kelsey now looks like Chris Sabo bias! (He wears glasses off the court and really does look like the player nicknamed Spuds McKenzie)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dalton Bolon is still this generation’s Andrey Semenov despite playing just one year in the CAA bias! (Dude was like 35 last year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Why can’t Long Island get guys like Frankie Policelli bias! (He went to Long Island Lutheran before playing three seasons at Stony Brook, see, I’m sort of making fun of Hofstra here too!)</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-12415277613828973992024-03-02T00:52:00.000-05:002024-03-02T00:52:05.050-05:00Keep It Perky: UNC Wilmington postgame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLIOYIWDqY0iwH2lsi08URW95DGnBMUfwaGZ-Y7Knmj5KkMOkKKtZcqIsvlZOj3pGLcFOCpUKHL_O_JFXP_-jQj50gsm6D1VNbvwWV58H5Dgo2enzhGhAIFWgLPNBOpP_Ci-djE3fSSiaMouepD2iOxaHLUtS8ZMuQCfSWhsIvTcClL2FiGrPZWOPqRE/s1600/HouseOfDanger-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLIOYIWDqY0iwH2lsi08URW95DGnBMUfwaGZ-Y7Knmj5KkMOkKKtZcqIsvlZOj3pGLcFOCpUKHL_O_JFXP_-jQj50gsm6D1VNbvwWV58H5Dgo2enzhGhAIFWgLPNBOpP_Ci-djE3fSSiaMouepD2iOxaHLUtS8ZMuQCfSWhsIvTcClL2FiGrPZWOPqRE/s320/HouseOfDanger-2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>This time, the Dutchmen managed to turn the page to a happy ending in their house of horrors! (Unless there's a grisly sequel awaiting in D.C., but what are the odds of that?)</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">To paraphrase the <a href="https://twitter.com/jon_bois/status/456616952153128960?lang=en" target="_blank">classic Tweet that appears whenever an NHL playoff game goes into overtime</a>: Why do whatever dangerous illegal drugs you want to do while riding a motorcycle out of a helicopter when all you have to do is watch mid-major basketball? The Flying Dutchmen, whose season appeared on the edge of disaster barely a month ago, locked up no worse than a top-three seed and a double bye in next week’s CAA Tournament by delivering an impressive finishing kick and beating UNC Wilmington 69-58 . The Dutchmen can clinch the no. 2 seed with either a win over regular season champ Charleston today or a Drexel loss to Northeastern later in the afternoon. Make sure to stop by later in the morning for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over the Seahawks and a look ahead to the Cougars, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material (plus some bonus fabulous February content) in the postgame Keep It Perky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar (28 points, eight rebounds) had a monster game in his home state and sparked the decisive 16-1 second-half run for the Flying Dutchmen, who squandered a 13-point lead earlier in the half before delivering a forceful statement in the program’s House of Horrors (trademark pending). The Dutchmen never trailed in the first half, when they led by as many as nine but went scoreless in four possessions with a chance to expand the lead to double digits before carrying 32-25 lead into the locker room. Dubar scored four straight points to finally extend the lead to 43-30 with 16:18 left, but UNC Wilmington responded with a 14-0 run and took its first lead on Trazarien White’s jumper with 10:58 left. Jaquan Carlos then hit a jumper and Shykeim Phillips answered with a 3-pointer before Dubar began going into takeover mode and put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 48-47 with a 3-pointer. The teams traded turnovers and White missed a potential go-ahead jumper before Tyler Thomas sank a 3-pointer. Dubar then went on a 6-1 run before baskets by Jacco Fritz and Jaquan Carlos ended the game-turning surge and extended the Dutchmen’s lead to 61-48 with 5:13 left. The Seahawks, who were 0-for-4 with four turnovers during the run, never got within single digits the rest of the way. Dubar had 17 of his points in the second half while Carlos had another impressive all-around game with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Thomas had 13 points but added two blocks and a steal. Fritz had six points and eight rebounds while German Plotnikov added four points for the Dutchmen, who got all their points from their starters.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. UNC Wilmington, 2/29)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Tyler Thomas</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 61</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 53</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 32</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! Bummer, but while it was at least the fourth 69-58 win in program history, it was the first of this century. The Dutchmen previously earned a 69-58 victory when they vanquished Delaware on Feb. 25, 1989. I was a sophomore in high school! </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have recored seven unicorn score victories this season after recording 12 unicorn scores last season, 11 unicorn scores in 2021-22, 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 <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar made it two in a row Thursday night, when he gave the Dutchmen the lead for good at 48-47 by sinking the go-ahead 3-pointer with 9:42 left. This is the third time this season Dubar has had the Keith Hernandez in consecutive victories for the Dutchmen.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Drexel, 2/22/24 (9:43 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Not Twitter Guy, 2/24/24 (12:18 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead 3-pointer vs. UNC Wilmington, 2/29/24 (9:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 16</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 13</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTY GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 19-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 16th-best record in school history through 30 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 19-11 since 2017-18 and the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games, 16-11 after 27 games, 17-11 after 28 games and 18-11 for the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Also quirky: Speedy Claxton has been a part of all four 19-11 teams, first as a player in 1997-98 and then as an assistant coach in 2014-15 and 2017-18. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 30 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 18-12 (season ended with an 80-78 loss to Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, which left me as the most disappointed two-year-old toddler in the Nutmeg State, first NCAA Tournament as a D-I program, only 18-12 start in program history) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 23-7 (season ended with a 90-83 loss to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, most recent 23-7 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 24-6 (America East champs! Win in 30th game was a 76-69 victory over Delaware at Hofstra Arena that clinched the Dutchmen’s first NCAA Tournament berth since *checks notes* 1977)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 26-4 (America East champs again! Win in 30th game was a 68-54 victory over Delaware at Hofstra Arena that marked the final win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak and sent the Dutchmen to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, only 26-4 start in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 22-8 (loss in 30th game snapped an eight-game winning streak and was the final loss of the season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 22-8 (win over Vermont in America East quarterfinals was final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 21-9 (season ended with 53-44 loss to Saint Joseph’s, only 21-9 start in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 24-6 (loss in 30th game came against UNC Wilmington in CAA championship game, but don’t worry, the Dutchmen will definitely get an at-large bid six days from now)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 22-8 (won regular season finale, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 22-8 (won regular season finale to clinch no. 1 seed in the CAA Tournament)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 24-6 (most recent 24-6 start, win in 30th game clinched tie for the CAA regular season title)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 22-8 (most recent 22-8 start, win in 30th game marked 10th win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 23-7 (season ended with 78-71 win over Mount St. Mary’s in an NCAA Tournament game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 1958-59 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 27 games (20-7), while the 1961-62 team, Hofstra’s second to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 28 games (24-4) and the 1963-64 team completed its season in 29 games (23-6).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 30-game records — in fact, all of them!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2017-18: 19-11 (won regular season finale for final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 14-16 (only 14-16 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 19-11</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 8-22 (only 8-22 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 7-23 (only 7-23 start, worst 30-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 9-21 (only 9-21 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2010-11: 20-10 (won regular season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 17-13 (most recent 17-13 start, win in 30th game marked fifth win of seven-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2008-09: 20-10 (won regular season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 12-18 (season ended with 81-66 loss to Towson in a CAA Tournament outbracket game, only 12-18 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 11-19 (only 11-19 start, 72-52 win over Towson in CAA Tournament first-round game ended Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997-98: 19-11 (win over Hartford in America East quarterfinal was final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 17-13 (season ended with 80-76 loss to Drexel in ECC championship game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 30-0, 29-1, 28-2, 27-3, 25-5, 16-14, 15-15, 13-17, 10-20, 6-24, 5-25, 4-26, 3-27, 2-28, 1-29 or 0-30 through 30 games.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sixty seasons were completed in fewer than 30 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (7-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1946-47 (18-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50 (17-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51 (18-11)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1951-52 (26-3)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55 (19-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56 (22-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57 (11-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62 (24-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64 (23-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66 (16-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70 (13-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1979-80 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82 (12-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83 (18-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1983-84 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1984-85 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88 (6-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1989-90 (13-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92 (20-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94 (9-20)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03 (8-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04 (14-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(Well) more than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-SEVEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 65-32 (.670) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 97 games at the helm.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 65-32 (.670, 97th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 65-32 (.670, 97th game was the 22nd game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 65-32</b> (.670, 97th game was the 30th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 64-33 (.660, 97th game was the 26th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 52-45 (.536, 97th game was the 30th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 49-48 (.505, 97th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 47-50 (.485, 97th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 41-56 (.423, 97th game was the 25th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 41-56 (.423, 97th game was the seventh game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 40-57 (.412, 97th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 38-59 (.392, 97th game was the 32nd and game of his third season in 2012-13 as well as Cassara’s final game as Hofstra’s head coach)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The top four remains the same for a fourth straight game as Paul Lynner, Butch van Breda Kolff I and Speedy Claxton all win their 97th games to stay tied for first and Frank Reilly wins his 97th game to remain a game behind. Dick Berg moves back over .500 and Mo Cassara’s tenure ends with a 62-57 loss to Delaware in the first round of the CAA Tournament on Mar. 9, 2013. Cassara was fired 13 days later.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FABULOUS FEBRUARY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And one more bonus bit of content before turning our focus over to Charleston, with a big assist from Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov, who notes the win on Thursday night improved the Dutchmen to a mind-boggling 24-3 in February under Speedy Claxton.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">That’s a tidy .889 winning percentage — the third-best winning percentage in regular season games played after Feb. 1 over the last three seasons. Just nine Division I teams have lost four games or fewer after Feb. 1 since 2021-22, including four familiar names and/or recent opponents!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Colgate 24-2 (.923)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Vermont 23-2 (.920)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA</b> 24-3 (.889)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gonzaga 22-3 (.880)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Merrimack 21-3 (.875)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">South Dakota State 20-3 (.870)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">VCU 21-4 (.840)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Saint Mary’s 20-4 (.833)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Princeton 18-4 (.818)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Pretty good company…and some pretty good times for the Flying Dutchmen.</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-83218233839017014402024-02-29T04:58:00.009-05:002024-02-29T04:58:35.323-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at UNC Wilmington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkY0ozARPlqzDBKaUO8aKJvDO-OfLOS6ps813F098aFslZHKqZaU7Cj1BiIDYxghCdi2FYz60OQaupNHLhl_Nv2wfZ3r2lqBkMuzcZDYpU7iJe3pkONGlTu0zD_-F_sm8e7jpvDUzya8fSwaQhKu9lQ7FTuLl2w84hMQ7i7WOpLcw2eI8HXRAqVt7nu6Q/s1415/EvanPhillips2024Topps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1415" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkY0ozARPlqzDBKaUO8aKJvDO-OfLOS6ps813F098aFslZHKqZaU7Cj1BiIDYxghCdi2FYz60OQaupNHLhl_Nv2wfZ3r2lqBkMuzcZDYpU7iJe3pkONGlTu0zD_-F_sm8e7jpvDUzya8fSwaQhKu9lQ7FTuLl2w84hMQ7i7WOpLcw2eI8HXRAqVt7nu6Q/s320/EvanPhillips2024Topps.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>This UNCW grad is making twice as much this season as Shohei Ohtani, so this card must be worth a fortune!</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Welcome to a historic I’ll Be Quirky! No, not a Leap Day edition (this is our second Leap Day IBQ, thanks quirkiness of the schedule placing Feb. 29 on a Saturday and a Thursday in consecutive Leap Years), but the first time two IBQs have followed a Keep It Perky. The boilerplate postgame material running well beyond 2,000 words by the time we get late into February is a reminder this is a pretty good idea shared by Loyal Readers Jaden, Jess and Stephen, Thanks guys! Anyway, the Keep It Perky from the win over Not Twitter Guy — unicorn score! — was posted last night and can be read <a href="https://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/02/keep-it-perky-not-twitter-guy-postgame.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Saturday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing the really big game tonight against UNC Wilmington. As always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all about Tyler Thomas’ surge into the front-runner’s seat for CAA Player of the Year, Hofstra's historic run of Player of the Week winners, the success of seniors on Senior Day/Night and much more before a look at the Seahawks!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>POWERFUL AGAINST THE PHOENIX</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen’s 87-64 win over Not Twitter Guy last Saturday marked the fifth time they’ve beaten the Phoenix by at least 20 points since 2014-15, when Not Twitter Guy joined the CAA. That’s the most 20-point wins for the Dutchmen against a league opponent in that span — a doubly impressive feat considering all five of those lopsided victories have happened in the last five seasons.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>RUN RUNAWAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen took control Saturday night with a 15-0 first half run that turned a 16-15 lead into a 31-15 lead. It was the second straight game in which the Dutchmen mounted a run of at least 15 straight points — a 16-0 run last Thursday turned a 43-41 deficit into a 57-43 lead in the 69-57 win over Drexel — and the fourth time they’ve done so this season. The Dutchmen mounted a 19-0 run in a 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20 and a 17-0 run in an 86-77 win over Hampton on Jan. 18.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAKING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have won three straight games, all by double digits. That’s the longest such streak since they won five straight by at least 10 points from Feb, 8-16, 2023. Those wins came in the midst of the 12-game winning streak that ended against UNC Wilmington in the CAA Tournament semifinals *shudders*</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT A SECOND-HALF TEAM <i>(for at least one night)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With the win well in hand by halftime, the Dutchmen deviated from form Saturday by scoring more points in the first half (47) than in the second half (40). It was just the sixth time in CAA play and the ninth time overall this season the Dutchmen haven’t scored more points in the second half than in the first half. But the 40-point second half maintained the Dutchmen’s average of 39.8 points per second half (1,155 points overall) as opposed to their first-half average of 34.8 points per first half (1,008 points overall). (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SENIOR MOMENTS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now here’s a truly Quirky stat: With his 25 points Saturday night, Tyler Thomas became the first Hofstra senior to score at least 20 points on his Senior Day/Night since…Tyler Thomas scored 23 points in an 84-52 win over Northeastern on Feb. 25, 2023. THAT has got to be a first, though it might not be the last in an era in which teams will honor academic seniors with remaining eligibility in case they exit.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A senior has scored at least 20 points on Senior Day/Night in each of the last five full seasons, though that streak comes with a bit of a quirky asterisk as well, Omar Silverio, a fourth-year player who had eligibility remaining (nice job there, NCAA), scored 20 points in an 83-67 win over William & Mary on his Senior Day on Feb. 26, 2022. However, the Dutchmen had one more home game two days later, when they played Charleston in the makeup of a game postponed due to a COVID outbreak within the Cougars’ program. Silverio had 19 points in that game, am 89-84 win.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The streak of seniors scoring at least 20 points on Senior Day/Night began Feb, 23, 2019, when Justin Wright-Foreman scored 33 points in a 104-99 overtime loss to James Madison. Eli Pemberton (35 points) and Desure Buie (26 points) each surged past the 20-point mark in a 97-81 win over James Madison on Feb. 29, 2020. Prior to Wright-Foreman, a Hofstra senior hadn’t scored at least 20 points on Senior Day/Night since Mike Moore (30 points) and Nathaniel Lester (20 points) did so in a 93-64 rout of UNC Wilmington on Feb. 25, 2012.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday night, when he scored 17 points to increase his career total to 1,247 points and move past Roberto Gittens for 22nd place. I’ve been thinking for months that Dubar was channeling his 2000-01 Roberto Gittens, so that’s kinda neat. Dubar enters tonight 40 points shy of surpassing Mike Tilley for 21st place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">21.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>22.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,247</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">23.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">27.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, also moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when his 25 points increased his career total to 1,228 points and lifted him past four players — former teammate Aaron Estrada as well as Demetrius Dudley, John Mills and Carlos Rivera — and into 24th place. Thomas enters tonight 13 points away from moving past Roberto Gittens (this is a potentially rough week for Roberto) into 23rd place and 20 points away from leapfrogging teammate Darlinstone Dubar. Now THAT would be quirky! At the least, with Dubar needing 40 points tonight to move past Mike Tilley, there’s a pretty good chance the teammates will be next to each other on the all-time scoring list by the end of the evening.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>22.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,247</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">23.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>24.) TYLER THOMAS 1,228</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DIMES FOR JAQUAN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos remained in ninth place on the Hofstra all-time assist list Saturday night, when he collected nine assists to increase his career total to 376. Carlos enters tonight two assists shy of moving past Loren Stokes for eighth place. Pretty impressive considering Carlos had just 23 assists as a freshman two years ago.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7.) Juan’ya Green 463</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">8.) Loren Stokes 377</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>9.) JAQUAN CARLOS 376</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">10.) Woody Souffrant 362</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11.) Carlos Rivera 351</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GO FOURTH, YOUNG MEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen had four players score in double figures Saturday, when Tyler Thomas led the way with 25 points and was followed by Darlinstone Dubar (17 points), Jacco Fritz (14 points) and German Plotnikov (11 points). The Dutchmen are 9-0 this season when at least four player score in double figures and have won 18 straight games with at least four double-digit scorers dating back to Dec. 31, 2022, when four players scored in double figures in the last-second 81-79 loss to North Carolina A&T.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOW MANY PLAYERS SCORED FOR THE DUTCHMEN ON SATURDAY?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Niiiiiiine players. Everyone who saw the floor Saturday for the Dutchmen scored except Silas Sunday, who was scoreless in seven minutes. The Dutchmen are 4-2 this season when at least nine players score at least one point.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HONORS FOR THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who scored 28 points against Drexel in last Thursday’s 69-57 win over Drexel before leading all scorers with 25 points on Saturday, was named the CAA’s Player of the Week on Monday. It’s the league-leading third time this season Thomas has been named the CAA’s Player of the Week and the fourth time he’s earned the honors in his career. Speaking of honors…</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA HONORS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">…the second Player of the Week honor for Tyler Thomas this month allowed me to finish my research regarding Hofstra’s impressive consistency in producing award-winning players. Hofstra’s had a whopping 26 players combine to earn 83 Player of the Week awards dating back to the school’s first season in the CAA in 2001-02. That’s the most players to earn a Player of the Week award and the most Player of the Week awards earned by any CAA school in that span. Delaware ranks second in both categories, but their 25 honorees have combined for 47 awards — barely half that of Hofstra. Devon Saddler is the most-honored Delaware player with six Player of the Week awards, a total matched or exceeded by five Dutchmen: Justin Wright-Foreman (12), Charles Jenkins (10), Loren Stokes (9), Aaron Estrada (8) and Juan’ya Green (6).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, Hofstra has had at least one player earn Player of the Week honors in each of the last 21 seasons dating back to 2003-04, which is easily the longest active streak in the CAA. Another way to put that is that a Hofstra player has earned Player of the Week honors in every single season the school’s been in the CAA EXCEPT 2002-03. Another way to put that: Even the 2012-13 team had an honoree (alas, he is one of The Those Who Shall Not Be Named).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence Saturday night, when he scored 25 points while going 9-of-21 from the field, including 5-of-14 from 3-point land, Thomas is 35-of-83 from beyond the arc over his last nine games after going just 27-of-97 from 3-point land in nine games from Dec. 21-Jan. 25. He has scored in double figures in 21 straight games, 51 of his last 53 games and 59 times overall in the last two seasons. Thomas also has scored at least 20 points in seven of the last eight games and 20 times overall this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE 25/5 CLUB</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas did a little bit of everything Saturday night, when he had 25 points and seven rebounds. It was the fifth time he’s had at least 25 points and seven rebounds in a game this season and the seventh time he’s done so in two seasons with the Dutchmen. Just three players have more 25/5 games since 2010-11, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. Justin Wright-Foreman had 25 such games, followed by Eli Pemberton (14 games) ad Aaron Estrada (11 games).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS’ THEFTS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued to impress on defense Saturday night, when he had a team-high three steals. Thomas has eight steals in the last two games, his most thefts over a two-game span in his collegiate career. He had six steals — three in each game — for Sacred Heart against Stony Brook and NJIT from Nov 22-30, 2021. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz chose a pretty good time for his first double-double with the Dutchmen on Saturday night, when the graduate student finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds on Senior Night. The 14 points and 10 rebounds were each were tied for the second-most in a game this season by Fritz, who had 15 points against Delaware in a 76-71 win on Jan. 6 and 14 points against Wright State in an 85-76 win on Nov. 21. He pulled down 11 rebounds in a 64-55 win over William & Mary on Jan. 25 and had 10 rebounds in a 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S BACK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar flirted with a double-double Saturday night, when he finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. It was the second straight game in which Dubar had at least 10 points and seven rebounds and the 13th time he’s done so this season. He did so just 12 times in his first two seasons at Hofstra combined. In addition, Dubar has scored 54 points in the last three games since his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts was snapped at 27 games when he was limited to nine points in a 79-77 loss to Drexel on Feb. 15.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PERFECT FROM TWO (TIMES TWO)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar (6-for-6) and German Plotnikov (4-for-4) were each perfect from inside the 3-point line on Saturday night. Dubar and Plotnikov are the first Dutchmen teammates to enjoy perfect shooting nights from inside the arc (minimum four attempts) since Dec. 16, when Jacco Fritz and Bryce Washington were each 4-of-4 on their 2-point field goal attempts in a 74-58 win over Norfolk State.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos also flirted with a double-double Saturday, when he had eight points and nine assists. Carlos has 21 points, 22 rebounds and a whopping 33 assists in his last three games after collecting just 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in his previous four games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN SHOPS AT THE FIVE-AND-DIME</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov had a solid all-around game Saturday, when he scored 11 points and tied a career-high by collecting five assists as the Dutchmen improved to 10-2 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov also had five assists in an 81-78 loss to Monmouth on Jan. 27. He is averaging 9.8 points and 2.4 rebounds over 29 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TRIP THREES FOR WASHINGTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">One game after he posted a Club Trillion stat line over 16 minutes, Bryce Washington had three points, three rebounds and three assists in 16 minutes. Washington is the first Hofstra player to post that line since 2010-11, the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference. Quirky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE KHALIL AND KIJAN SHOW</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Freshmen Khalil Farmer and KiJan Robinson, both of whom were scoreless in the previous two games, each scored three points while hitting a 3-pointer on Saturday night. Farmer and Robinson have finished with the same number of points in each of the last five games — both had five points against North Carolina A&T in an 81-49 win on Feb. 10 and three points against Drexel in a 79-77 loss on Feb. 15 before going scoreless against Northeastern and Drexel on Feb. 17-22 — and have finished with the same number of points in 10 of the 22 games in which they’ve both appeared this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAYDEN OPENS THE BANK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Welcome to the all-time Hofstra scoring list, Jayden Henriquez! The freshman walk-on produced one of the coolest moments of the season with 2:02 left, when he banked a 3-pointer for his first points of the season and the first points this season by a walk-on. Henriquez is the third walk-on to score in the Speedy Claxton Era, joining Aidan Best and Petey Galgano, who combined for 16 points last season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight's game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING UNC WILMINGTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seahawks, under fourth-year head coach Takayo Siddle, are 20-8 overall and 11-5 in CAA play following a 105-100 double-overtime loss to Campbell in the CAA’s game of the year Monday night. Great! They won’t be mad or anything tonight! It was the second upset loss in a three-game span for UNC Wilmington, which fell to Not Twitter Guy 73-72 Feb. 17 on a buzzer-beating tip-in by Isaac Harrell.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Seahawks had no common opponents in non-conference play. In CAA play, both teams split with Drexel and won their lone games against Delaware, North Carolina A&T and William & Mary. The Dutchmen swept Northeastern and Hampton, each of whom UNC Wilmington beat in the lone meetings between the teams, and swept Stony Brook, which beat the Seahawks in the lone meeting between the teams. Hofstra won its lone game against Towson, which beat UNC Wilmington in the first meeting between the teams on Jan. 6, and lost its lone game against Monmouth, whom the Seahawks beat in the only game between the schools. The Dutchmen beat Elon, who split with UNC Wilmington, and lost their lone meeting to Campbell, which split with the Seahawks. Hofstra lost its first game of the season to Charleston, which was swept by UNC Wilmington.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 127th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Seahawks, who were picked to finish second, are ranked 107th. The Dutchmen moved up two spots in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings following Saturday’s win and have gained ground in a season-high five straight games. That immediately followed a stretch in which they lost ground following eight consecutive games. College basketball: The best way to drive yourself insane.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (110.5 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (100.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.2 possessions per 40 minutes, the seventh-most in the league. The Seahawks rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (117.3 points per 100 possessions) and seventh in defensive efficiency (105.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 64.7 possessions per 40 minutes, 13th-most (or second-fewest) in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Fourth-year junior Trazarien White, a preseason all-CAA first-team selection who began his career at Collin College, leads the Seahawks with 20.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, though he drew the dreaded DNP-CD against North Carolina A&T on Feb. 15 and came off the bench against Not Twitter Guy two nights later. Graduate student Shykeim Phillips, who has spent all five seasons at UNC Wilmington, is averaging 14.0 points per game and a team-high 3.8 assists per game. Graduate student KJ Jenkins, who played last season at New Mexico, is averaging 12.5 points per game while graduate student Maleeck Harden-Hayes, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection who began his career with three seasons at North Dakota State, is averaging 10.2 points per game and</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">ranks second on the Seahawks with 4.2 rebounds per game despite missing seven games from Jan. 18-Feb. 8.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 75-70 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 6-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 12-16 against the spread this season but have covered four straight to improve to 6-10 against the spread in CAA play.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FIRST TIME TOOK A LONG TIME</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks to the dreadful unbalanced schedule, tonight marks the only time this season the Dutchmen play UNC Wilmington. This is the latest in a season the Dutchmen have played a CAA opponent for the first time since the 2011-12 season when they opposed William & Mary in the penultimate league game on Feb. 22 and fell to the Tribe, 75-71.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>LEAP DAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marks the second straight Leap Day in which the Dutchmen have played a game but just the third Leap Day game in the school’s Division I era. The Dutchmen beat UMBC 103-87 on Feb. 29, 1992 and eased past James Madison 97-81 on Feb. 29, 2020.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE CAA RACE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have continued their February tradition of Godfathering us all by earning three straight wins to remain in control of their fate in the hunt for a double bye in the CAA Tournament and maintain their very slim hopes of winning the regular season championship. However, the range of outcomes tonight is VAST.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1.) Charleston 13-3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2.) UNC Wilmington 11-5 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3.) HOFSTRA 11-5</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">4.) Drexel 11-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">5.) Towson 10-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">6.) Delaware 9-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7.) Monmouth 9-7</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seahawks are the second seed at the moment by virtue of their sweep of Charleston, which beat the Dutchmen. Hofstra is the third seed at the moment by virtue of its win over Towson, which beat Drexel. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen can clinch no worse than the third seed and move into second place with a win tonight, But a loss, coupled with a win by Drexel against Stony Brook, would drop the Dutchmen into fourth place and the last double bye, with a chance to slip as low as sixth with another loss on Saturday and wins by Delaware and Monmouth in their final two games. I think, anyway. This dreadful unbalanced schedule really makes figuring out tiebreakers a bear.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. UNC WILMINGTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 26-24 against UNC Wilmington in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The teams split two games last season, when Tyler Thomas scored 28 points in a 70-46 victory at the Arena in the lone regular season meeting between the teams on Jan. 19, 2023. That started a 12-game winning streak for the Dutchmen, whose run was snapped when the Seahawks got their revenge — as they are wont to do — in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament on Mar. 6, when UNC Wilmington overcame a 12-point first-half deficit to earn a 79-73 overtime win. Bad things, very bad things. It was the fifth time the Dutchmen have been eliminated from the CAA Tournament by the Seahawks. Wonderful memories!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Takayo Siddle probably figured out a way to make 105-100 about Hofstra bias! (The master motivator had 70-46 plastered all around the locker room before last season’s semifinal clash)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Trask Coliseum is an absolute house of horrors for us bias! (I mean, it is, ask anyone even remotely connected to Hofstra)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Evan Phillips is making more this season than Shohei Ohtani bias! (The UNCW alum and incumbent Dodgers closer is incredibly making twice as much as Ohtani)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Benny Moss is back coaching — for now anyway — bias! (The former UNC Wilmington head coach who was whacked following a 93-54 loss to the Dutchmen on Jan. 27, 2010, is 5-15 at Coastal Carolina since taking over following the retirement of Cliff Ellis)</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-85638975885324082832024-02-28T21:59:00.007-05:002024-03-06T14:03:16.832-05:00Keep It Perky: Elon postgame<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/l2q_-xN2N54?si=r8IO0W4bd7RfvQeh" width="480"></iframe><div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>The only Tesla we recognize around here (shout out Torrington HS Class of '91). Also: The double bye is all around us, yeaaaaah, the double bye, we're outside its door)</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What was once a long-shot pursuit of a double bye in the CAA Tournament grew increasingly realistic over a 48-hour span for the Flying Dutchmen, who closed out a perfect final homestand of the season by cruising past Elon 87-64 on Saturday night before Campbell delivered a big present with Monday night’s 105-100, double-overtime upset of UNC Wilmington. Thanks, Fighting Camels! This mostly makes up for that not nice 69-68 loss at your joint a few weeks ago. The Dutchmen will have a chance to lock up a double bye and clinch the tiebreaker over UNC Wilmington when the two teams clash tomorrow night. Make sure to stop by in the morning for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over Elon and a look ahead to the Seahawks, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material (plus some bonus Senior Day/Night content) in the postgame Keep It Perky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas (25 points, seven rebounds) continued his push for CAA Player of the Year honors for the Flying Dutchmen, who were never threatened after taking control with a 15-0 run around the midway point of the first half. Elon, a week removed from ruining UNC Wilmington’s homecoming, scored seven straight points following a game-opening layup by Jacco Fritz and led 9-5 at the under-16 media timeout. But the Dutchmen scored the next seven points once play resumed and outscored the Phoenix 15-6 prior to the next media stoppage, a stretch that ended with Fritz and German Plotnikov scoring on consecutive possessions to begin the decisive surge. The Dutchmen opened up a double-digit lead for good at 25-15 on Jaquan Carlos’ jumper with 9:20 left and led by as many as 23 before entering halftime with a 47-30 lead. The Phoenix kept the deficit within 20 points for most of the first six-plus minutes of the second half before Thomas hit consecutive 3-pointers to extend the lead to 64-41 with 12:30 left. The Dutchmen led by at least 20 the rest of the way and emptied the bench for Senior Night exits with 3:16 left. Thomas added four assists and three steals in another impressive all-around performance. Fritz (14 points, 10 rebounds) posted a double-double while Carlos (eight points, nine rebounds) and Darlinstone Dubar (17 points, nine rebounds) each flirted with a double-double. Plotnikov had 11 points and a career-high five assists. Four reserves — senior Bryce Washington along with freshmen KiJan Robinson, Khalil Farmer and Jayden Henriquez — hit a 3-pointer apiece, with Henriquez’s banked trey providing the first points of the season by a walk-on. That’ll never not be cool.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Elon, 2/24)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jacco Fritz</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 60</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 50</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 30</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">YES! Whoohoo! And in an especially quirky twist, the closest the Dutchmen had come to an 87-64 victory prior to Saturday was an 86-63 win over…Elon on Jan. 30, 2020. Appreciate both teams making an extra free throw last Saturday! This is the Dutchmen’s seventh victory score of the season. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/6/23: 101-48 over St. Joseph’s (NY)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/20/23: 102-68 over Buffalo</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/22/23: 97-92 (OT) over High Point</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/30/23: 82-63 over South Florida</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/1/24: 72-71 over Stony Brook</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/3/24: 59-56 over Towson</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/24/24: 87-64 over Elon</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen recorded 12 unicorn score victories last season after recording 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, 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 <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar snapped a tie atop the season standings with Tyler Thomas by hitting the tie-breaking layup to put the Dutchmen ahead 14-12 with 12:18 left in the first half. It’s the fourth straight victory in which Dubar or Thomas has recorded the Keith Hernandez.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Drexel, 2/22/24 (9:43 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Elon, 2/24/24 (12:18 left 1H)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 16</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 12</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-NINE GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 18-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 19th-best record in school history through 28 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 18-11 since 2017-18 and the sixth time overall in school history, which makes 18-11 the most common 29-game record. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games, 16-11 after 27 games and 17-11 after 28 games for the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 29 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 18-11 (win in 29th game came in ECC Tournament championship game, marked sixth win of six-game winning streak and sent the Dutchmen to the NCAAs for the first time as a D-I program)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 22-7 (win in 29th game came in ECC Tournament championship game, marked ninth win of nine-game winning streak and sent to the Dutchmen to the NCAAs for the second straight season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 23-6 (win in 29th game came in America East tournament semifinals) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 25-4 (win in 29th game came in America East tournament semifinals and marked 17th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak, only 25-4 start in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 22-7 (most recent 22-7 start, win in 29th game clinched tie for the CAA regular season title and was eighth win of eight-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 21-8 (win in 29th game came in America East quarterfinals, was final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 21-8 (loss in 29th game came in CAA semifinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 24-5 (win in 29th game came in the CAA semifinals — THE TONY SKINN GAME — and locked up at least an at-large bid for the Dutchmen, or so we thought THANKS TOC, only 24-5 start in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 21-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 21-8 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 23-6 (most recent 23-6 start, loss in 29th game came in home finale to James Madison, final regular season loss)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 23-6 (loss in first round of NCAAs was final loss of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 23-6 (season ended with first-round loss in NCAAs)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 1958-59 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 27 games (20-7), while the 1961-62 team, Hofstra’s second to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 28 games (24-4). </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 29-game records:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 19-10 (most recent 19-10 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 13-16 (only 13-16 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 8-21 (most recent 8-21 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 7-22 (only 7-22 start, win in 29th game was final win for Mo Cassara, worst 29-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 9-20 (most recent 9-20 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 16-13 (only 16-13 start, win in 29th game marked fourth win of seven-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 12-17 (only 12-17 start, win in 29th game was final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04: 14-15 (most recent 14-15 start, season ended w/loss to Old Dominion in CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03: 8-21 (season ended w/loss to UNC Wilmington in CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-19 (only 10-19 start, loss in 29th game ended regular season and marked eighth loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997-98: 18-11 (won regular season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 9-20 (ECC champs! Beat Northeastern Illinois in 2 OTs to win ECC title in VBK’s final game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 20-9 (season ended w/loss to Towson State in ECC championship and ended nine-game winning streak, only 20-9 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89: 14-15 (season ended w/loss in ECC semifinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 17-12 (only 17-12 start, win in ECC semifinals was final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1984-85: 14-15 (season ended w/loss in ECC semifinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1951-52: 26-3 (won known season finale, best 29-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51: 18-11 (lost season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 29-0, 28-1, 27-2, 15-14, 11-18, 6-23, 5-24, 4-25, 3-26, 2-27, 1-28 or 0-29 through 29 games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Fifty-one seasons were completed in fewer than 29 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (10-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1946-47 (18-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50 (17-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55 (19-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56 (22-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57 (11-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66 (16-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70 (13-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1979-80 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82 (12-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83 (18-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1983-84 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88 (6-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1989-90 (13-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91 (14-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95 (10-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">More than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-SIX</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 64-32 (.667) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 96 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 64-32 (.667, 96th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 64-32 (.667, 96th game was the 21st game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 64-32</b> (.667, 96th game was the 29th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 63-33 (.656, 96th game was the 25th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 51-45 (.531, 96th game was the 29th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 48-48 (.500, 96th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 46-50 (.479, 96th game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 40-56 (.417, 96th game was the 24th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 40-56 (.417, 96th game was the sixth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 39-57 (.406, 96th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 38-58 (.396, 96th game was the 31st game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The top four remains the same for a third straight game as Paul Lynner, Butch van Breda Kolff I and Speedy Claxton all win their 96th games to stay tied for first and Frank Reilly wins his 96th game to remain a game behind. Roger Gaeckler and Tm Pecora both win game no. 96 as Pecora moves out of the bottom two for the first time. He’s one win ahead of that Jay Wright guy, whom I’m sure never amounted to anything!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SENSATIONAL ON SENIOR DAY <i>(or Night)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The resounding victory last Saturday continued the Dutchmen’s tradition of thriving on Senior Day (or Night). The Dutchmen have won on Senior Day in each of the last three years to improve to 25-5 in home finales in the Defiantly Dutch era (1994-present), with losses absorbed in 1994 (Army won 87-76), 2002 (Towson won 61-60), 2013 (Delaware won 57-56), 2017 (UNC Wilmington won 83-76) and 2019 (James Madison won 104-99 in overtime). However, there were no seniors on the roster in 2002, which means the Dutchmen didn’t TECHNICALLY lose on Senior Day that year.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Not surprisingly, teams with Speedy Claxton either playing on the court or strolling the sideline have fared well on Senior Day. Claxton’s teams are now 12-2 on Senior Day — 4-0 when he was in uniform from 1997 through 2000, 8-2 since he joined the coaching staff for the 2013-14 season and 3-0 during his tenure as head coach.</p></div>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-12775094549981915352024-02-24T04:58:00.011-05:002024-03-06T14:01:44.522-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Elon at Hofstra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrM-VmKafxfySfO2NS21NjmU5YjLuco5tQsu55gwS2hOyIcslbU5XJb9o0pIObQBI4DgQ9ViTyXB0TI5BxuQDl5YUPQs99mlMGGlASiRj-5JeKo6X0ZasMUZ3Msio5nYMl1gjYq7kH0WC61oSdjpGf-q6M4xd6m8NIDFzTKli2gOJHTFKg2q5GzsHdl8/s640/HoppingMadCollectionAgency.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrM-VmKafxfySfO2NS21NjmU5YjLuco5tQsu55gwS2hOyIcslbU5XJb9o0pIObQBI4DgQ9ViTyXB0TI5BxuQDl5YUPQs99mlMGGlASiRj-5JeKo6X0ZasMUZ3Msio5nYMl1gjYq7kH0WC61oSdjpGf-q6M4xd6m8NIDFzTKli2gOJHTFKg2q5GzsHdl8/s320/HoppingMadCollectionAgency.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Which team will deliver the booting tonight?</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Welcome to the third edition of the slightly tweaked I’ll Be Quirky! Why am I alternating routine I’ll Be Quirkys with tweaked ones on the final weekend of February? Because adult ADHD is a real thing! Anyway, I posted Keep It Perky (once again, an inside joke rebranding) last night, which included a recap of the nice 69-57 win over Drexel as well as the usual post-victory boilerplate work — the 3 Stars of the Game, unicorn score and Keith Hernandez along with how the Flying Dutchmen are historically faring through this point in the season and Speedy Claxton’s standing with previous coaches through however many games — as well as a bit on how the Flying Dutchmen ONCE AGAIN won the ECC this year. Read that <a href="https://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/02/keep-it-perky-drexel-postgame.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Thursday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing Elon. Speaking of that, sorta, as always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all about the Dutchmen’s success when scoring under 70 points, Tyler Thomas’ red-hot run and much more before a look at the Phoenix!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONE POSSESSION OBSESSION</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hall & Oates reference! The Dutchmen didn’t come as close to leading wire-to-wire Thursday night as they did in last Saturday’s 82-62 win over Northeastern, when they only trailed 2-0. But the Dutchmen never trailed by more than one possession Thursday, when they were down by between one point and three points for 2:01 in the first half and down 43-41 for 33 seconds in the second half. This is the first time the Dutchmen have played two straight games in which they didn’t trail by more than a possession since Nov. 30-Dec. 6, when they led wire-to-wire in an 82-63 win over South Florida and a 62-57 victory over Iona.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>RUN RUNAWAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen took control Thursday night with a 16-0 second half run that turned a 43-41 deficit into a 57-43 lead. The run was the third-longest of the season for the Dutchmen behind a 17-0 run in an 86-77 win over Hampton on Jan. 18 and a 19-0 run in a 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WINNING AT (OR JUST ABOVE) THE SPEED LIMIT</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday night’s 69-57 win, the Dutchmen have won their last four games in which they’ve scored fewer than 70 points. The Dutchmen beat William & Mary 64-55 on Jan. 25 before edging Towson 59-56 on Feb. 3 and outlasting Hampton 63-59 on Feb. 8. This is the first time the Dutchmen have won at least four straight games in which they scored fewer than 70 points since they won five straight such games from Nov. 24-Dec. 13, 2008. All five of those victories occurred within an eight-game winning streak.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen won while surrendering fewer than 60 points Thursday night. The Dutchmen are 8-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 55 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">After scoring 41 points in both halves of last Saturday’s 82-62 win over Northeastern, the Dutchmen reverted to form — albeit barely — and scored more points in the second half (36 points) than the first half (33 points). The Dutchmen are averaging 39.8 points per second half (1,115 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.3 points per first half (961 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. Overall, the Dutchmen have scored more points in the first half than in the second half just eight times this season. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday night, when he scored 13 points to increase his career total to 1,230 points and leapfrogged four players — former teammate Aaron Estrada as well as John Mills, Demetrius Dudley and Carlos Rivera — to move into 23rd place. Dubar enters tonight 11 points away from moving past Roberto Gittens for 22nd place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">21.) Mike Tilley 1,286</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">22.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>23.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,230</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">27.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, also moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 28 points increased his career total to 1,203 points and lifted him past a trio of Joe Mihalich-era players — Rokas Gustys, Juan’ya Green and Brian Bernardi — into 28th place. Thomas enters tonight 17 points away from surpassing former teammate Aaron Estrada for 27th place, 18 points away from moving past Demetrius Dudley and John Mills for 25th place and 23 points away from surging past Carlos Rivera for 24th place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">25t.) John Mills 1,220</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">27.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>28.) TYLER THOMAS 1,203</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">29t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">29t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DIMES FOR JAQUAN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’re a little tardy on this one, but with his record-setting 19-assist performance last Saturday, Jaquan Carlos moved into the top 10 on the Hofstra all-time assist list. Carlos gained a half-spot on the list Thursday, when he had five assists to snap a tie with Woody Souffrant for 10th place. Pretty impressive considering Carlos had just 23 assists as a freshman two years ago. Carlos enters tonight 11 assists shy of moving past Loren Stokes for eighth place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7.) Juan’ya Green 463</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">8.) Loren Stokes 377</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>9.) JAQUAN CARLOS 367</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">10.) Woody Souffrant 362</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11.) Carlos Rivera 351</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence Thursday night, when he scored 28 points while going 9-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-10 from 3-point land, Thomas is 30-of-69 from beyond the arc over his last eight games after going just 24-of-86 from 3-point land in eight games from Dec. 30-Jan. 25. He has scored in double figures in 20 straight games, 50 of his last 52 games and 58 times overall in the last two seasons. Thomas also has at least 20 points in six of the last eight games and 19 times overall this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS’ THEFTS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas keyed an impressive defensive game by the Dutchmen Thursday night, when he collected a career-high five steals. Thomas had more than two steals in a game just once in his first 62 games at Hofstra. He recorded three steals in a 68-47 loss to Towson on Jan. 16, 2023. Thomas had four steals for Sacred Heart in a 65-48 win over Central Connecticut on Jan. 14, 2021.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAQUAN THE STAT-STUFFER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos, as Tom Pecora used to say about Loren Stokes, stuffed the stat sheet Thursday night, when he finished with eight points as well as a team-high 10 rebounds and five assists. It marked the seventh time this season Carlos has finished with at least five points, five rebounds and five assists in a game and the 12th time he has done so in the last two seasons. Only two Hofstra players — Juan’ya Green (23 and Aaron Estrada (19) — have more such games since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DIGIT BOARDS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 10 rebounds were also a season-high and tied a career-high for Jaquan Carlos, who had also had 10 rebounds against Stony Brook on Feb. 4, 2023 and 10 rebounds against Hampton on Feb. 16, 2023.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The solid all-around game Thursday was the second straight for Jaquan Carlos, who has 13 points, 18 rebounds and a whopping 24 assists in the last two games after collecting just 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in his previous four games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HANDS AND BOARDS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos led the Dutchmen with 10 rebounds and five assists Thursday. It was the second straight game in which Carlos led Hofstra in assists and rebounds but not scoring. Carlos is the first player to lead the Dutchmen in assists and rebounds but not scoring in consecutive games since…Jaquan Carlos did so from Feb. 8-11, 2023, when he had nine rebounds and nine assists in a 72-53 win over Northeastern before racking up eight rebounds and seven assists in an 86-57 victory over Monmouth.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S BACK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar recovered from a slow start Thursday to score 13 points and record seven rebounds. It was the 12th time this season Dubar has finished with at least 10 points and seven rebounds. He did so just 12 times in his first two seasons at Hofstra combined.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday continued his emergence Thursday, when he tied a career-high with eight points while setting a career-high with three blocks and adding four rebounds. Sunday, who previously scored eight points in the season-opening 101-48 win over Division III St. Joseph’s (NY), was 4-of-4 from the field in the first perfect shooting night by a Hofstra player (minimum four attempts) since Jacco Fritz scored nine points while going 4-of-4 from the field in a 69-68 loss to Campbell on Jan. 13. The three blocks broke Sunday’s previous single-game best of two blocks, set against Towson on Feb. 3 and matched against Hampton five days later. Sunday has 16 points and 26 rebounds in the last five games after recording just two points seven rebounds in the first 10 games of the CAA season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz, who had his briefest stint of the CAA season when he played 12 minutes in last Saturday’s 82-62 win over Northeastern, scored eight points Thursday while playing 25 minutes — his most since he played 25 minutes in a 59-56 over Towson on Feb. 3. Fritz has scored at least six points in five straight games and 11 times in 15 CAA games overall.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SWEET SIXTEEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen got their most offensive production from their big men in almost exactly a year Thursday night, when Jacco Fritz and Silas Sunday combined to score 16 points. A center duo hadn’t scored at least 16 points for the Dutchmen since last Feb. 25, when Warren Williams (19 points) and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom (four points) combined for 23 points in an 84-52 win over Northeastern.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov had four points in 27 minutes Thursday, when the Dutchmen improved to 9-2 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov is averaging 9.6 points and 2.5 rebounds over 29 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CLUB TRILLION FOR WASHINGTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington produced one of the quirkiest boxscores in memory Thursday, when he didn’t attempt a field goal and didn’t record any statistic in 16 minutes. Per the Play Index at College Basketball Reference, he is just the third Division I player this season to play at least 10 minutes without recording a statistic. Jaren Marshall did so in 27 minutes for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi against Long Island University on Nov. 24 before Eoin Nelson did so in 30 minutes for North Alabama against Lipscomb on Jan. 20.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Washington is the first Hofstra player to play at least 10 minutes without recording a statistic since at least the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. Jamall Robinson was the most recent player to come closest to such a line on Feb 18, 2017, when he had one steal and one foul in 10 minutes of an 83-76 loss to UNC Wilmington.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight’s game will be carried live in the metro New York area on MSG, which is channel 72 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. You can also catch it on the MSG app if you have an Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords subscription or somehow paid one billion dollars (approx) for the app. It will also be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SENIOR DAY (err, Night)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">File this under things we no longer take for granted in the pandemic era — and things that are different in the NIL/instant transfer era. The Dutchmen will honor their five seniors — graduate students Jacco Fritz, Tyler Thomas and Bryce Washington as well as fourth-year players Darlinstone Dubar and Myles Wilmoth, each of whom have the option to play one more year (hopefully here!) due to the extra year awarded to those who played in the pandemic-wracked 2020-21 campaign — in a ceremony scheduled to begin at 6:40 PM. It will be the second Senior Day for Thomas, who was also honored last year, when he was a fourth-year player. THAT has got to be a first. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This will mark the third straight Senior Day after the scheduled home finale was canceled due to, well, you know, in February 2021. The Dutchmen’s final home game of that season turned out to be a 79-74 win over Drexel on Feb. 7, 2021. The 2022 Senior Day was held prior to the penultimate home game of the season on Saturday, Feb. 26, two days before a makeup game against Charleston.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">While Senior Day is a bittersweet afternoon for players and coaches, the game itself has traditionally been a happy occasion for the Flying Dutchmen. The Dutchmen are 24-5 in home finales in the DD Era (1994-present) with losses absorbed in 1994 (Army won 87-76), 2002 (Towson won 61-60), 2013 (Delaware won 57-56), 2017 (UNC Wilmington won 83-76) and 2019 (James Madison won 104-99 in overtime). However, there were no seniors on the roster in 2002, which means the Dutchmen didn’t TECHNICALLY lose on Senior Day that year.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Not surprisingly, teams with Speedy Claxton either playing on the court or strolling the sideline have fared well on Senior Day. Claxton’s teams are 11-2 on Senior Day — 4-0 when he was in uniform from 1997 through 2000 and 7-2 since he joined the coaching staff for the 2013-14 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This will be the earliest Senior Day (err, Night) for Hofstra since 2019, when the Dutchmen fell to James Madison, 104-99, in overtime in the home finale for Justin Wright-Foreman. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Also, apropos of nothing, all Saturday games should be at night. Senior Day and otherwise. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING ELON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Phoenix, under second-year head coach Billy Taylor, are 12-16 overall and 5-10 in CAA play following a 61-58 loss to Northeastern on Thursday night. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Elon, which shocked UNC Wilmington 73-72 last Saturday on Isaac Harrell’s buzzer-beating tip-in.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Phoenix had no common opponents in non-conference play. In CAA play, both teams won their lone game against Delaware and lost their lone game against Charleston. The Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Elon beat in the lone matchup between the schools, and beat North Carolina A&T, whom the Phoenix swept. The Dutchmen won their lone games against William & Mary and Towson, each of whom beat the Phoenix in the only meeting between the teams, and swept Stony Brook, which beat Elon. Hofstra lost its matchup against Campbell, which swept Elon. The Dutchmen split with Northeastern, which swept the Phoenix, as well as with Drexel, which beat Elon. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 129th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Phoenix, who were picked to finish 10th, are ranked 313th. The Dutchmen moved up seven spots in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings following Thursday’s win and have gained ground in a season-high four straight games. That immediately followed a stretch in which they lost ground following eight consecutive games. College basketball: The best way to drive yourself insane.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.3 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (101.3 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.1 possessions per 40 minutes, the seventh-most in the league. The Phoenix rank 11th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (103.7 points per 100 possessions) and 13th in defensive efficiency (112.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.0 possessions per 40 minutes, eighth-most in the league. Hey! That’s right behind the Dutchmen!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore Max MacKinnon, who won the CAA Rookie of the Year last season and who was selected to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Phoenix with 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore TK Simpkins, who began his career by playing under former Hofstra assistant coach Steve DeMeo at Northwest Florida State College, ranks second on the Phoenix with 12.3 points and is averaging 3.0 assists per game, which is tied for the team lead. Fifth-year senior Rob Higgins, who played his first four seasons at St. Francis (NY) before the school dropped sports, is averaging 10.9 points per game and 3.0 assists per game. Junior Sam Sherry ranks second on Elon with 4.5 rebounds per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 79-66 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 13 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 11-16 against the spread this season but have covered three straight to improve to 5-10 against the spread in CAA play.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE CAA RACE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen continued their February tradition of Godfathering us all by beating Drexel to remain in control of their fate in the hunt for a double bye in the CAA Tournament and maintain their slim hopes of winning the regular season championship and the automatic bid to the NIT. Hold on, I am being told something.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1.) Charleston 12-3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2.) UNC Wilmington 11-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3.) <b>HOFSTRA 10-5</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">4.) Towson 10-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">5.) Drexel 10-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">6.) Delaware 9-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7.) Monmouth 8-7</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are the third seed at the moment by virtue of their 2-1 record against Drexel and Towson. Towson is the fourth seed by virtue of its head-to-head win over the Dragons.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen can clinch no worse than the sixth seed today with a win and a loss by Monmouth, which is slated to host North Carolina A&T. Those results, plus a Delaware loss to Drexel on Monday, would ensure the Dutchmen no worse than the fifth seed. A win today will also, I think, keep the Dutchmen in the race for the no. 1 seed, though the tiebreakers get complicated with the dreadful unbalanced schedule.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. ELON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 12-5 against Elon, which joined the CAA prior to the 2014-15 season. The Dutchmen won the lone meeting between the teams last season, when Aaron Estrada scored 40 points in an 82-65 victory in North Carolina on Jan. 26, 2023. It was the second straight season in which a Hofstra player victimized the Phoenix for a 40-point game. Omar Silverio scored 40 points off the bench in a 97-64 win on Feb. 15, 2022.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra and Elon first opposed each other on Nov. 23, 2009, when the Dutchmen cruised past the Phoenix, 70-46, in a preseason NIT game at the Arena.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It’s not your fault there’s a complete idiot with the same name as your school bias! (Sadly, this one is a repeat from last year…please sell Twitter, you dummy)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Zac Ervin is your Andrey Semenov bias! (The graduate student began his career with the Phoenix in 2019-20, way back in the before times)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe West didn’t make the Baseball Hall of Fame bias! (And thank goodness for that)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bart Simpson might have tricked Max MacKinnon into accepting a $900 collect call bias! (Probably not, but MacKinnon IS from Australia)</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-80207722822033475172024-02-23T21:59:00.003-05:002024-02-23T21:59:41.837-05:00Keep It Perky: Drexel postgame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I-HLgcTVQc1tTCObg5W2OYv5s1GeuEGGqk1W8yypcUlPeYTVMOeYLowOhz6_GNYUFW0VGoKIkJBewjN64OUpCDIDtNMiBJXrh3d5zu7d1Dae2v-c2VO51hJK9rUdO7VrjGaid6S_QLf8R3ttJrf699Lh7oX1DapOa3FU25yWQVvcdRKjZ_0QrQFfUiA/s1024/DennisReynoldsImplication.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I-HLgcTVQc1tTCObg5W2OYv5s1GeuEGGqk1W8yypcUlPeYTVMOeYLowOhz6_GNYUFW0VGoKIkJBewjN64OUpCDIDtNMiBJXrh3d5zu7d1Dae2v-c2VO51hJK9rUdO7VrjGaid6S_QLf8R3ttJrf699Lh7oX1DapOa3FU25yWQVvcdRKjZ_0QrQFfUiA/s320/DennisReynoldsImplication.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>That was a big win for the Dutchmen last night...because of the CAA Tournament tiebreaker implications.</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">East Coast Conference champions, baby! The Flying Dutchmen seized the gap at the top of the ECC standings and locked up the most important title in American sports last night, when they mounted a second half surge and pulled away from Drexel in a nice 69-57 win. Oh, and in secondary matters, the Dutchmen are also now in third place in the CAA and well-positioned for a double bye in the conference tournament in a couple weeks as they get ready for Saturday’s home finale against Not Twitter Guy. Whatever, that’s boring. Make sure to stop by in the morning for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over Drexel and a look ahead to the Phoenix, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material (plus some bonus ECC content) in the postgame Keep It Perky!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas (28 points) remained red-hot with 14 points in each half and Darlinstone Dubar keyed the 16-0 run that turned a nail-biter into a comfortable win as the Dutchmen maintained control of their destiny in the race for a double bye in the CAA Tournament. Thomas scored 12 points in a game-opening 20-12 run by the Dutchmen before Drexel responded with 11 straight points. The two teams were separated by four points or fewer for 14-plus minutes before a dunk by Silas Sunday and a jumper by Dubar closed out a 6-0 run that extended the Dutchmen’s lead to 41-34 with 14:26 left. The Dragons then scored nine straight points and took a 43-41 lead on a pair of free throws by Yame Butler with 10:47 remaining, But Jacco Fritz responded with a jumper to begin the stretch of 16 unanswered points over four-plus minutes for the Dutchmen, who forced Drexel to commit five turnovers during the run. Dubar’s nostalgic 3-point play gave the Dutchmen their biggest lead at 57-43, after which Drexel scored six straight points during a span in which the Dutchmen went 0-for-5 with one turnover. But Thomas sank a 3-pointer with 2:56 left and Fritz dunked on the next possession. Drexel closed within single digits once more on a long 3-pointer by 40-and-over rec league lookalike Luke House before Thomas iced the win by going 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final minute. Thomas added a career-high five steals and also had three rebounds and three assists. Jaquan Carlos (eight points with a team-high 10 rebounds and five assists) had another Loren Stokes-esque stat stuff of a game. Dubar scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and finished with seven rebounds. Silas Sunday continued his emergence with eight points and four rebounds in 14 effective minutes while Fritz collected eight points and three rebounds.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Drexel, 2/22)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 57</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 49</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 30</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 12</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! The Dutchmen earned their previous 69-57 win a mere 28 years and two days earlier on Feb, 20, 1996, when they beat Fordham at Madison Square Garden. That was the final Hofstra men’s basketball victory of my undergrad years! Also, in a truly quirky thing, the Dutchmen have recorded four wins by a 69-57 final, the last three of which have all occurred within a four-day span in February. The Dutchmen beat Stony Brook 69-57 on Feb. 19, 1974. (The first 69-57 win was over Pratt Institute on Dec. 11, 1946)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned six unicorn score victories this season after recording 13 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who opened the month with the latest Keith Hernandez on record and then recorded the earliest Keith Hernandez of his career against Northeastern last Saturday, split the difference Thursday, when he hit the tie-breaking 3-pointer to put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 46-43 with 9:43 left in the game. Thomas, the all-time leader in Keith Hernandezes (well, at least since last season), is now tied with Darlinstone Dubar in this season’s Keith Hernandez standings.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Drexel, 2/22/24 (9:43 left 2H)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 16</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 11</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-EIGHT GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 17-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 21st-best record in school history through 28 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 17-11 since 2017-18 and just the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games and 16-11 after 27 games for the fourth time overall and the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 28 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 17-11 (win in 28th game came in ECC Tournament semifinal and marked fifth win of six-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 22-6 (win in 28th game came in ECC Tournament semifinal and marked eighth win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 22-6 (win in 28th game came in America East tournament quarterfinals, most recent 22-6 start) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 24-4 (win in 28th game came in America East tournament quarterfinals and marked 16th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak, tied for best 28-game record)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 21-7 (most recent 21-7 start, win in 28th game was seventh win of eight-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 20-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 21-7 (win in 28th game came in CAA quarterfinals and was final win of the season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 23-5 (first 23-5 start, win in 28th game came in CAA quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 20-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 20-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 23-5 (most recent 23-5 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 20-8 (most recent 20-8 start, win in 28th game marked eighth win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 24-4 (tied for best 28-game record, season ended with second-round loss in NCAAs, final game of VBK’s first stint) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 22-6 (win in Middle Atlantic Championships sent Hofstra to NCAAs, was final win of 11-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 23-5 (win in Middle Atlantic Championships sent Hofstra to NCAAs, final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 1958-59 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 27 games (20-7).</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 28-game records:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 19-9 (most recent 19-9 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 13-15 (most recent 13-15 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 18-10 (most recent 18-10 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 8-20 (most recent 8-20 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 6-22 (only 6-22 start, worst 28-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 15-13 (only 15-13 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 11-17 (only 11-17 start, Antoine Agudio broke Steve Nisenson’s career scoring record in 28th game against Delaware)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04: 14-14 (most recent 14-14 start, win in regular season finale was final win, last time at .500)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03: 8-20 (win in CAA tournament quarterfinals was final win)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-18 (most recent 10-18 start, loss in 28th game marked seventh loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 10-18 (season ended w/loss to Drexel in NAC quarterfinals, Jay Wright’s first year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 8-20 (beat Troy State in ECC semifinals, VBK’s last year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 20-8 (won ECC semifinal for final win of season and final win of nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91: 14-14 (season ended w/loss in ECC quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1989-90: 13-15 (season ended w/loss in ECC quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89: 14-14 (win in ECC quarterfinals was final win of season, last time at .500)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87: 10-18 (season ended w/loss in ECC quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 16-12 (only 16-12 start, won ECC quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1984-85: 14-14 (win in ECC quarterfinals was final win of season, last time at .500)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1983-84: 14-14 (season ended w/loss in ECC quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 12-16 (only 12-16 start, season ended w/loss in ECC quarterfinals)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1979-80: 14-14 (lost season finale, final game for Joe Harrington)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51: 18-10 (win in 28th game was final win of season and last win of six-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 28-0, 27-1, 26-2, 25-3, 9-19, 7-21, 5-23, 4-24, 3-25, 2-26, 1-27 or 0-28 through 28 games.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Forty-two seasons were completed in fewer than 28 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (10-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50 (17-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55 (19-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56 (22-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57 (11-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59 (20-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66 (16-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70 (13-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71 (18-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79 (8-19)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83 (18-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88 (6-21)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96 (9-18)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97 (12-15)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Game no. 28 marks the final time in which fewer than half the previous Hofstra seasons were already completed. And just barely!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-FIVE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 63-32 (.663) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 95 games at the helm.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 63-32 (.663, 95th game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 63-32 (.663, 95th game was the 20th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 63-32</b> (.663, 95th game was the 28th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 62-33 (.653, 95th game was the 24th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 50-45 (.526, 95th game was the 28th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 47-48 (.495, 95th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 45-50 (.474, 95th game was the 10th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 39-56 (.411, 95th game was the 23rd game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 39-56 (.411, 95th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 39-56 (.411, 94th game was the fifth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 38-57 (.400, 95th game was the 30th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The top four remains the same as Paul Lynner, Butch van Breda Kolff I and Speedy Claxton all win their 95th games to stay tied for first and Frank Reilly wins his 95th game to remain a game behind. Roger Gaeckler, Jay Wright and Tom Pecora all win game no. 95 to snap the four-way tie with Mo Cassara.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ECC CHAMPS!</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tomorrow’s I’ll Be Quirky will be loaded enough as it is with the facts from Thursday’s game as well as a preview of the game against Not Twitter Guy and the usual historic look at Senior Day, so I wanted to give the ECC championship breakdown its space here today. It doesn’t hurt the Dutchmen have more mythical ECC champions than anyone since 1995-96, when Towson joined the North Atlantic Conference and reunited with Hofstra, Delaware and Drexel!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen locked up this year’s ECC title, which has to be settled by winning percentage because of the dreadful balanced schedule. At least that makes a tie less likely? Drexel and Delaware are slated to play the final regular season game of the ECC slate on Monday night. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA 3-1 .750</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Drexel 2-2 .500</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Towson 2-2 .500</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Delaware 1-3 .250</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is the seventh time in the last nine years Hofstra has earned at least a share of the ECC title and the ECC-best 13th time the Flying Dutchmen have won or shared the crown in the last 28 full seasons (I’m not counting the pandemic-wracked 2020-21 campaign, when Hofstra was the only school to play more than two games against ECC foes).</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The only other school to win the ECC in the last 11 years is Towson, which won the title outright in 2012-13, 2013-14, 2016-17 and 2021-22 and shared the championship with the Dutchmen in 2019-20. The Tigers have six titles overall, ranking behind Drexel (10, but none since 2011-12) and ahead of Delaware (which a shockingly low three and NONE in the CAA era). We’re number one! We’re number one!</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-68789898187306175872024-02-22T13:13:00.006-05:002024-02-22T13:13:22.321-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Drexel at Hofstra<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQquLAA7T3guDA6AbZk1o9SXS7gRVWLwBa6Fe_Fj3HI2ETsXxxqdhRI8QD1eWzBvo83NtwO1QzzXDQvY44oJDJME4rkPSvbhS7Fiq9vr0nar-Ki7kvKnGDe3XbhUAoOj-AFEtiq7T8rh3zYfkBrx9Voe6Ut4_cPdcTkj-vvhj2cpDKpjbn0U5KhfWQ3k/s686/DennisSeizeTheGap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="686" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQquLAA7T3guDA6AbZk1o9SXS7gRVWLwBa6Fe_Fj3HI2ETsXxxqdhRI8QD1eWzBvo83NtwO1QzzXDQvY44oJDJME4rkPSvbhS7Fiq9vr0nar-Ki7kvKnGDe3XbhUAoOj-AFEtiq7T8rh3zYfkBrx9Voe6Ut4_cPdcTkj-vvhj2cpDKpjbn0U5KhfWQ3k/s320/DennisSeizeTheGap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>I'd like to post the whole clip but it's profane and angry even by Sunny standards. Which one of us will be Dennis tonight, Crain? </i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How was your Saturday? It probably didn’t go as well as it did for the Flying Dutchmen, who rode Jaquan Carlos’ historic afternoon to an 82-62 win over Northeastern before their bid for a double bye was aided by the unexpected duo of Hampton and Elon. The Dutchmen, again in control of their own destiny for the aforementioned double bye, will attempt to remain in the driver’s seat tonight, when the final homestand of the season continues with a pivotal rematch against Drexel. Here’s a look back at the win over the Huskies and a look ahead to the Dragons.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos shattered the school and CAA single-game record by racking up a whopping 19 assists as the Dutchmen rolled past Northeastern. The Dutchmen trailed just once — at 2-0 — and Carlos keyed the first-half rallies that quelled any hopes of a comeback by the Huskies. Carlos assisted on three straight 3-pointers during a 9-2 run in the middle of the half before doing it all in the final minute, when he fed Bryce Washington for a dunk off a steal before draining a desperation 30-foot 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with eight seconds left to give the Dutchmen a 41-30 lead at intermission. Northeastern pulled within eight points three times in the first 90 seconds of the second half before Carlos collected seven assists in a 23-11 run that extended the lead to 68-48 with 8:29 left. Carlos’ assist on Tyler Thomas’ 3-pointer ended the surge and gave him his 17th assist, breaking the school record set by Robbie Weingard on Jan. 19, 1984. He broke the record with almost 10 minutes left in the game! Carlos picked up his 18th assists just 67 seconds later to break the CAA record previously held by VCU’s Joey Rodriguez. The Dutchmen expanded the lead to as many as 29 before the teams emptied their benches. Carlos also led the Dutchmen with eight rebounds and added five points. Darlinstone Dubar scored 24 points while German Plotnikov tied a career-high with 20 points while going 7-of-9 from the field, including 4-of-5 from 3-point land. Tyler Thomas added 18 points. Pretty good day when one of the nation’s leading scorers is adding 18 points. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Northeastern, 2/17)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Jaquan Carlos</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: German Plotnikov</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Darlinstone Dubar</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 54</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 48</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 28</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 10</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! And it didn’t take too long to find the previous 82-62 win, a lopsided victory over Binghamton on Dec. 17, 2011. Of course, that’s still 12-plus years ago, even if it feels like yesterday.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned six unicorn score victories this season after recording 13 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, whose previous Keith Hernandez was the latest Keith Hernandez on record, provided an appropriate bookend Saturday by hitting the layup that put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 4-2 with 18:08 left in the first half, It’s the earliest Keith Hernandez of the season for Thomas and the fourth-earliest Keith Hernandez of the season for the Dutchmen.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 15</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 11</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-SEVEN GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 16-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 24th-best record in school history through 27 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 16-11 since 2017-18 and just the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games and 15-11 after 26 games for the fourth time overall and the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 27 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 16-11 (win in 27th game came in ECC Tournament opener and marked fourth win of six-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 21-6 (win in 27th game came in ECC Tournament opener and marked seventh win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 21-6 (the 66-57 win over Drexel in 27th game gave the Dutchmen the outright America East regular season championship, most recent 21-6 start) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 23-4 (win in 27th game capped regular season and marked 15th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak, tied for best 27-game record)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 20-7 (most recent 20-7 start, win in 27th game was sixth win of eight-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 19-8 (first 19-8 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 20-7 (win in 27th game came in regular season finale and was sixth win of seven-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 22-5 (win in 27th game came in regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 19-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 19-8 </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 22-5 (most recent 22-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 19-8 (most recent 19-8 start, win in 27th game marked seventh win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 20-7 (season ended with third-round loss in NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 23-4 (won first-round NCAA game for final win of VBK’s first stint, tied for best 27-game record)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 21-6 (win in NCAA opener was 10th win of 11-game winning streak, first 21-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 22-5 (won NCAA opener, first 22-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 27-game records:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 18-9 (most recent 18-9 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 13-14 (most recent 13-14 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 17-10 (most recent 17-10 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 8-19 (most recent 8-19 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 6-21 (most recent 6-21 start, tied for worst 27-game record in school history)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 14-13 (most recent 14-13 start, over .500 for good)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 11-16 (only 11-16 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03: 7-20 (most recent 7-20 start, lost regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-17 (most recent 10-17 start, loss in 27th game marked sixth loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97: 12-15 (most recent 12-15 start, season ended w/loss in NAC quarterfinals)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 9-18 (most recent 9-18 start, season ended w/loss in NAC outbracket game)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 10-17 (beat Maine in NAC outbracket game for final win, Jay Wright’s first year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 7-20 (beat Chicago State to begin ECC Tournament run, VBK’s last year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93: 9-18 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 19-8 (103-87 win over UMBC in 27th game ended regular season, locked up no. 1 seed in ECC title game & was eighth win in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game, also the final 100-point game for Hofstra until 2010-11)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91: 14-13 (lost regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1989-90: 13-14 (won regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89: 13-14 (won regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 6-21 (season ended w/loss in ECC first round, tied for worst 27-game record in school history, final game for Dick Berg)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87: 10-17 (lost regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 15-12 (only 15-12 start, won regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1983-84: 14-13 (won regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83: 18-9 (season ended w/loss in ECC first round)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81: 12-15 (season ended w/loss in ECC first round)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1979-80: 14-13 (final win of season, final win for Joe Harrington)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79: 8-19 (lost season finale, final game for Roger Gaeckler)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78: 8-19 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53: 20-7 (lost season finale, first 20-7 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 27-0, 26-1, 25-2, 24-3, 5-22, 4-23, 3-24, 2-25, 1-26 or 0-27 through 27 games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thirty-two seasons were completed in fewer than 27 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (10-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49 (18-8)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50 (17-9)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55 (19-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56 (22-4)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57 (11-15)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66 (16-10)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70 (13-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71 (18-8)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1954-55.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-FOUR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 62-32 (.660) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 93 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 62-32 (.663, 94th game was the 10th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 62-32 (.652, 94th game was the 19th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 62-32</b> (.660, 94th game was the 27th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 61-33 (.652, 94th game was the 23rd game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 49-45 (.511, 94th game was the 27th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 47-47 (.511, 94th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 45-49 (.478, 94th game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 39-55 (.402, 94th game was the 22nd game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 38-56 (.402, 94th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 38-56 (.391, 94th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 38-56 (.402, 94th game was the 29th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton moves into a three-way tie through ‘X’ games for the second time in a five-game span, though the previous one was with Paul Lynner and Frank Reilly, the latter of whom lurks one game back here. Mo Cassara earns his final win with the Dutchmen to create a three-way tie for ninth/last place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALMOST A WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen trailed just once last Saturday — at 2-0. It was the first win of the season in which the Dutchmen trailed after just one opponent’s basket*** and their first such victory since an 84-52 win over Northeastern last Feb. 25. The Huskies held a 21-20 lead with 6:36 left in the first half of that game.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">***When the Dutchmen beat Delaware 76-71 on Jan. 6, they overcame a 3-0 deficit, but that comeback began with consecutive two-point baskets, so the Dutchmen trailed twice</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SECOND HALF, JUST LIKE THE FIRST HALF (part one)</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, a famously second half team this season, scored 41 points in both halves Saturday. It’s the first time the Dutchmen have scored the same number of points in each half since Nov. 27, 2022, when they edged Quinnipiac 72-70 after a pair of *carries the two, drops the remainder* 36-point halves.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SECOND HALF, JUST LIKE THE FIRST HALF (part two)</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, Northeastern followed up a 30-point first half with a 32-point second half. That’s the closest the Dutchmen and an opponent have come to mirror halves (an expression I just made up!) since Jan. 7, 2023, when the Dutchmen beat William & Mary 75-62. In that game, the Dutchmen outscored the Tribe 37-31 in the first half and 38-31 in the second half. Quirky!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>STILL A SECOND HALF TEAM</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The even split between the first and second half Saturday marked just the fifth time in CAA play and the eighth time overall this season the Dutchmen haven’t scored more points in the second half than in the first half. The Dutchmen are averaging 40.0 points (technically 39.97) per second half (1,079 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.4 points per first half (928 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR HOLDS STEADY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar may have begun a new streak of double-digit scoring efforts Saturday, when he collected a team-high 24 points, but he remained in 27th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list. This comes after Dubar scored nine points last Thursday but still gained two-and-a-half spots. It all evens out! Dubar has 1,217 points and is well-positioned to continue climbing tonight. He is three points shy of surpassing his former teammate Aaron Estrada for 26th place and four points away from moving past Demetrius Dudley and John Mills — who are tied for 24th place — as well as nine points away from leapfrogging Carlos Rivera for 23rd place and 24 points away from surging past Roberto Gittens for 22nd place. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">22.) Roberto Gittens 1,240</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">23.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24t.) John Mills 1,220</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>27.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,217</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marks just the second game since Dubar joined the 1,000-point club on Jan. 6 that he hasn’t gained at least a half-spot on the all-time list.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when his 18 points increased his career total to 1,175 points and lifted him past Ted Jackson into 31st place. Thomas enters tonight 10 points away from moving past Rokas Gustys for 30th place and 12 points away from surging past Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green, who are tied for 28th place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>31.) TYLER THOMAS 1,175</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Mike Moore 1,128</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GIVE CARLOS A HAND</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Time to marvel at Jaquan Carlos’ historic game Saturday afternoon, when the Dutchmen’s point guard racked up a school- and CAA-record 19 assists. Carlos broke the school record held by Robbie Weingard, who had 16 assists in an 84-72 win over Bloomfield on Jan, 19, 1984. That was 1,233 games ago! The previous single-game high for a CAA in-conference game was also 16 assists, set by Richmond’s Greg Beckwith in an 85-72 loss to Navy on Feb. 25, 1986. The overall CAA single-game record was held by VCU’s Joey Rodriguez, who had 17 assists in a 101-86 win over UNC Greensboro on Nov. 12, 2010. The only CAA player to have more than 14 assists in a game in between Rodriguez and Carlos was…Hofstra’s Dwan McMillan, who had 15 assists in a 93-64 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 25, 2012.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HEY NINETEEN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 19 assists for Jaquan Carlos were tied for the most in a Division I game this season (Morehead State’s Drew Thelwell had 19 assists against non-NCAA foe Alice Lloyd on Dec. 21) and the most by a player against a Division I foe since Markquis Nowell had 19 assists for Kansas State in a 98-93 overtime win over Michigan State in an East Regional semifinal last Mar. 23. Alas, none of those were to Carlos’ former teammate Abayomi Iyiola, who was scoreless for Kansas State in that game. Carlos’ 19 assists are tied for the fifth-most in a Division I game since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES…</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We all started to get an idea Jaquan Carlos was on his way to a special game when he had seven assists in the first half Saturday. As impressive as that was, it was the second game this month in which he had seven assists in a single half. Carlos collected seven assists in the second half of the 72-71 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 1. However…</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>…DOZEN DIMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos got even hotter in the second half Saturday, when he (carries the one, drops the remainder) racked up 12 assists. Prior to Saturday, just eight Hofstra players since the 1994-95 season — as far back as my assists records go at home — had as many as 12 assists in a single game.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dwan McMillan 15 assists vs. UNC Wilmington, 2/25/12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Juan’ya Green 14 assists vs. Northeastern (3 OT), 1/21/16</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 13 assists vs. Old Westbury, 12/22/22</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Charles Jenkins 13 assists vs. James Madison (2 OT), 2/18/09</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton 13 assists vs Stony Brook, 11/27/99</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton 13 assists vs. New Hampshire, 2/20/98</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Desure Buie 12 assists vs James Madison (OT), 2/23/19</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Juan’ya Green 12 assists vs. Delaware, 2/13/16</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Juan’ya Green 12 assists vs. William & Mary, 2/11/16</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gibran Washington 12 assists vs. St. John’s, 12/2/03</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton 12 assists vs, Northeastern, 1/28/00</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton 12 assists vs. Stony Brook, 12/20/97</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darius Burton 12 assists vs. Northeastern, 3/1/96</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darius Burton 12 assists vs. New Hampshire, 1/6/95</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN-TEN SPLIT</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bowling reference! The big game Saturday marked the seventh time Jaquan Carlos has collected at least 10 assists in a game. That leaves him just three shy of Speedy Claxton’s total from 1996-2000 (and nine shy of Juan’ya Green’s two-year total from 2014-16).</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS CRACKS HIS SLUMP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 19-assist game for Jaquan Carlos served as an emphatic end to a slump for the point guard, who had just 11 assists in his previous four games combined following a 10-assist game against Stony Brook on Feb. 1.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HANDS AND BOARDS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos also led the Dutchmen with eight rebounds Saturday. He is the first Hofstra player to lead the team in assists and rebounds — but not scoring — since way back on Feb. 1, when Carlos had 10 assists and nine rebounds in a 72-71 win over Stony Brook.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov followed up a quiet game against Drexel by tying his career high with 20 points and four 3-pointers Saturday. It was the third time this month Plotnikov has broken or matched his career-high in scoring and 3-pointers. Plotnikov opened the month by scoring 17 points and going 4-of-5 from 3-point land in a 71-71 win over Stony Brook before he scored 20 points and went 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the 81-49 win over North Carolina A&T on Feb. 10. Ironically, in that it’s coincidence, Plotnikov was also 4-of-5 from 3-point land on Saturday. The Dutchmen are now 8-2 with Plotnikov in the starting lineup.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL OR NOTHING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov continued his hot-and-cold season Saturday, when he was (checks notes again) 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Plotnikov, obviously, has 12 3-pointers in the three games in which he’s hit four 3-pointers — but just 13 3-pointers in his other 20 games combined. He missed four games from Nov. 30-Dec. 12 due to injury.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S BACK</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar, whose streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts ended at 27 games when he scored nine points in last Thursday’s 79-77 loss to Drexel, may have started a new streak Saturday, when he scored a game-high 24 points. The 20-point outing was the first for dubar since he had 21 points in an 81-78 loss to Monmouth on Jan. 27 and his 10th of the season. Dubar entered this season with just four 20-point games in the previous two years.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Once again, you know a game went well for the Dutchmen when an 18-point scorer doesn’t even earn one of the 3 Stars of the Game. Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 18 points Saturday while going 6-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-8 from 3-point land, Thomas is 26-of-59 from beyond the arc over his last seven games after going just 18-of-78 from 3-point land in seven games from Jan. 4-25. He has scored in double figures in 49 of his last 51 games and 57 times overall in the last two seasons. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz had his briefest stint of the CAA season Saturday, when he scored six points while playing just 12 minutes due to foul trouble. Fritz has scored at least six points in four straight games and 10 times in 14 CAA games overall. The 12 minutes were the fewest Fritz has played since he was limited to 10 minutes in the 97-92 overtime win over High Point on Nov. 22.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday continued his emergence Saturday, when he had had four points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. He has eight points and 22 rebounds in the last four games after recording just two points seven rebounds in the first 10 games of the CAA season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BRYCE THE GLUE GUY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington continued chipping in off the bench Saturday, when he scored five points and hit both of his field goal attempts in 15 minutes. Washington has scored in all but one of the games he’s played since swapping roles with German Plotnikov. The Dutchmen are now 4-9 when Washington scores fewer than seven points and 10-2 when he scores at least seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE KID IS BACK TONIGHT</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Griffin Barrouk isn’t wearing the Mike Reno headband anymore (boooo!) but I’ll still make Mike Reno references about him. Barrouk took the court Saturday for the first time since Dec. 21 and missed his lone shot while playing the final three minutes of the victory.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight’s game will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING DREXEL</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dragons, under eighth-year head coach Zach Spiker, are 17-10 overall and 10-4 in CAA play following an 81-66 win over Campbell on Saturday. It was the second straight win following a 1-4 stretch for Drexel, which is alone in third place in the CAA and one game ahead of the trio of Hofstra, Delaware and Towson. Hey! That’s the entire ECC!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Dragons had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen fell to Princeton 74-67 on Nov. 10 while the Dragons lost to the Tigers, 81-70, on Dec. 5. In CAA play, both teams have beaten William & Mary and Delaware and lost to Charleston. The Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Drexel beat in the lone meeting between the schools, and won their only game against North Carolina A&T, whom the Dragons swept. The Dutchmen beat Towson, which defeated Drexel, and lost to Monmouth, which split with Drexel, and Campbell, whom the Dragons beat,</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 136th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Dragons, who were picked to finish third, are ranked 121st. The Dutchmen moved up four spots in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings following Saturday’s win and have gained ground in three straight games for the first time since — the first time this season they’ve gained ground following three consecutive games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.6 points per 100 possessions) and third in defensive efficiency (102.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.2 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league. The Dragons rank third in the CAA in offensive efficiency (115.4 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (103.0 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.0 possessions per 40 minutes, 11th-most in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore guard Justin Moore, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection, leads the Dragons with 12.4 points and 3.4 assists per game. Senior forward Amari Williams the preseason CAA player of the year, is averaging 12.0 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. Graduate student Lucas Monroe, who opened his career by playing three seasons at Pennsylvania, ranks second on the Dragons with 5.0 rebounds per game. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 68-66 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 10-16 against the spread this season but have covered two straight to improve to 4-10 against the spread in CAA play.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE ECC RACE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What has always only been a thing to me (and maybe Litos) might actually have an impact on the secondary thing that is the CAA race this season! None of the four ECC teams are playing a round-robin against each other due to the dreadful unbalanced schedule, but with Drexel tied for second place at 10-4 and Hofstra, Delaware and Towson all tied for third at 9-5 with two weekends to go, the four-way competition might very well decide at least two of the double byes.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In more important matters, tonight’s game will determine the ECC winner, since a victory by the Dutchmen will put them a game ahead of Drexel with only the Dragons’ game against Delaware remaining on the league schedule. So a win here would be a win-win! </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Drexel 2-1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA 2-1</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Towson 2-2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Delaware 1-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen won the ECC title last season after Towson took home the very real hardware in 2021-22.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE CAA RACE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I guess we should talk about this too. As noted above, the ECC four are occupying the third through sixth spots in the CAA and are all vying for a top-four seed and a double bye in the conference tournament, scheduled for Mar. 8-12 in Washington, D.C.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1.) Charleston 11-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2.) UNC Wilmington 10-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3.) Drexel 10-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>4.) HOFSTRA 9-5</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">5.)Towson 9-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">6.) Delaware 9-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">7.) Monmouth 8-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The race got much more interesting Saturday, when Hampton earned its first CAA win by shocking Towson hours before Elon upset UNC Wilmington during the latter’s homecoming.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">UNC Wilmington is the current no. 2 seed by virtue of sweeping Charleston, which beat Drexel in the lone meeting between the schools. Hofstra is the current no. 4 seed by virtue of going 2-0 against Towson and Delaware while Towson is the current no. 5 seed by virtue of beating UNC Wilmington, which beat Delaware.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Whomever wins tonight’s Hofstra-Drexel game will end the evening in no worse than third place. Big game!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. DREXEL</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 50-48 against Drexel in a series that began during the 1958-59 season. The Dragons earned a 79-77 win last Thursday, when they overcame a 13-point first-half deficit and withstood a furious Dutchmen rally in the final minutes before Tyler Thomas missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. It was just the third win in the last 20 games between the schools for Drexel, which is seeking its first regular season sweep since the 2013-14 campaign.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Dragons have opposed one another as members of the East Coast Conference, the North Atlantic Conference/America East and the CAA. The only opponent Hofstra has faced more than Drexel is Delaware, whom the Dutchmen have played 99 times.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HELLO OUR FRIENDS WE MEET AGAIN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As noted earlier, the Dutchmen and Drexel are playing each other for the second time in seven days. This is the first time in the CAA era (2001-pres) the Dutchmen have played the same team in a seven-day span during the regular season. Great unbalanced schedule we’ve got here!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Luke House looks like he should be teammates with Samme Givens bias! (A true #IYKYK)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seize the gap bias! (As always, know your classic Always Sunny, kids)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Why can’t Hall & Oates work it out bias! (Seriously)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You have an actual Dutchman bias? (Guard Jamie Bergens is from the Netherlands)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-6935536601813228382024-02-17T11:29:00.000-05:002024-02-17T11:29:03.204-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Northeastern at Hofstra<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3W2Ee-d9Vu5GhZU_omI8Eic55cg9yTCH7HYLF1rFJvwTPJwjbJrTeUCTt35dEOWqZDDDvNMX3V1dfFrx-Og2sb9cxpiijiktHsMxfStoY4_aoBVxM1h9EQeahq1fzcqUSHmSs6hKu3UkR1zPQjdipORSvblsca2ej3Q73DTNUAFDFwMIy20W4cj3g310/s2016/ExtremeStarland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3W2Ee-d9Vu5GhZU_omI8Eic55cg9yTCH7HYLF1rFJvwTPJwjbJrTeUCTt35dEOWqZDDDvNMX3V1dfFrx-Og2sb9cxpiijiktHsMxfStoY4_aoBVxM1h9EQeahq1fzcqUSHmSs6hKu3UkR1zPQjdipORSvblsca2ej3Q73DTNUAFDFwMIy20W4cj3g310/s320/ExtremeStarland.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Extreme live in concert! The iPhone: Making even me look like a competent photographer since 200-whenever.</i></span></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen’s hopes of earning a double bye in the CAA Tournament took another hit Thursday night, when they blew a 13-point first-half lead before a frantic last-minute comeback fell short in a 79-77 loss to Drexel. The Dutchmen, who had a four-game winning streak snapped, will look to bounce back this afternoon, when they host Northeastern in the opener of the final homestand of the season. Sniff. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Dragons and a look ahead to the Huskies.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas (34 points, six rebounds, six assists) racked up the single-game Triple Crown, but his technical foul for spiking the basketball sparked the decisive rally by Drexel. Thomas scored 18 points during a blistering first half, which he ended by sinking a 3-pointer to put the Dutchmen up 42-32 before blocking Yame Butler’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer. Drexel inched back and took the lead three times while opening the second half with a 25-15 run, after which Thomas mounted his own 7-2 surge to put the Dutchmen ahead 64-59 with 7:18 left. But Thomas was whistled for a technical foul when he slammed the basketball following a goaltending call on the Dutchmen, which began a 16-3 run by the Dragons that put them ahead 75-67 with 1:43 remaining. Darlinstone Dubar sank a 3-pointer and Amari Williams missed the front end of a one-and-one before Thomas hit three free throws. Drexel committed a turnover but Jacco Fritz had a potential game-tying layup blocked by Williams. Jamie Bergens then drained two free throws and Fritz and Mate Okros each split a pair of free throws before Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left. Thomas fouled Justin Moore, who hit the first free throw but missed the second. The Dutchmen, with no timeouts left, rushed up the court before Jaquan Carlos hurriedly dished to Thomas, who missed a 3-pointer as he was falling out of bounds as time expired. Fritz had 11 points and three blocks in just 22 minutes while Dubar’s 27-game streak of double-digit scoring efforts ended when he scored nine points on 3-of-9 shooting. Carlos added seven points and three assists while Bryce Washington scored five points after missing two games due to injury.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Drexel, 2/15)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jacco Fritz</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Darlinstone Dubar</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 54</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 47</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 25</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-SIX GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 15-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 30th-best record in school history through 25 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 15-11 since 2017-18 and just the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games and 15-10 after 25 games for the fourth time overall and the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 26 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 15-11 (win in 26th game marked third win of six-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 20-6 (win in 26th game marked sixth win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 20-6 (the 67-64 win over Maine in 26th game locked up the no. 1 seed in the America East tournament, most recent 20-6 start) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 22-4 (win in 26th game marked 14th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 19-7 (most recent 19-7 start, win in 26th game was fifth win of eight-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 18-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 19-7 (win in 26th game was fifth win of seven-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 21-5 (most recent 21-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 19-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 18-8 </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 22-4 (most recent 22-4 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 18-8 (most recent 18-8 start, win in 26th game marked sixth win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 20-6 (win in 2nd round of NCAAs was final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 23-3 (won Middle Atlantic Championship with win in 26th game, best 26-game record in school history)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 20-6 (win in regular season finale was ninth win of 11-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 21-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 26-game records:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 17-9 (most recent 17-9 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 12-14 (most recent 12-14 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 16-10 (most recent 16-10 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 8-18 (most recent 8-18 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 6-20 (most recent 6-20 start, tied for worst 26-game record in school history)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 13-13 (most recent 13-13 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 10-16 (most recent 10-16 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03: 7-19 (only 7-19 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-16 (loss in 26th game marked fifth loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97: 12-14 (final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 9-17 (most recent 9-17 start, final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 9-17 (won regular season finale, Jay Wright’s first year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 6-20 (loss to ECC foe Northeastern Illinois in regular season finale, VBK’s last year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93: 9-17 (final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 18-8 (win in 26th game was seventh in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91: 14-12 (most recent 14-12 start, final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 6-20 (lost regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87: 10-16 (final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83: 18-8 (lost regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 11-15 (loss in regular season finale was final loss of eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1980-81: 12-14 (lost regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79: 8-18 (fourth loss of season-ending five-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71: 18-8 (win in season finale completed season-ending five-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70: 13-13 (won season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1965-66: 16-10 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57: 11-15 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 22-4 (final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1954-55: 19-7 (lost known season finale)***</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51: 16-10 (fourth win of six-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1949-50: 17-9 (won known season finale)***</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1948-49: 18-8 (lost known season finale)***</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">***records are incomplete for the 1948-59, 1949-50 and 1954-55 seasons</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 26-0, 25-1, 24-2, 5-21, 4-22, 3-23, 2-24, 1-25 or 0-26 through 26 games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Twenty-four seasons were completed in fewer than 26 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (10-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61 (21-4)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65 (11-14)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67 (12-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68 (13-12)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69 (12-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72 (11-14)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-THREE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 61-32 (.656) as head coach. That’s tied for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 93 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 62-31 (.663, 93rd game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 61-32 (.652, 93rd game was the 18th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 61-32</b> (.656, 93rd game was the 26th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 60-33 (.652, 93rd game was the 22nd game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 48-45 (.511, 93rd game was the 26th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 47-46 (.511, 93rd game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-49 (.478, 93rd game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 38-55 (.402, 93rd game was the 21st game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 37-56 (.402, 93rd game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 37-56 (.391, 93rd game was the third game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 37-56 (.402, 93rd game was the 28th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner moves back into sole possession of first place while Joe Mihalich moves into fifth place, which I believe is his highest spot yet. Roger Gaeckler moves into sole possession of eighth place for the first time while Jay Wright, Tom Pecora and Mo Cassara are now tied for ninth/last.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who led by 13 points in the first half Thursday, squandered a double-digit lead in a loss for the third time this season and the 10th time since Speedy Claxton became head coach for the 2021-22 season. The Dutchmen led Saint Louis by 11 points in the first half of a 71-68 loss on Dec. 9 and led Monmouth by 13 points in the first half of an 81-78 loss on Jan. 27.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONLY HALFWAY THERE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who led Drexel by 10 points at the half Thursday, lost a game in which they had a double-digit lead at intermission for the second time this season. They squandered an 11-point halftime lead in the 81-78 loss to Monmouth on Jan. 27. The Dutchmen last lost two games in which they led by double digits at the half during the 2015-16 season, when led UNC Wilmington by 12 points at halftime of a 70-67 loss on Feb. 4 before leading James Madison by 12 points at halftime of a 98-95 overtime loss just three days later. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SO CLOSE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This stat was sparked by a Tweet from good friend Jonathan Wagner, <a href="https://twitter.com/JonathanJWagner/status/1758361852629721503" target="_blank">who notes the Dutchmen have led with under seven minutes to go in all five of their CAA losses</a>. Four of those defeats have been by three points or fewer and the Dutchmen either missed the potential game-tying or game-winning shot or failed to get a shot off in all four games. The four CAA losses by three points or fewer are the most for the Dutchmen since they joined the league in 2001-02. History, I guess?</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT A SECOND-HALF TEAM THURSDAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen scored 42 points in the first half Thursday and 35 points in the second half. It’s the first time the Dutchmen have scored fewer points after halftime than beforehand since Jan. 27, when they scored 50 points in the first half and 28 points in the second half of an 81-78 loss to Monmouth. The Dutchmen have scored fewer points in the second half than in the first half four time sin CAA play and just seven times overall in 26 games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Even after Thursday’s quiet second half, the Dutchmen are averaging 39.9 points per second half (1,038 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.1 points per first half (887 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar’s streak of double-digit scoring efforts ended Thursday, but he still continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring by scoring nine points to increase his career total to 1,193 points and snap a tie with Rokas Gustys while leaping past two of Gustys’ teammates, Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green, into sole possession of 27th place. Dubar enters today 27 points shy of surpassing his former teammate Aaron Estrada for 26th place and 29 points away from moving past Demetrius Dudley and John Mills, who are tied for 24th place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">23.) Carlos Rivera 1,225</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">24t.) John Mills 1,220</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>27.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,193</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 34 points increased his career total to 1,157 points and lifted him past Mike Moore, Wandy Williams and Nathaniel Lester into 32nd place, Pretty good night at the office. Thomas enters today just three points shy of surpassing Ted Jackson for 31st place, 28 points away from moving past Rokas Gustys for 30th place and 30 points away from surging past Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green, who are tied for 28th place. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>32.) TYLER THOMAS 1,157</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Mike Moore 1,128</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 34 points Thursday while going 12-of-23 from the field, including 4-of-11 from 3-point land, Thomas is 23-of-51 from beyond the arc over his last six games after going just 15-of-63 from 3-point land in six games from Jan. 6-25. He has scored in double figures in 48 of his last 50 games and 56 times overall in the last two seasons. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THIRTY- AND TWENTY-SOMETHING THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 34-point effort Thursday marked the fourth time Tyler Thomas has scored at least 30 points in a game this season. This marks the third straight season in which a Hofstra player has posted four 30-point games. Aaron Estrada did so in each of the previous two years. In addition, Thomas has scored at least 20 points 18 times in 26 games this season and 32 times overall in the last two seasons.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THIRTY-SOMETHING NOT ENOUGH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen lost Thursday night despite Tyler Thomas’ 34-point effort. The Dutchmen are now 2-2 this season when Thomas scores at least 30 points with wins over Wright State and High Point and losses to Northeastern and Drexel. Thomas is the first Hofstra player to score 30 points in two losses since 2018-19, when Justin Wright-Foreman reached the 30-point mark in losses to UNC Wilmington and James Madison.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS’ TRIPLE CROWN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas led the Dutchmen with 34 points, six rebounds and six assists Thursday night. He is the first Hofstra player to finish with sole possession of the team lead in all three categories since Aaron Estrada had 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 76-73 win over Northeastern on Feb. 19, 2022.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE 30/5/5 CLUB</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas joined a select club by finishing with 34 points, six rebounds and six assists Thursday night. It was the second time this season Thomas finished with at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. He had 40 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the 97-92 overtime win over High Point on Nov. 22. Thomas is just the fourth Hofstra player since 2010-11 — the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference — to post multiple 30/5/5 games. Justin Wright-Foreman had five such games while Charles Jenkins and Aaron Estrada did it twice apiece. The only other Hofstra players with a 30/5/5 game since 2010-11 are Juan’ya Green and Desure Buie.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz had another solid game in limited duty Thursday night, when he scored 11 points while pulling down three rebounds and recording a team-high three blocks in just 22 minutes. The Dutchmen are now 3-1 when Fritz scores in double figures. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE NO LONGER STREAKING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The most impressive streak of the season ended Thursday, when Darlinstone Dubar scored nine points as his run of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts ended at 27 straight games — the final two games of last season and the first 25 games of this season. His 27-game streak of double-digit scoring efforts was the longest by a Hofstra player since Justin Wright-Foreman ended his career by scoring in double figures in a school-record 87 straight games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE SLUMPING?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The end of Darlinstone Dubar’s streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts continued a quiet stretch for the swingman, who is averaging 12.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game over his last five games after averaging 18.9 points and 7.3 rebounds over the first 21 games of the season. Another way to look at it: Dubar has scored 16 points or fewer in each of the last five games after scoring at least 17 points 14 times in the first 21 games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>QUIET JAQUAN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A quiet stretch also continued Thursday for Jaquan Carlos, who finished with seven points, three assists and two rebounds. Carlos has scored in single digits in each of his last four games, his longest such streak since a five-game streak from Feb. 11-25, 2023. He also has 11 assists in the last four games after collecting 10 assists in the 72-71 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 1.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen fell to 7-2 with German Plotnikov in the starting lineup Thursday, when he finished with five points and one rebound in 15 minutes. It was the third tie in the last four games Plotnikov has scored five or fewer points and pulled down two rebounds or fewer. The 15 minutes were also his fewest since he became a starter and his fewest since he played 15 minutes in the 71-68 loss to Northeastern on Jan. 11.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BRYCE IS BACK</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington returned from a two-game absence Thursday, when the Pennsylvania transfer returned to Philadelphia and finished with five points in 21 minutes. The Dutchmen are now 3-9 when Washington scores fewer than seven points and 10-2 when he scores at least seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE KHALIL & KIJAN SHOW</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Redshirt freshman Khalil Farmer and true freshman KiJan Robinson continued establishing roles for themselves in the rotation Thursday night, when they each had three points and drained their shots from beyond the arc. Farmer has scored at least three points in each of the last four games after going scoreless or recording a DNP in the first nine games of the CAA season while Robinson has scored in consecutive games for the first time since Jan, 13-18, when he had 17 total points against Campbell and Hampton.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday had three rebounds in 13 minutes Thursday night. He has 16 rebounds in the last three games after recording just seven rebounds in the first nine games of the CAA season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This afternoon’s game will be carried live in the metro New York area on MSG, which is channel 72 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. You can also catch it on the MSG app if you have an Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords subscription or somehow paid one billion dollars (approx) for the app. It will also be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Huskies, under 18th-year head coach Bill Coen, are 10-16 overall and 5-8 in the CAA after falling to Charleston 77-73 on Thursday night. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Northeastern.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Huskies had one common opponents in non-conference play. The Dutchmen lost to Princeton 74-67 on Nov. 10 while Northeastern fell to the Tigers, 80-66, on Nov. 25. Princeton played five CAA teams!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In CAA play, both teams have lost to Charleston. The Dutchmen swept Stony Brook, which swept Northeastern, and won their lone meeting against Towson, which split with the Huskies. Northeastern beat Campbell and split with Monmouth, each of whom defeated Hofstra in the lone meetings between the schools. The Dutchmen won their lone games against North Carolina A&T and William & Mary, both of whom won their lone games against Northeastern.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 140th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Huskies, who were picked to finish seventh, are ranked 233rd. The Dutchmen moved up one spot in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings following Thursday’s loss — the first time they’ve gained ground in consecutive games since moving up following the over South Florida and Iona on Nov. 30 and Dec. 6.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (108.2 points per 100 possessions) and third in defensive efficiency (102.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league. The Huskies rank 10th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (105.4 points per 100 possessions) and 10th in defensive efficiency (109.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.0 possessions per 40 minutes, the 10th-most in the league. That’s got to be the first time Hofstra or one of its opponents has ranked in the same spot in all three categories.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Graduate student Chris Doherty, who began his career at Notre Dame in 2018 (!!!) and was a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection, leads the Huskies with 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Graduate student Luka Sakota, who played his first three seasons at Harvard, is averaging 11.5 points per game and is averaging 20.7 points and 6.0 assists per game over his last three games following a three-game absence due to injury. Sophomore guard Harold Woods ranks third on the Huskies with 10.7 points per game and is second with 4.4 rebounds per game. Northeastern will be without redshirt senior Joe Pridgen, the former Holy Cross and UNC Wilmington player who left the team after averaging 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17 games through Jan. 25.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 75-67 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 6-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 9-16 against the spread this season but covered the 3-point spread despite losing Thursday, when they improved to 3-10 against the spread in CAA play. Hard to cover and lose a game decided by two points!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. NORTHEASTERN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 30-26 against Northeastern in a series that began during the 1949-50 season. All but three of the meetings have come in conference play since the 1994-95 season, when Hofstra joined the North Atlantic Conference. Northeastern is the only school the Dutchmen have played twice per regular season since 2005-06, the Huskies’ first season in the CAA. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Huskies won the first meeting this season between the teams on Jan. 11, when they raced out to a 21-point first-half lead before holding off the Dutchmen for a 71-68 victory. Tyler Thomas had 32 points but missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers in the final six seconds for the Dutchmen, who held a pair of one-point leads in the second half, Northeastern is seeking its first regular season sweep since the 2020-21 campaign.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE BARONE BOWL</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Barone Bowl was established by me and Northeastern graduate Mike Brodsky during the 2009-10 season, after Northeastern and Hofstra dropped football within two weeks of one another (Hofstra’s decision, of course, was reached after a multi-year study, wink wink nudge nudge).</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Barone Bowl pays homage to the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond in which a Hofstra kicker boots a 68-yard field goal against Northeastern but Frank Barone catches the ball and refuses to give it up. Apparently that wasn’t the type of publicity either school liked. Anyway.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Northeastern’s 71-68 win on Jan. 11 tied Barone Bowl series 16-16. The Dutchmen entered the season with the BArone Bowl lead for the first time sine they had a 3-2 edge at the end of the 2010-11 season. Northeastern won the next eight games between the schools and Hofstra has won 13 of the last 19 clashes. A win today would earn the Dutchmen a season split and allow them to retain the trophy, barring a rematch in the CAA Tournament. This, unfortunately, is a purely symbolic trophy, one which you will not find displayed by either school. But you can find me and Brodsky talking about it on Twitter! Along with Immaculate Grid, which he’s much better at than me.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Beanpot champs again bias! (Congrats to Northeastern’s men’s hockey team, which won the Beanpot for the fifth time in the last seven years with Monday’s overtime win over Boston University) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">At least Adam Ottavino re-signed with the Mets bias! (The Northeastern alum is a terrific guy and excellent reliever, but when that’s your biggest move of the off-season…)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Scholz bias! (The masterful Boston guitarist went to MIT)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Extreme finally has a record out during the Barone Bowl era bias! (It’s true!)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-3369080386483579612024-02-15T14:19:00.012-05:002024-02-15T14:19:56.572-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Drexel<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/firgcoOLSSs?si=PtNWqg6F24Na39eF" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/firgcoOLSSs/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Let's hope the pre- and post-game spread looks better than this.</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It took until the day before the Super Bowl and the weekend before Valentine’s Day, but the Flying Dutchmen finally got to enjoy a stress-free CAA win Saturday, when they snapped the program-record stretch of close games with a wire-to-wire 81-49 victory over North Carolina A&T. The stress is sure to return tonight, when the Dutchmen visit Drexel in a classic ECC battle that also, secondarily, has major implications regarding the CAA’s double byes next month. Here’s a look back at the win over the Aggies and a look ahead to the Dragons.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov (20 points, seven rebounds) had the best game of his career and Tyler Thomas (19 points, 10 rebounds) posted a double-double as the Dutchmen rode a dominant first-half defensive performance to their most lopsided win in almost three months. Plotnikov had a pair of 3-pointers during a game-opening 16-2 run by the Dutchmen, who limited North Carolina A&T to 1-of-13 shooting with seven turnovers during the first 10 minutes. The Dutchmen led by double digits the rest of the way and held the Aggies to 15 first-half points and extended the lead to 22 points at 51-29 on Thomas’ 3-pointer with 13:53 left before opening the lead to 30-plus points over the final three-plus minutes. The 20 points were a career-high while the seven boards were the most for Plotnikov against a Division I foe. Thomas had his third career double-double while Jacco Fritz scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting in just 20 minutes. Darlinstone Dubar also had 13 points. Jaquan Carlos added six points while Khalil Farmer and KiJan Robinson scored five points apiece off the bench.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME<i> (vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: German Plotnikov</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Jacco Fritz</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 51</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 46</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 25</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! But it took a deep dive into the record books to find the lone previous 81-49 win in program history — a decisive victory over Queens way back during the 1953-54 season. My parents were in elementary school, if that! Remarkably, this is only the second-oldest, second-time score of the season. The 64-55 win over William & Mary on Jan. 25 was the Dutchmen’s first by that score since the 1951-52 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned six unicorn score victories this season after recording 13 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL. (The Super Bowl final, alas, was not a Scorigami)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar extended his season lead in Keith Hernandezes and took care of business much earlier than usual by Dutchmen standards by sinking a 3-pointer with 17:16 left in the first half to put the visitors up 5-2. It’s only the third time in CAA play the Keith Hernandez has been recorded in the first half.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 11</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-FIVE GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 15-10. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 27th-best record in school history through 25 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 15-10 since 2017-18 and just the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 for the fourth time overall and the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 25 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 14-11 (win in 25th game marked second win of six-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 19-6 (win in 25th game marked fifth win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 19-6 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 21-4 (win in 25th game marked 13th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 18-7 (most recent 18-7 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 18-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 18-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 20-5 (most recent 20-5 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 19-6 (most recent 19-6 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 17-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 21-4 (most recent 21-4 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 17-8 (most recent 17-8 start, win in 25th game marked fifth win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 19-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 22-3 (best 25-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 19-6 (eighth win of 11-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 20-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 25-game records:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 16-9 (most recent 16-9 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 12-13 (most recent 12-13 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 8-17 (most recent 8-17 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 6-19 (most recent 6-19 start, tied for worst 25-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 12-13 (under .500 for the last time)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 9-16 (most recent 9-16 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-15 (only 10-15 start, loss in 25th game marked fourth loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97: 11-14 (most recent 11-14 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 8-17 (Jay Wright’s first year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 6-19 (loss to ECC foe Chicago State started two-game losing streak heading into ECC Tournament, VBK’s last year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93: 8-17 (win over ECC foe Central Connecticut in 25th game gave Hofstra a sweep of the seasons series and the “ECC title”)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 17-8 (win in 25th game was sixth in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91: 13-12 (most recent 13-12 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 6-19 (final win of the season and of Dick Berg’s tenure)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 14-11 (most recent 14-11 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1982-83: 18-7 (final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 11-14 (loss in 25th game was final loss of eight-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79: 8-17 (third loss of season-ending five-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72: 11-14 (lost season finale and Paul Lynner’s final game as coach)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71: 17-8 (win in 25th game was fourth win of season-ending five-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1969-70: 12-13 (under .500 for the last time)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69: 12-13 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68: 13-12 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1966-67: 12-13 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 21-4 (lost season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57: 11-14 (final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 21-4 (final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1952-53: 20-5 (final win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51: 15-10 (third win of six-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 25-0, 24-1, 23-2, 7-18, 5-20, 4-21, 3-22, 2-23, 1-24 or 0-25 through 25 games.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eighteen seasons were completed in fewer than 25 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37 (10-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39 (10-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40 (12-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41 (13-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43 (15-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44 (7-12)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45 (8-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46 (12-7)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48 (13-6)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54 (15-9)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58 (15-8)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60 (23-1)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74 (8-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75 (11-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21 (13-10)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-TWO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 61-31 (.663) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 90 games at the helm.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 61-31 (.663, 92nd game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 61-31</b> (.663, 92nd game was the 25th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 60-32 (.652, 92nd game was the 21st game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 60-32 (.652, 92nd game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 47-45 (.511, 92nd game was the 10th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 47-45 (.511, 92nd game was the 25th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-48 (.478, 92nd game was the seventh game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 37-55 (.402, 92nd game was the 20th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 37-55 (.402, 92nd game was the 10th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 37-55 (.402, 92nd game was the 27th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 36-56 (.391, 92nd game was the second game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now this is quirky. There are two-way ties for first, third and fifth and a three-way tie for eighth. The only coaches in sole possession of a spot are VBK II and TP I. I believe this marks the first time Jay Wright climbs out of sole possession of last or next-to-last place since we began tracking coaches with Speedy Claxton’s second season in 2022-23. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen never trailed Saturday afternoon. It was their fifth wire-to-wire win of the season and their first since a 64-55 victory over William & Mary on Jan. 25. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/20/23: 102-68 over Buffalo</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/30/23: 82-63 over South Florida</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">12/6/23: 62-57 over Iona</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1/25/24: 64-55 over William & Mary</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/10/24: 81-49 over North Carolina A&T</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen had nine wire-to-wire wins last season — their most since at least the 2005-06 season, which is as far back as play-by-play logs go at the Hofstra site.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO MORE TEAM BARBASOL (at least for now)</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks again to loyal reader EvanJ for asking about this truly quirky — but, alas, now no longer historical — stat. The Dutchmen’s program-record streak of 10 straight games decided by fewer than 10 points ended with Saturday’s 32-point victory. That was also the longest such active streak in the country…and as it turns out, the last five days were a rough one for this quirky stat. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The new leader in the clubhouse, and not by a little bit, is North Alabama, whose streak hit nine games with Saturday’s 67-63 loss to Jacksonville. Every other school that entered Saturday with a streak of at least seven straight games decided by fewer than 10 points have subsequently played a game decided by double digits.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Baylor’s streak ended at 10 games with Tuesday’s 79-62 win over Oklahoma while Purdue Fort Wayne’s streak ended at nine games with Saturday’s 92-65 win over IUPUI (hey! The CBI!) and East Tennessee’s streak ended at nine games with Wednesday’s 84-71 win over Chattanooga. Southern Illinois’ streak ended at eight games with Wednesday’s 82-68 loss to Belmont while Monmouth’s streak ended at seven games with Saturday’s 77-65 loss to Northeastern.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A PRETTY GOOD FIRST HALF</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen held North Carolina A&T to just 15 points in the first half Saturday — the fewest points the Dutchmen have surrendered in a half since limiting William & Mary to 14 first-half points in a 94-46 win in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals last Mar. 5.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen continued their first half/second half discrepancy Saturday, when they followed up a 34-point first half with a 47-point second half. The Dutchmen are averaging 40.1 points per second half (1,003 points overall) as opposed to averaging 33.8 points per first half (845 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen extended a quartet of impressive streaks by holding North Carolina A&T to 49 points on Saturday afternoon. That’s three straight wins in which the Dutchmen have allowed fewer than 60 points, the longest such stretch since the Dutchmen won five straight games while allowing fewer than 60 points from Feb. 4-16, 2023. The Dutchmen are now 6-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 50 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In addition, the Dutchmen have won their last 15 games in which they’ve allowed fewer than 50 points dating back to a 48-47 loss to William & Mary on Jan. 2, 2010.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>STUCK ON TWO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Now here’s a quirky stat: North Carolina A&T scored just two points in the first 10 minutes Saturday afternoon. As far as I can tell, that’s the fewest points allowed by the Dutchmen in the first 10 minutes of a game since at least the 2005-06 season, which is as far back as the play-by-play logs go at the official Hofstra site. Full play-by-plays are missing for the handful of games the Dutchmen played at Madison Square Garden between 2005-06 and 2009-10. If my research is correct, the Dutchmen allowed as few as four points in the first 10 minutes of a game just twice in the previous 18-plus seasons prior to Saturday. The Dutchmen held Stony Brook to four points in the first 10 minutes of a 73-56 win on Dec. 14, 2005 and limited New Hampshire to four points in the first 10 minutes of a 62-57 win on Dec. 27, 2008.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when he finished with 13 points to increase his career total to 1,184 points and tie Rokas Gustys for 30th place. Dubar enters tonight just three points shy of leapfrogging Gustys’ former teammates Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green for 28th place — back-to-back ties, that’s quirky! — and 36 points shy of surpassing his former teammate Aaron Estrada.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">26.) Aaron Estrada 1,219</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>30t.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,184</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30t.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when his 19 points increased his career total to 1,123 points and lifted him past Richie Swartz into 35th place. Thomas is six points away from moving past fellow Connecticut native Mike Moore for 34th place, 10 points away from leapfrogging Wandy Williams for 33rd place and 17 points shy of surging past Nathaniel Lester for 32nd place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Mike Moore 1,128</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>35.) TYLER THOMAS 1,123</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Darius Burton 1,060</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) James Shaffer 1,022</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">42.) John Irving 1,018</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov bounced back from a quiet two-game stretch with the best game of his career Saturday, when he scored a career-high 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds. The 20 points broke Plotnikov’s previous single-game high of 17 points, set in the 72-71 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 1, while the seven rebounds were his most against a Division I opponent and his most since he had eight rebounds against Division III St. Joseph’s (NY) in the season-opening 101-48 win on Nov. 6. Plotnikov had just two points in his previous two games and seven rebounds in his previous three games. The Dutchmen are 7-1 since Plotnikov joined the starting lineup, a span in which he is averaging 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists over 30 minutes. He averaged 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists over 14 minutes per game in 13 games this season as a reserve.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FROM ZERO TO TWENTY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov scored a career-high 20 points Saturday after being held scoreless against Hampton in last Thursday’s 63-59 win over Hampton. Depending on how you categorize a scoreless game, this is the first time in either seven-plus or five-plus years a Hofstra player has scored at least 20 points immediately after a scoreless game. Deron Powers followed up a scoreless effort against Charleston on Jan. 7, 2017 by scoring 21 points against Elon five days later. However, Kenny Wormley scored 20 points against Division III Rosemont on Dec. 22, 2018 after sitting the previous eight games. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GO FOURTH, YOUNG MAN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov tied a pair of career-bests Saturday, when he was 4-of-4 on his 2-point field goal attempts and 4-of-5 from 3-point land. It was the third time Plotnikov has gone 4-of-4 from inside the arc and the second time he’s been 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Plotnikov previously made all four of his 2-point field goal attempts in a 72-53 win over Northeaster on Feb. 8, 2023 and in the 64-55 win over William & Mary on Jan. 25. He was also 4-of-5 from 3-point land in the 72-71 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 1.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DOUBLE VISION</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas recorded his first double-double of the season Saturday, when he had 19 points and 10 rebounds. It was also the second double-double of his Hofstra career and the third double-double of his collegiate tenure. Thomas had 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 79-58 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 4, 2023 and finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds in Sacred Heart’s 86-81 overtime win over La Salle on Nov. 9, 2021.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 19 points Saturday while going 8-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point land, Thomas is 19-of-40 from beyond the arc over his last five games after going just 11-of-48 from 3-point land in five games from Jan. 11-25. He has scored in double figures in 47 of his last 49 games and 54 times overall in the last two seasons.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz just missed posting another Christian Laettner — perfect from the field and the free throw line, albeit without stomping on someone’s chest — Saturday, when he scored 13 points while going 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Fritz also added four rebounds and three assists despite playing just 20 minutes due to foul trouble.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday’ surge #Alliteration continued Saturday, when he had six rebounds in 21 minutes. Sunday has 13 rebounds in the lat two games after recording just 13 rebounds in his previous 11 games dating back to Dec. 30. The 21 minutes were the second-most of the season for Sunday, who played 27 minutes in the 71-68 loss to Saint Louis on Dec. 9.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE GOOD KIND OF THIEVERY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos did a little bit of everything Saturday afternoon, when he finished with six points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals. Carlos has a combined six steals in his last two games, his most thefts over a two-game span since he also had six steals against Buffalo and Wright State from Nov. 20-21.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FARMER AID FOR THE DUTCHMEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Khalil Farmer continued establishing a role for himself Saturday, when he scored five points in 19 minutes. The five points were one shy of Farmer’s season-high, set in the 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov, 20, He has 13 points in his last thee games after scoring just 13 points in the previous 15 games combined dating back to Dec. 6. Farmer’s 19 minutes accounted for his most playing time since he played 26 minutes in the 89-68 loss to Duke on Dec. 12.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HERE’S TO YOU MR. ROBINSON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson also finished with five points Saturday, when he scored for the first time since he had nine points against Monmouth in an 81-78 loss on Jan. 27. Robinson has scored at least five points nine times this season. How many times?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HENRIQUEZ WALKS ON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Freshman Jayden Henriquez became the first walk-on to appear in a game this season Saturday, when he missed his lone shot while playing the final three-plus minutes in his Hofstra debut. Henriquez is the first walk-on to play for the Dutchmen since Aiden Best and Petey Galgano each played down the stretch of the 94-48 win over William & Mary in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals last Mar. 5.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WITHOUT WASHINGTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington, who has established himself as a glue guy off the bench since swapping spots with German Plotnikov, missed his second straight game due to injury Saturday. These are the first back-to-back DNPs for Washington since he missed three straight games from Nov, 11-17, 2022.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE BIG GAME BEFORE THE BIG GAME</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win over North Carolina A&T, the Dutchmen improved to 28-29 in their final game before the Super Bowl. The Dutchmen have won four straight pre-Super Bowl games. Now that’s the quirkiness you’ve come to expect here!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops, but it will be the game FloHoops airs free on its <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@FloHoops" target="_blank">YouTube</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FloHoops" target="_blank">Twitter</a> (yeah I’n not calling it anything else) accounts. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING DREXEL</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dragons, under eighth-year head coach Zach Spiker, are 15-10 overall and 8-4 in CAA play following an 80-70 loss to Charleston on Saturday. It was the third straight loss and the fourth in the last five games for Drexel, which was the CAA’s last unbeaten team at 7-0 but is now in danger of falling out four-way tie with Hofstra, Delaware and Towson — Hey! That’s the entire ECC!!! — for the last two double byes. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Aggies had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen fell to Princeton 74-67 on Nov. 10 while the Dragons lost to the Tigers, 81-70, on Dec. 5. In CAA play, both teams have beaten William & Mary and Delaware and lost to Charleston. The Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Drexel beat in the lone meeting between the schools, and won their only game against North Carolina A&T, whom the Dragons swept. The Dutchmen lost to Monmouth, which split with Drexel, and beat Towson.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 141st at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Dragons, who were picked to finish third, are ranked 124th. The Dutchmen moved up eight spots in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings following Saturday’s win — the first time they’ve gained ground following a game since Jan. 6, a span of nine games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank sixth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (107.1 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (100.9 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.6 possessions per 40 minutes, the seventh-most in the league. That’s an IRON MAIDEN BIAS! The Dutchmen gained three spots in the defensive rankings following Saturday’s impressive performance. The Dragons rank third in the CAA in offensive efficiency (114.5 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (102.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 64.8 possessions per 40 minutes, 13th-most (or second-fewest) in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore guard Justin Moore, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection, leads the Dragons with 12.4 points and 3.4 assists per game. Senior forward Amari Williams the preseason CAA player of the year, is averaging 12.2 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game. Graduate student Lucas Monroe, who opened his career by playing three seasons at Pennsylvania, ranks second on the Dragons with 4.9 rebounds per game. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 68-63 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 8-16 against the spread this season but snapped a five-game losing streak with the bookies Saturday, when they improved to 2-10 in CAA play. Good thing nobody keeps track of standings that way!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE ECC RACE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What has always only been a thing to me (and maybe Litos) might actually have an impact on the secondary thing that is the CAA race this season! None of the four ECC teams are playing a round-robin against each other due to the dreadful unbalanced schedule, but with Hofstra, Delaware, Drexel and Towson all tied for third in the CAA at 8-4 two-thirds of the way through the league season, the four-way competition might very well decide the third and fourth double byes.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In more important matters, the Dutchmen can win the ECC tonight, since a victory will ensure they’ll finish with the best winning percentage within ECC play even with one game remaining against the Dragons next week. As far as I’m concerned, that should also mean the Dutchmen get a double-bye with a win tonight, So let it be written, so let it be done. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">HOFSTRA 2-0</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Towson 2-2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Drexel 1-1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Delaware 1-3</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen won the ECC title last season after Towson took home the very real hardware in 2021-22.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. DREXEL</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 50-47 against Drexel in a series that began during the 1958-59 season. The Dutchmen won the lone meeting between the schools last season, when Aaron Estrada scored 22 points and added five rebounds and five assists in a wire-to-wire 66-52 win at the Arena on Feb. 13, 2023. It was the first time since 1982-83 that the Dutchmen and Dragons didn’t play a regular season home-and-home with one another. The Dutchmen have won 17 of the last 19 games between the schools</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Dragons have opposed one another as members of the East Coast Conference, the North Atlantic Conference/America East and the CAA. The only opponent Hofstra has faced more than Drexel is Delaware, whom the Dutchmen have played 99 times.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The gang lost Family Fight bias! (The Show Me Dragon episode!)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Phillies choked away the NLCS bias! (They kinda did, though of course it’s better to get there than have two MLB teams stumble around for six months and miss the playoffs entirely)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What the hell happened to the Eagles bias! (A good question)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You beat Villanova but it was without Jay Wright so it doesn’t count bias! (Self-explanatory)</p></div>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-80029486962222610792024-02-10T04:36:00.001-05:002024-02-10T04:36:03.831-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at North Carolina A&T<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bIzR9Ko8sP8wshHNdf_XfFT273aA7PYF3z1bGRVeHPTKnRXac3iWHbkQjdC6F0So3NpQcYQpIfj8SNxQpeM8UMDjRdEzYlIrz3H6EJGEYonHkfEfFo3D65QoogHDW3rnuIipiZIoPUBcmaqqwW3C5k4OGyiQwQy1NSksiQ4lqbF5hC1KugM2ZIzmVAQ/s900/RickyMooreSICover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_bIzR9Ko8sP8wshHNdf_XfFT273aA7PYF3z1bGRVeHPTKnRXac3iWHbkQjdC6F0So3NpQcYQpIfj8SNxQpeM8UMDjRdEzYlIrz3H6EJGEYonHkfEfFo3D65QoogHDW3rnuIipiZIoPUBcmaqqwW3C5k4OGyiQwQy1NSksiQ4lqbF5hC1KugM2ZIzmVAQ/s320/RickyMooreSICover.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Shoutout to the days when private equity firms didn't get off on destroying journalism.</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Welcome to the second edition of the slightly tweaked I’ll Be Quirky! I posted Keep It Perky (an inside joke postgame rebranding) last night, which included a recap of the 63-59 win over Hampton as well as the usual post-victory boilerplate work — the 3 Stars of the Game, unicorn score and Keith Hernandez along with how the Flying Dutchmen are historically faring through this point in the season and Speedy Claxton’s standing with previous coaches through however many games. Read that <a href="https://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/02/keep-it-perky-hampton-postgame.html" target="_blank">here</a> and last week’s first postgame I’ll Be Quirky/Keep It Perky, which further explains why I’m tinkering with two versions of the IBQ, <a href="http://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/02/ill-be-quirky-hofstra-vs-stony-brook.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Thursday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing North Carolina A&T. As always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all the Dutchmen’s record streak of closely contested games, Tyler Thomas’ terrific surge #NearAlliteration and much more before a look at the Aggies!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FIT TO BE TIED</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen were tied at the half for the second straight game Thursday, when they were knotted 27-27 with Hampton. The Dutchmen and Towson were tied 28-28 last Saturday, At this rate, assuming the Dutchmen win the CAA Tournament and make the Final Four, they will duel an opponent to a scoreless tie at the half at some point in December!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, this marks the first time the Dutchmen have been tied at the half in consecutive games since Dec. 11-19, 2022, when they fell to Massachusetts 71-56 and lost to South Florida 77-70. However, with wins over Towson and Hampton, the Dutchmen have improved to 14-10 in games in which they were tied at the half dating back to the 2002-03 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WINNING BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday night’s 63-59 win, the Dutchmen have traveled back in time by winning consecutive games in which they scored fewer than 70 points. The Dutchmen edged Towson 59-56 last Saturday. Prior to these back-to-back wins, the Dutchmen hadn’t earned consecutive victories in which they scored fewer than 70 points since way back on Jan. 19-22, 2011, when they beat UNC Wilmington 66-57 and defeated William & Mary 67-64. Long time ago!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen also recorded a second straight win in which they surrendered fewer than 60 points. That’s the first such back-to-back stretch for the Dutchmen since last Feb. 25-Mar. 5, when they ended the regular season by beating Northeastern 84-52 and opened the CAA Tournament with a 94-46 win over William & Mary. The Dutchmen are 5-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 49 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53. Hey! That’s 10 years ago today! Let’s not celebrate it or anything.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TEAM BARBASOL</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks to loyal reader EvanJ for asking about this truly quirky — and now truly historical — stat: The close shaves continued Thursday for the Dutchmen, when they played their 10th straight game decided by fewer than 10 points. That’s the longest streak of such games in school history, breaking the previous mark of nine straight games decided by fewer than 10 points to conclude the 1985-86 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It is also the longest such active streak in the country…because Stony Brook’s 11-game streak was ended Thursday, when the Seawolves beat Elon 79-64. Thanks for making this stat really hum, Stony Brook! </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Per my research, only six other teams are in the midst of streaks of seven or more consecutive games decided by fewer than 10 points — including our pals at Monmouth! Here’s the list:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA</b> 10 (through Thursday)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Baylor 9 (through Tuesday)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Purdue Fort Wayne 9 (through Wednesday)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">East Tennessee State 8 (through Wednesday)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">North Alabama 8 (through Thursday)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Monmouth 7 (through Thursday)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Southern Illinois 7 (through Wednesday)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Will this streak continue today? Tune in to find out!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen continued their first half/second half discrepancy Thursday, when they followed up a 27-point first half with a 36-point second half. The Dutchmen are averaging 39.8 points per second half (956 points overall) as opposed to averaging 33.8 points per first half (811 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OPENING WITH ONE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen barely shoot free throws anymore — they rank next-to-last in the nation in free throw rate at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> after ranking last in free throw rate last season — so it’s doubly noteworthy Jacco Fritz opened the game with a pair of free throws Thursday. Even more noteworthy, it was the the third time this season the Dutchmen have scored their first point via a free throw. Darlinstone Dubar hit a free throw for the Dutchmen’s first point in an 85-76 win over Wright State on Nov. 21 before he scored the game’s first point with a free throw against Campbell in a 69-68 loss on Jan. 13. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when he finished with 16 points to increase his 1,171 points and move past Ted Jackson for 30th place. Dubar is 14 points away from surpassing Rokas Gustys for 29th place and 16 points shy of leapfrogging duo of former teammates Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>30.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,171</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 28 points increased his career total to 1,104 points and lifted him past Ameen Tanksley into 36th place. Thomas is four points away from surpassing Richie Swartz for 35th place, 25 points away from moving past fellow Connecticut native Mike Moore for 34th place and 29 points away from leapfrogging Wandy Williams for 33rd place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Mike Moore 1,128</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>36.) TYLER THOMAS 1,104</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Darius Burton 1,060</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) James Shaffer 1,022</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">42.) John Irving 1,018</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE TYLER THOMAS SHOW</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas scored 28 points Thursday night, when he finished with 44.4 percent of the Dutchmen’s 63 points (I know, I told you there’d be no math). That’s the highest percentage of the Dutchmen’s points collected by one player since way back on Jan. 11, when Thomas had 32 of the Dutchmen’s 68 points (47.1 percent) in a 71-68 loss to Northeastern.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 28 points Thursday while going 11-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-9 from 3-point land, Thomas is 16-of-35 from beyond the arc over his last four games after going just 5-of-33 from 3-point land in four games from Jan. 13-25. He has scored in double figures in 47 of his last 49 games and 52 times overall in the last two seasons. The 28-point effort Thursday marked the 17th time this season Thomas has scored at least 20 points and the 29th time he’s done so at Hofstra. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar extended a pair of impressive streaks Thursday, when he finished with 16 points. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 24 games this season — which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts — and in 26 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. The latter streak is the longest by a Hofstra player since Justin Wright-Foreman ended his career by scoring in double figures in a school-record 87 straight games. Dubar is one of eight Division I players to score in double figures in at least 24 games this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday made the most of his 14 minutes Thursday, when he scored four points — including the game-winning basket with 3:46 left — and tied career-highs with seven rebounds and two blocks. The four points were the most for Sunday since he had four points against St. John’s in an 84-79 loss on Dec. 30. Sunday previously pulled down seven rebounds for the Dutchmen in the season-opening 101-48 win over Division III St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6 as well as for Iona against Rider last Mar. 3. He had two blocks for the second straight game after never recording more than one block in any of his first 49 games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz got most of the time at the five Thursday, when he finished with nine points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. The Dutchmen are 4-2 this season when Fritz has at least nine points and five rebounds.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos had a quiet game offensively with two points and four assists Thursday, but he once again played a big role on the boards for the Dutchmen by pulling down seven rebounds. It was the third straight game and the fourth time in the last five games he’s finished with at least seven rebounds, a span in which the Dutchmen are 4-1. Dating back to last season, the Dutchmen are 10-2 when Carlos has at least seven rebounds.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov posted a rare triple zeroes line — no points, rebounds or assists as a starter — Thursday night but the Dutchmen still improved to 6-1 since he joined the lineup. Plotnikov, who played 28 minutes Thursday, is the first Hofstra starter to finish with no points, rebounds or assists since Stafford Trueheart did so over 10 minutes in a 90-84 win over William & Mary on Feb. 15, 2018. Plotnikov’s 28 minutes are by far the most of the seven players who have posted a triple zeroes line as a starter for the Dutchmen since 2010-11, the first season of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FARMER AID FOR THE DUTCHMEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Khalil Farmer continued establishing a role for himself Thursday, when he scored four points in 13 minutes. It was the second straight four-point game for Farmer, who previously hadn’t scored more than three points since he finished with five points in a 62-57 win over Iona on Dec. 6. Farmer’s 13 minutes accounted for his most playing time since he played 14 minutes in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4. He played just 10 total minutes in the next eight games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WITHOUT WASHINGTON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington, who has established himself as a glue guy off the bench since swapping spots with German Plotnikov, didn’t play due to injury Thursday. It was the first DNP for Washington since Jan. 19, 2023, when he sat out the Dutchmen’s 70-46 win over UNC Wilmington.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA A&T</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Aggies, under first-year head coach Monté Ross (hey that name sounds familiar!), are 7-17 overall and 5-6 in the CAA following Thursday night’s 80-58 loss to Charleston.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Aggies had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat High Point 97-92 in overtime in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Nov 22 while North Carolina A&T fell to the Panthers 75-62 on Dec. 8. In CAA play, both teams have swept Hampton and beaten Northeastern and William & Mary while losing to Charleston. The Dutchmen beat Delaware, which defeated North Carolina A&T, and fell to Campbell, which lost to the Aggies.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 149th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Aggies, who were picked to finish 14th and last, are ranked 339th. The Dutchmen have not moved up in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings between games since they climbed two spots to no. 117 following a 76-71 win over Delaware on Jan. 6. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank seventh in the CAA in offensive efficiency (105.6 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (103.1 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the sixth-most in the league. So close to an IRON MAIDEN BIAS! The Aggies rank last in the CAA in offensive efficiency (99.7 points per 100 possessions) and eighth in defensive efficiency (106.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.3 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">North Carolina A&T is the fifth-youngest team in the country, per <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, following the dismissal of interim coach Phillip Shumpert and the subsequent exit of nine players. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore Landon Glasper, who began his career at Coffeyville College in Kansas, leads North Carolina A&T with 21.3 points per game but has missed the last four games. Sophomore Camian Shell, who also played with Glasper last season at Coffeyville College, ranks second on the Aggies with 12.2 points per game and leads the team with 4.5 assists per game. Junior Jason Murphy, who opened his career at NJIT before spending last season at Division II Frostburg State, leads the Aggies with 6.2 rebounds per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 76-67 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 11-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-16 against the spread this season, including a whopping 1-10 in CAA play. Good thing nobody keeps track of standings that way!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 1-1 against North Carolina A&T, which evened this lengthy historical series in dramatic fashion in the first clash between the schools as CAA rivals on Dec. 31, 2022, when Tyrese Elliott’s tip-in a split-second before the buzzer capped a 13-point second-half comeback and gave the Aggies an 81-79 win. The Dutchmen earned a 92-72 win at the Arena on Nov. 14, 2018, when Justin Wright-Foreman scored 22 points to lead five players in double figures.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A FAMILIAR FACE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Former Delaware head coach Monté Ross was named North Carolina A&T’s head coach last Apr. 10. Ross is the first person to serve as the head coach of two CAA schools, though, of course, North Carolina A&T was not in the league during Ross’ 10 seasons as the Blue Hens’ head coach from 2006-07 through 2015-16, a span in which he directed Delaware to a 132-184 record and the 2014 CAA Tournament title. The Dutchmen went 12-10 against Ross’ Delaware teams, including 0-2 in CAA tournament play. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Where did that old bald guy go bias! (Duncan Powell, who was somehow only a redshirt freshman last season despite a hairline that would have made Samme Givens blush, transferred to Sacramento State)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ricky Moore was on the cover of Sports Illustrated bias! (Moore forced Trajan Langdon into a turnover with under six seconds left and then helped collapse on Langdon, who lost the ball as time ran out in the Huskies’ glorious 77-74 win over Duke in the 1999 title game, yeesh, we’re all very old)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Elvin Bethea bias! (The former Oilers defensive end and Pro Football Hall of Famer played football at North Carolina A&T)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Christopher Belcher! (The world-class sprinter, a native of Sayville, graduated from North Carolina A&T)</p><p></p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-57376369507915871722024-02-09T19:34:00.011-05:002024-02-09T19:34:52.398-05:00Keep It Perky: Hampton postgame<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8HeQjg84nyZiJ4AUeu4-sBETk_pvgXxSSLp1TA_EfwjFVfX90z9ybEXyrtJpXnjCvab3OFLihkb08qZh5hFnedZA3VtaZtqQ_z_u4zmXDOrbjkzk9_mEhyvb1TLN74MAJT9uzKwrlxFSO_0fT3R_6QIQHG_oK_kVVxflIALkb6psMd2VPICI_TsEXRQ/s259/AlwaysSunnyPirateDoor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8HeQjg84nyZiJ4AUeu4-sBETk_pvgXxSSLp1TA_EfwjFVfX90z9ybEXyrtJpXnjCvab3OFLihkb08qZh5hFnedZA3VtaZtqQ_z_u4zmXDOrbjkzk9_mEhyvb1TLN74MAJT9uzKwrlxFSO_0fT3R_6QIQHG_oK_kVVxflIALkb6psMd2VPICI_TsEXRQ/s1600/AlwaysSunnyPirateDoor.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Do you think the Pirates live behind that door?</i></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen did it again Thursday night, when they dodged disaster against winless-in-the-CAA Hampton and mounted a comeback to edge the Pirates, 63-59. The Dutchmen, now in fourth place in the CAA by virtue of tiebreakers over Delaware and Towson, will look to continue their nail-biting ascent Saturday, when they visit North Carolina A&T. Make sure to stop by early in the morning for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over Hampton and a preview of the fighting Montes, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material in the postgame Keep It Perky shoutout to Jess K. for the new-fangled name for the postgame I’ll Be Quirky)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas (28 points) continued his scorching stretch and Silas Sunday came up with a handful of huge plays down the stretch as the Dutchmen avoided what would have been a demoralizing loss. The Dutchmen led just once in the first half — at 1-0 — and trailed twice by six points before Thomas and Jaquan Carlos scored the final five points of the half to knot the score at 27-27. Thomas scored eight points as the Dutchmen opened the second with a 16-8 run to take their biggest lead at 43-35 with 14:39 left, but Hampton responded with a 22-8 surge to go ahead 57-51 with 6:33 remaining. Darlinstone Dubar sank a pair of free throws to begin the game-ending 12-2 run by the Dutchmen, who took the lead for good at 59-57 when Sunday — who entered as Dubar shot his free throws — put back a miss of a Dubar 3-pointer with 3:48 left. Sunday blocked a potential game-tying layup by Jerry Deng 78 seconds later and Dubar hit a layup on the other end. Jordan Nesbitt responded with a layup for Hampton, but the Pirates were 0-for-3 with a turnover in a pair of possessions with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final 1:20. Thomas iced the win by sinking two free throws with seven seconds left before Nesbitt missed a shot to conclude a sequence in which Hampton missed 10 of its final 11 shots. Dubar scored 16 points while Jacco Fritz (nine points, eight rebounds) flirted with a double-double. Sunday had four points and a career-high seven rebounds in just 14 minutes while Jaquan Carlos finished with four points and seven rebounds.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Hampton, 2/8)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Darlinstone Dubar</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Silas Sunday</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 49</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 46</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 25</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 9</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! Bummer but the streak of close relatively low-scoring unicorn scores ends at two. The Dutchmen previously earned a 63-59 win when they defeated St. Francis (NY) on Nov. 19, 2011.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned six unicorn score victories this season after recording 13 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">But there was history here! Welcome to the club, Silas Sunday, who put back an errant 3-pointer by Darlinstone Dubar to give the Dutchmen the lead for good at 59-57 with 3:48 remaining. Sunday is the third player this season to collect his first Keith Hernandez, joining fellow first-year big man Jacco Fritz as well as second-year Hofstra player Bryce Washington.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"> </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 14</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 10</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-FOUR GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 14-10. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 31st-best record in school history through 24 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 14-10 since 2017-18 and just the fourth time overall in school history. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 24 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 13-11 (win in 24th game marked first win of six-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 18-6 (win in 24th game marked fourth win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 18-6 </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 20-4 (win in 24th game marked 12th win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 17-7 (most recent 17-7 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 17-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 17-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 19-5 (most recent 19-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 18-6 (most recent 18-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 16-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 20-4 (most recent 20-4 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 16-8 (most recent 16-8 start, win in 24th game marked fourth win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 18-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 21-3 (most recent 21-3 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 18-6 (seventh win of 11-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 20-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 24-game records:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 15-9 (most recent 15-9 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 11-13 (most recent 11-13 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 7-17 (most recent 7-17 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 6-18 (most recent 6-18 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 8-16 (most recent 8-16 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 12-12 (most recent 12-12 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-14 (most recent 10-14 start, loss in 24th game marked third loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 8-16 (win in 24th game snapped Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 8-16 (Jay Wright’s first year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 6-18 (win in 24th game was final win of regular season, VBK’s last year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 16-8 (win in 24th game was fifth in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91: 13-11 (most recent 13-11 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 5-19 (only 5-19 start, worst 24-game record in school history)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87: 9-15 (only 9-15 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 11-13 (loss in 24th game was sixth loss of eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79: 8-16 (third loss of season-ending five-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1977-78: 8-16 (final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75: 11-13 (won season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74: 8-16 (won season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73: 8-16 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72: 11-13 (third loss of season-ending four-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71: 16-8 (win in 24th game was third win of season-ending five-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1968-69: 11-13 (last loss of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1967-68: 12-12 (last loss of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 18-6 (win in 24th game was seventh win of 11-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 21-3 (win in 24th game was final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 23-1 (only 23-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in season finale was 13th straight)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 21-3 (first 21-3 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 24-0, 22-2, 4-20, 3-21, 2-22, 1-23 or 0-24 through 24 games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thirteen seasons were completed in fewer than 24 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 10-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40: 12-9</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41: 13-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42: 15-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43: 15-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44: 7-12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45: 8-13</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46: 12-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48: 13-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58: 15-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21: 13-10</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-ONE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 60-31 (.659) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 90 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 60-31 (.659, 91st game was the seventh game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 60-31</b> (.659, 91st game was the 24th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 59-32 (.648, 91st game was the 20th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 59-32 (.648, 91st game was the 16th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 47-44 (.516, 91st game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 46-45 (.505, 91st game was the 24th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-47 (.484, 91st game was the sixth game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 37-54 (.407, 91st game was the 19th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 37-54 (.407, 91st game was the 26th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 36-55 (.396, 91st game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 35-56 (.385, 91st game was the first game of his fourth season in 2004-05)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The three-way tie for first (including Speedy Claxton) through 90 games is now a two-way tie for first (including Speedy Claxton) through 91 games. Pretty elite company! Roger Gaeckler is at his highest spot yet while Tom Pecora’s win in the ’04-05 opener ensures all Hofstra coaches are not on pace to lose 100 games over a full Major League Baseball season, This is how I think. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Smith finished 27-32 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.</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-68422617474757082042024-02-08T15:30:00.006-05:002024-02-08T15:30:23.715-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Hampton<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR440Qu_OLitvspL22DcgW2n70a1rxxijLTDuBXhQe_lBvIm4O6G4HQzPnkle8GnNYNU3lulrY7U7GwjZKZKWw4PmQO2O5cXNCv1DwXEjwyeibuomnMUghn9WROZQ98Ak0s0ioDtB-c-nYrQVNkvkTSjRfCznu1sHYdnJucTey_WJU5X0KyCzC8jJBIpk/s2560/RickMahorn1992Topps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1844" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR440Qu_OLitvspL22DcgW2n70a1rxxijLTDuBXhQe_lBvIm4O6G4HQzPnkle8GnNYNU3lulrY7U7GwjZKZKWw4PmQO2O5cXNCv1DwXEjwyeibuomnMUghn9WROZQ98Ak0s0ioDtB-c-nYrQVNkvkTSjRfCznu1sHYdnJucTey_WJU5X0KyCzC8jJBIpk/s320/RickMahorn1992Topps.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Raise your hand if you also forgot Rick Mahorn played for the Nets.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>(Remember that whole postgame I’ll Be Quirky thing? Hopefully again after tonight’s game. Hectic weekend)</i></span></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;">Tyler Thomas did his best Charles Jenkins impersonation Saturday night, when he scored 23 points and had nine assists as the Flying Dutchmen outlasted Towson 59-56 in an absolute classic of a throwback CAA rockfight. The Dutchmen, now tied for fifth in the CAA, will look to continue their march toward a potential double bye in the conference tournament tonight, when they begin a three-game road trip by visiting Hampton. Here’s a look back at the win over the Tigers and a look ahead to the Pirates.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas finished with 23 points and sank what turned out to be the decisive 3-pointer (though not the Keith Hernandez 3-pointer!) in truly Charles Jenkins-ian fashion with 42 seconds left to help the Dutchmen fend off Towson in a defensive duel. The Dutchmen scored 13 straight points — the first eight by Darlinstone Dubar and the next five by Thomas — to take an early 17-8 lead and begin the back-and-forth with Towson, which scored seven straight points before the Dutchmen answered with the next seven. The Tigers ended the half on a 13-4 run that took 6:58 to tie the score at 28-28 before opening the half with a 10-3 surge that gave them their biggest lead at 38-31 with 15 minutes left. Bryce Washington scored four straight points to begin a 23-7 run for the Dutchmen, who never trailed after Thomas’ 3-pointer put them ahead 43-40 with 11:31 remaining and opened up a 54-45 lead on Thomas’ four-point play with 5:29 left. But Towson scored the next nine points and tied the game on Christian May’s 3-pointer with 3:24 left, after which the teams traded empty possession before Jacco Fritz’s only basket (history!!!) gave the Dutchmen the lead 1:08 later. Charles Thompson missed potential game-tying jumper, Fritz missed a layup and Towson’s Nendah Tarke misfired on a potential go-ahead 3-pointer before Thomas ended 94 seconds of rockfight goodness by sinking a step-back, flat-footed 30-foot 3-pointer. Towson nearly came back in the final eight seconds, when Tomiwa Sulaiman hit a layup off a Thomas turnover and Jaquan Carlos missed the front end of a one-and-one before Sulaiman missed a 3-pointer with two seconds remaining. The nine assists were a career-high for Thomas, who also shared the team lead with seven rebounds. Carlos had eight points and seven rebounds. Dubar finished with 14 points, though he spent a chunk of the first half on the bench and played just 30 minutes. Khalil Farmer had four points in 10 first-half minutes.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Towson, 2/3)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Darlinstone Dubar</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 46</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 44</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 25</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 9</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">YES! Holy crap! Would have thought for sure the Dutchmen racked up at least one 59-56 win in the pre-shot clock days. But while they had 30 victories end within three points of a 59-56 final — including a 61-56 win way back in 1942-43 — they’d never before won 59-56 until now. That’s wild.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is the Dutchmen’s second straight unicorn score victory and their sixth of the season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/6/23: 101-48 over St. Joseph’s (NY)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/20/23: 102-68 over Buffalo</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/22/23: 97-92 (OT) over High Point</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/30/23: 82-63 over South Florida</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/1/24: 72-71 over Stony Brook</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/3/24: 59-56 over Towson</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen recorded 12 unicorn score victories last season after recording 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, 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 <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A little bit of history here too! Jacco Fritz put the Dutchmen ahead for good by hitting the layup that put them ahead 56-54 with 2:16 left. It was the only basket of the game for Fritz, who is only the second player in history (or at least since last season) to collect the Keith Hernandez with his only points of the game. German Plotnikov hit the 3-pointer that put the Dutchmen ahead for good in a 77-57 victory over Monmouth on Jan. 11, 2023, though he did that with 7:50 left in the first half.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 14</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 10</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-THREE GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 13-10. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 34th-best record in school history through 23 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 13-10 since the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season — when, of course, they finished with that record — and just the third time overall in school history. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 23 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 12-11 (loss in 23rd game was the final loss of the regular season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 17-6 (win in 23rd game marked third win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 17-6 (loss in 23rd game snapped 10-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 19-4 (win in 23rd game marked 11th win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 16-7 (most recent 16-7 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 16-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 16-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 18-5 (most recent 18-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 17-6 (most recent 17-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 16-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 19-4 (most recent 19-4 start, loss in 23rd game snapped the 16-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 15-8 (most recent 15-8 start, win in 23rd game marked third win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 18-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 20-3 (most recent 20-3 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 17-6 (sixth win of 11-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 19-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 23-game records:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 14-9 (most recent 14-9 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21: 13-10 (the Dutchmen’s shortest season — at least in terms of games played — since 1957-58 ends with a 76-58 loss to Elon in the CAA Tournament semifinals) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 10-13 (most recent 10-13 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 7-16 (most recent 7-16 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-18 (most recent 5-18 start, tied for worst 23-game record in school history)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 11-12 (most recent 11-12 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 8-15 (most recent 8-15 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 7-16 (loss in 23rd game marked last loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 8-15 (Jay Wright’s first year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 5-18 (VBK’s last year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 15-8 (win in 23rd game was fourth in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1990-91: 12-11 (most recent 12-11 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87: 9-14 (most recent 9-14 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 11-12 (under .500 for good, fifth loss of eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79: 8-15 (first loss of season-ending five-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72: 11-12 (under .500 for good, second loss of season-ending four-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65: 11-12 (final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 20-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 22-1 (only 22-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 23rd game was 12th win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58: 15-8 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 20-3 (had only back-to-back losses in games 22-23)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1953-54: 14-9 (last loss of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1950-51: 13-10 (first 13-10 start and the only one until 2020-21)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 23-0, 21-2, 6-17, 4-19, 3-20, 2-21, 1-22 or 0-23 through 23 games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eleven seasons were completed in fewer than 23 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 10-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40: 12-9</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41: 13-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42: 15-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43: 15-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44: 7-12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45: 8-13</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46: 12-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48: 13-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 59-31 (.656) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 90 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 59-31 (.656, 90th game was the sixth game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 59-31 (.656, 90th game was the 19th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 59-31</b> (.656, 90th game was the 23rd game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 58-32 (.644, 90th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 46-44 (.511, 90th game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 46-44 (.511, 90th game was the 23rd game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-46 (.489, 90th game was the fifth game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 37-53 (.411, 90th game was the 25th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 36-54 (.400, 90th game was the 18th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 35-55 (.389, 90th game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 34-56 (.378, 90th game was the 29th and final game of his third season in 2003-04)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I believe this is both the first time Speedy Claxton’s been tied for the best-known winning percentage among Hofstra coaches through ‘X’ games as well as the first time there’s been a three-way tie for the top spot. But Butch van Breda Kolff I lurks as a potential member of a four-way tie for no. 1 before clear second and third tiers, the latter of which still has four coaches separated by one win apiece.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FIT TO BE TIED</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen entered the locker room in a tie game for the first time this season last Saturday, when the score was knotted at 30-30. The Dutchmen were 1-2 when tied at the half last season, when they fell to Massachusetts on Dec. 11, 2022 and lost to South Florida on Dec. 19, 2022 before beating UNC Wilmington on Jan. 19, 2023. Wow! Spanning two years! The Dutchmen are 13-10 in games in which they trailed at the half dating back to the 2002-03 season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A WIN FOR THE FIFTY-SOMETHINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hey, that’s my demo! Eep. Anyway, the Dutchmen won a game in which they scored fewer than 50 points for the first time since way back on Dec. 31, 2016, when they edged Delaware 58-56. That was 149 wins ago! The Dutchmen have won a game in which they scored fewer than 60 points just three times in the last 13-plus seasons since after doing so 17 times from 1993-94 (the start of the Defiantly Dutch era) through the 2009-10 season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TEAM BARBASOL</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks to loyal reader EvanJ for asking about this truly quirky stat: The close shaves continued Saturday for the Dutchmen, when they played their ninth straight game decided by fewer than 10 points. That’s the longest single-season streak of such games since way back in 1985-86, when the Flying Dutchmen — who really were called the Flying Dutchmen back then! — ended the season with nine straight games decided by single digits. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen continued, albeit by just a bit, their first half/second half discrepancy Saturday, when they followed up a 28-point first half with a 31-point second half. The Dutchmen are averaging 40 points per second half (920 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.1 points per first half (784 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR HOLDS STEADY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar remained in 31st place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when he finished with 14 points. Dubar has 1,155 points and is five points away from moving past Ted Jackson for 30th place, 30 points away from surpassing Rokas Gustys for 29th place and 32 points shy of leapfrogging the duo of Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>31.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,155</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Mike Moore 1,128</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marked the first game since Dubar joined the 1,000-point club on Jan. 6 that he didn’t gain at least half a spot on the all-time scoring list. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 6: 41st place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 11: tied for 40th place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 13: 39th place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 18: 37th place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 22: 35th place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 25: 34th place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jan. 27: 33rd place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Feb. 1: 31st place</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his2326 points increased his career total to 1,076 points and lifted him past Darius Burton and Derrick Flowers into 37th place. Thomas is 15 points away from moving past Ameen Tanksley for 36th place and 32 points way from surpassing Richie Swartz for 35th place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>37.) TYLER THOMAS 1,076</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Darius Burton 1,060</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) James Shaffer 1,022</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">42.) John Irving 1,018</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HONORS FOR THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who scored 26 points and hit the game-winning jumper with 0.4 seconds left in last Thursday’s 72-71 victory over Stony Brook before authoring his big performance Saturday night, was named the CAA’s Player of the Week on Monday. It is the second time this season Thomas has been named the CAA’s Player of the Week and the third time he’s earned the honors in his career. Speaking of honors…</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA HONORS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">…Thomas is the second straight player to earn at least a share of the CAA’s Player of the Week award. Darlinstone Dubar shared the honors with Towson’s Christian May for the week ending Jan. 28. (Our apologies to Darlinstone for forgetting to note this last week) Dubar’s first career award gave Hofstra a whopping 26 players with at least one Player of the Week award dating back to the school’s first season in the CAA in 2001-02. That’s almost surely the most of any CAA school in that span, though I haven’t finished all that research. However, Hofstra has had at least one player earn Player of the Week honors in each of the last 21 seasons dating back to 2003-04, which is easily the longest active streak in the CAA. Another way to put that is that a Hofstra player has earned Player of the Week honors in every single season the school’s been in the CAA EXCEPT 2002-03. Another way to put that: Even the 2012-13 team had an honoree (alas, he is one of The Those Who Shall Not Be Named).</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A NICE GAME FOR THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With his 23 points and nine assists Saturday night, Tyler Thomas accounted for 69.5 percent of the Dutchmen’s total points. That’s the biggest percentage of points accounted for by one Hofstra player in a single game since way back on Dec. 11, 2010, when Charles Jenkins had 32 points and six assists to account for 74.6 percent of the Dutchmen’s points in a 63-59 loss to Florida Atlantic. See? I told you it was a Jenkins-ian effort! That was a whopping 433 games ago!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS FILLS UP THE STAT SHEET</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas became the first player to collect at least 20 points and nine assists in the same game for the Dutchmen since Desure Buie had 26 points and nine assists in a 97-81 win over James Madison on Feb. 29, 2020. It was the second such game of the season for Buie, who had 27 points and nine assists in a 78-62 win over Delaware seven days earlier. The only other player to have at least 20 points and nine assists in a game for the Dutchmen since 2010-11 (the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference) is Juan’ya Green who did it six times from 2014-15 through 2015-16.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS’ TRIPLE CROWN (sorta)</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas led the Dutchmen with 23 points and nine assists Saturday, when he also pulled down seven rebounds, which tied him for the team lead with Jaquan Carlos. It’s the first time Thomas has held at least a share of the team lead in points, rebounds and assists.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 23 points Saturday while going 9-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point land, Thomas is 12-of-26 from beyond the arc over his last three games after going just 5-of-33 from 3-point land in four games from Jan. 13-25. He has scored in double figures in 46 of his last 48 games and 51 times overall in the last two seasons. The 23-point effort Saturday marked the 16th time this season Thomas has scored at least 20 points and the 28th time he’s done so at Hofstra. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOW MANY TIMES DID TYLER THOMAS HAVE AN ASSIST SATURDAY?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Niiiiine times. The nine assists for Thomas easily shattered both his previous single-game high at Hofstra and his previous career-high. Thomas had five assists for the Dutchmen against High Point on Nov. 22 and against Campbell on Jan. 13 and collected seven assists against Bryant for Sacred Heart on Dec. 31, 2021.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos pulled down seven rebounds Saturday. It was the second straight game and the third time in the last four games he’s finished with at least seven rebounds, a span in which the Dutchmen are 3-1. Dating back to last season, the Dutchmen are 9-2 when Carlos has at least seven rebounds.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">DArlinstone Dubar played just 30 minutes Saturday — his fewest minutes since the 102-68 rout of Buffalo on Nov. 20 and his third-fewest minutes of the season — but that was more than enough time for him to maintain a pair of impressive streaks. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 2232 games this season — which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts — and in 25 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. The latter streak is the longest by a Hofstra player since Justin Wright-Foreman ended his career by scoring in double figures in a school-record 87 straight games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov finished with just two points, two rebounds and no assists Saturday but the Dutchmen still improved to 5-1 since he joined the starting lineup, Plotnikov is averaging 9,5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists over 30 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists over 14 minutes per game in 13 games this season as a reserve.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FARMER AID FOR THE DUTCHMEN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Khalil Farmer played nine minutes in the first half Saturday and scored four points. The points were his first of the CAA season for Farmer, who hadn’t scored since he drained a 3-pointer in the 84-79 loss to St. John’s on Dec. 30. Farmer’s nine minutes accounted for his most playing time since he played 14 minutes in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4. He played just 10 total minutes in the subsequent eight games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A BIG SATURDAY FOR SUNDAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday played 15 key minutes Saturday, when he scored two points and had a career-high two blocks. The points were Sunday’s first since he had two points in the 84-79 loss to St. John’s on Dec. 30 while the minutes were his most since he played a season-high 27 minutes in the 71-68 loss to Saint Louis on Dec. 9. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz made his lone basket count Saturday, when his layup with 2:16 left gave the Dutchmen the lead for good. The two points were the fewest for Fritz since he had two points against in the 71-68 loss to Saint Louis on Dec. 9.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FOUR FOR BRYCE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Bryce Washington Game didn’t fully activate Saturday, but Washington scored all four of his points to start a key 23-7 second-half run, after which the Dutchmen never trailed again. It was the second straight win in which Washington scored fewer than seven points. He was scoreless in last Thursday’s 72-71 victory over Stony Brook. The Dutchmen are now 3-8 when Washington scores fewer than seven points and 10-2 when he scores at least seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING HAMPTON</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Pirates, under 15th-year head coach Edward Joyner Jr., are 5-18 overall and 0-10 in the CAA. Hampton, the first team to open CAA play at 0-10 or worse since Northeastern began 0-11 in 2021-22, snapped a 13-game losing streak Saturday, when the Pirates edged Howard 63-61 in the Legacy Classic.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Pirates had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat Norfolk State 74-58 on Dec. 16 while Hampton fell to the Spartans 75-68 on Nov. 13. In CAA play, both teams have lost to Campbell, Monmouth and Charleston while the Dutchmen beat Delaware and William & Mary, each of whom defeated Hampton.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 148th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Pirates, who were picked to finish 13th, are ranked 345th. The Dutchmen have not moved up in the <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> rankings between games since they climbed two spots to no. 117 following a 76-71 win over Delaware on Jan. 6. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank eighth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.0 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (103.9 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 67.2 possessions per 40 minutes, the fifth-most in the league. The Pirates rank 11th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (102.0 points per 100 possessions) and last in defensive efficiency (120.9 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.6 possessions per 40 minutes, the second-most in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore Kyrese Mullen leads the Pirates with 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Graduate student Tedrick Wilcox, who opened his career at Dominican College and played the previous two seasons at St. Francis (NY) before the school dropped sports, is averaging 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Junior Jordan Nesbitt, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection who opened his career with a season apiece at Memphis and Saint Louis before transferring last season 10.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 15 games after missing the first eight games due to eligibility issues.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 78-67 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 12-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-15 against the spread this season, including 1-9 in CAA play. Good thing nobody keeps track of standings that way!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. HAMPTON</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are 3-0 all-time against Hampton in a series that began with the Pirates joining the CAA last season. The Dutchmen began their current stretch of five wins in six games by dodging disaster at the Arena on Jan. 18, when they overcame an 18-point first-half deficit to earn an 86-77 win.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kyrese Mullen keeps getting T’d up against Hofstra bias! (Mullen was whistled for a technical foul in the first game between the teams on Jan. 5, 2023 and drew a technical foul after fouling out at the Arena on Jan. 18)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We were technically an HU before you bias! (Hampton was founded in 1861 but didn’t become a university until 1984, 21 years after Hofstra)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">DJ Envy bias! (The Power 105.1 DJ graduated from Hampton)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bad Boys bias! (I’ve mentioned Rick Mahorn here before but whenever you can reference one of the Detroit Pistons’ bad boys — and a Hartford native! — you do so)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-76058497323435765112024-02-03T13:16:00.006-05:002024-02-03T13:16:18.757-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Towson at Hofstra<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32AugJ1c3zq5NSGYoGhVmxj-UPJhL2me2uCkUX0IhL0agnUBtc-JLm7V2j9DlMzsGu7XYU1jxBz4aAaG3uFSCoOUp7L84ArThAEBe2tFC_1wPb8cIO2kNiDwuqILV6DfrUp36Tbe1u9fxIZPHCDQMdGQgDupejxKbvt-xBI8QOU4NiPsuBYGBEqwpP00/s640/HomerThompson-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32AugJ1c3zq5NSGYoGhVmxj-UPJhL2me2uCkUX0IhL0agnUBtc-JLm7V2j9DlMzsGu7XYU1jxBz4aAaG3uFSCoOUp7L84ArThAEBe2tFC_1wPb8cIO2kNiDwuqILV6DfrUp36Tbe1u9fxIZPHCDQMdGQgDupejxKbvt-xBI8QOU4NiPsuBYGBEqwpP00/s320/HomerThompson-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Now when I stomp on your foot, Mr. Thompson, you let Jacco Fritz get the rebound.</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Welcome to the slightly tweaked gameday I’ll Be Quirky! If you’re stopping by for the first time since Thursday afternoon and wondering what I’m yammering about with a slightly tweaked gameday I’ll Be Quirky, I debuted the postgame version of IBQ overnight Thursday in which I recapped the 72-71 win over Stony Brook (hee hee) and handled the usual post-victory boilerplate work — the 3 Stars of the Game, unicorn score and Keith Hernandez along with how the Flying Dutchmen are historically faring through this point in the season and Speedy Claxton’s standing with previous coaches through however many games. Read that, and a further explanation of why I’m tinkering with two versions of the IBQ, <a href="http://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2024/02/ill-be-quirky-hofstra-vs-stony-brook.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With the usual postgame work completed, today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Thursday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing Towson. If you have any thoughts on the new format, please drop me a line on Twitter (yeah that’s what I’m calling it). In the meantime, read on to learn all about double-digit comeback wins, the Dutchmen’s streak of closely contested games, Jaquan Carlos’ near triple-double and much more before a look at the Tigers!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BUZZER-BEATING BLISS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas’ game-winning jumper with 0.4 seconds left gave the Dutchmen their first victory in the final second since Jan. 9, 2020, when Eli Pemberton drained the tie-breaking floater in the lane with 0.5 seconds left in a 74-72 win over Northeastern.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DIGIT COMEBACK <i>(part one)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who trailed by 13 points early in the second half Thursday, overcame a double-digit deficit in a win for the third time this season. The Dutchmen trailed Wright State by 13 points in the first half of an 85-76 win on Nov. 21 and trailed Hampton by 18 points in the first half of an 86-77 win on Jan. 18. Those are two nearly identical final scores! The Dutchmen have overcome a double-digit deficit in nine victories under Speedy Claxton over the last three seasons.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DIGIT COMEBACK <i>(part two)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen trailed by at least 10 points at halftime of the wins over Wright State, Hampton and Stony Brook, the latter of whom led 41-31 at intermission Thursday. This marks the first time since at least the 2006-07 season —which is as far back as play-by-play logs go at the Hofstra site — that the Dutchmen have won three games in which they trailed at the half. Perhaps this season should be sponsored by Rolaids. Or maybe it should be sponsored by…</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TEAM BARBASOL</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thanks to loyal reader EvanJ for asking about this truly quirky stat: The close shaves continued Thursday for the Dutchmen, when they played their ninth straight game decided by fewer than 10 points. That’s the longest streak of such games way back in 1985-86, when the Flying Dutchmen — who really were called the Flying Dutchmen back then! — ended the season with nine straight games decided by single digits. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TEAMS BARBASOL</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Stony Brook continued a post-reunion (why did the teams stop playing anyway, hmm, I have no idea) tradition by playing another close game Thursday. Nine of the 12 games to be played since the series continued in 2014 have been decided by fewer than 10 points, including five decided by three points or fewer. Hofstra is 8-1 in the games decided by fewer than 10 points and 4-1 in those decided by three points or fewer. Just the facts!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO BENCH BRIGADE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen received all 72 points from their starters Thursday, when Bryce Washington, KiJan Robinson, Silas Sunday and Khalil Farmer combined to go 0-for-7 from the field in 25 minutes. It was the second time this season Dutchmen reserves were held scoreless — Farmer, Robinson, Sunday and German Plotnikov didn’t score in 36 minutes in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4 — and the first time no reserves have scored in a win for the Dutchmen since the 70-61 victory over Northeastern in the CAA title game on Mar. 10, 2020. And then what happened? </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">After scoring more points in the first half than the second half in last Saturday’s 81-78 loss to Monmouth, the Dutchmen returned to form Thursday by following up a 31-point first half with a 41-point second half. The Dutchmen are averaging 40.4 points per second half (889 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.4 points per first half (756 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar had one of his quietest games of the year Thursday but still moved up two spots on the all-time Hofstra scoring list. Dubar finished with 10 points, which increased his career total to 1,141 points and lifted him past Wandy Williams and Nathaniel Lester into 31st place. Dubar is 20 points away from moving past Ted Jackson for 30th place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>31.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,141</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Mike Moore 1,128</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP, TOO</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, also also moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 26 points increased his career total to 1,053 points and lifted him past Percy Johnson into 39th place. Thomas is eight points away from moving past Darius Burton for 38th place, 17 points away from surpassing Derrick Flowers for 37th place and 38 points away from surging past Ameen Tanksley for 36th place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Darius Burton 1,060</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>39.) TYLER THOMAS 1,053</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) James Shaffer 1,022</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">42.) John Irving 1,018</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who snapped a three-game slump last Saturday, had another strong game Thursday, when he scored 26 points while going 10-of-21 from the field, including 7-of-13 from inside the 3-point line. Thomas has scored in double figures in 45 of his last 47 games and 50 times overall in the last two seasons. The 26-point effort Saturday marked the 15th time this season Thomas has scored at least 20 points and the 27th time he’s done so at Hofstra. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN THE HARD WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(This is a nifty Pat Benatar reference, BTW)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The seven two-pointers for Tyler Thomas Thursday #Alliteration matched a season-high, set previously when he was 7-of-13 in a 71-68 los to Saint Louis on Dec. 9 and again when he went 7-of-14 in a 69-68 loss to Campbell on Jan. 13. The 53.8 shooting percentage from inside the arc was tied for the second-best of the season for Thomas (minimum 10 two-point field goal attempts), who shot 54.5 percent (6-of-11) on two-point baskets in a 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FLIRTING WITH THE TRIP-DUB</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You know a game was wild when someone nearly collects a triple-double and it takes almost 1,500 words to begin talking about him. Jaquan Carlos came as close as possible to compiling a triple-double without doing so on Thursday, when he finished with 11 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. It marked the second time Carlos had at least nine points, nine assists and nine rebounds. He had 10 points, nine assists and nine rebounds in a 72-53 win over Northeastern last Feb. 8. Not surprisingly, the only player to come closer to a triple-double without finishing with one in the Defiantly Dutch era (1993-pres) was…who else but Speedy Claxton, who had 10 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists against Maine on Feb. 22, 1998. I love it when a quirky fact comes together! Juan’ya Green recorded the only triple-double in school history Dec. 28, 2014, when he had 15 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in an 88-62 win over Long Island University at Barclays Center.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A PERFECT TEN <i>(part one)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos had 10 assists and no turnovers Thursday. It was the sixth time Carlos has collected at least 10 assists and the first time he’s done so without committing a turnover. Carlos is the first Hofstra player to have at least 10 assists with no turnovers since Aaron Estrada recorded 10 assists and no turnovers in a 102-51 win over John Jay on Dec. 12, 2021 and the first player to do so against a Division I opponent since Chaz Williams had 10 assists and no turnovers in a 75-58 win over New Hampshire on Dec. 12, 2009. Wow! Twelve years spanning three decades! In between, Desure Buie had 10 assists and no turnovers in a 107-54 win over Division III Rosemont on Dec. 22, 2018. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A PERFECT TEN <i>(part two)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Per Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov, Jaquan Carlos is the 26th Division I player this season to finish with at least 10 assists and no turnovers in a game and the 19th to do so against a fellow Division I opponent.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov’s move to the starting lineup has been a winning move for both the Dutchmen — who are 4-1 since Plotnikov swapped spots with Bryce Washington — and Plotnikov. The junior set a career-high in scoring for the second time in three games Thursday, when he finished with 17 points in 30 minutes. Plotnikov is averaging 11.0 points. 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists over 31 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.6 assists over 14 minutes per game in 13 games this season as a reserve.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar had a quiet game by his standards Thursday, when he tied a season-low by finishing with 10 points. But that was enough to maintain a pair of impressive streaks for Dubar, who has scored in double figures in all 22 games this season — which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts — and in 24 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. The latter streak is the longest by a Hofstra player since Aaron Estrada ended his career with the Dutchmen by scoring in double figures in his final 24 games last season. That stretch actually spanned 28 games because Estrada missed three games due to an ankle injury and one game due to illness.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz made Tyler Thomas’ game-winning shot possible by coming up big in the final minute Thursday. Fritz hit a layup off a Jaquan Carlos feed from underneath the basket to pull the Dutchmen within 69-68 and then put back a Carlos miss to narrow the gap to 71-70. Overall, Fritz finished with eight points and five rebounds while drawing just two fouls over 29 minutes.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BRYCE BLANKED</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For a second straight game, a quirky stat involving Bryce Washington took a hit. This one happened in victory, though! Washington was held scoreless in the win as the Dutchmen improved to 2-8 when he scores fewer than seven points. The graduate transfer had seven points in last Saturday’s 81-78 loss to Monmouth, when the Dutchmen fell to 10-2 when Washington scores at least seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FARMER AID FOR THE DUTCHMEN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Khalil Farmer got some run in the second half Thursday, when he missed a pair of 3-point attempts in three minutes. It was the first action for Farmer since he played two minutes in the 86-77 win over Hampton on Jan. 18.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight’s game — tipping at the rare Saturday time of 6 PM because the teevee the teevee — will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING TOWSON</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Tigers, under 13th-year head coach Pat Skerry, are 14-8 this season and 7-2 in CAA play following an 83-76 win over Northeastern on Thursday night. It was the fifth straight win for Towson.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Tigers had no common opponents in non-conference play. In CAA play, both teams have lost to Monmouth and beaten Delaware. The Dutchmen lost to Charleston, whom Towson beat, and swept Stony Brook, whom the Tigers beat in the only regular season matchup between the schools. Towson split with Northeastern, which beat the Dutchmen, and beat Campbell, which also beat the Dutchmen.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 148th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. They’ve slipped following each of the last six games despite being 4-2 in that span. The Tigers, who were picked to finish tied for fifth with Delaware, are ranked 142nd.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank sixth in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.6 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (104.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.1 possessions per 40 minutes, the third-most in the league. The Tigers rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (108.1 points per 100 possessions) and first in defensive efficiency (98.5 per 100 possessions) while averaging 63.0 possessions per 40 minutes, the fewest in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore Christian May leads Towson with 12.4 points per game and ranks second with 4.7 rebounds per game. Junior Nendah Tarke, who played his first three seasons at Coppin State, is averaging 10.8 points per game since making his debut for the Tigers on Dec. 16. Redshirt freshman Dylan Williamson is averaging 10.6 points per game and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. Graduate student Charles Thompson, a preseason all-CAA first-team selection who has played all five seasons at Towson, is averaging 8.8 points per game and leads the Tigers with 7.7 rebounds per game.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 67-64 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-14 against the spread this season, including 1-8 in CAA play. Good thing nobody keeps track of standings that way!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE ECC RACE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This has always only been a thing to me (and maybe Litos) but the best race in American sports is further compromised this season by the dreadful unbalanced schedule. None of the four ECC teams are playing a round-robin against each other — and the Dutchmen are playing Delaware and Towson, their first- and third-most frequent rivals, just once apiece this season — so the ECC champion will be determined by winning percentage and will actually be decided tonight if Towson wins to complete a sweep of everybody with only a game against Delaware left. So don’t win, Tigers!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Towson 2-0</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOFSTRA 1-0</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Drexel 1-1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Delaware 0-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen won the ECC title last season after Towson took home the very real hardware in 2021-22.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. TOWSON</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 47-30 against Towson in a series that began during the 1982-83 season, when both schools were in the East Coast Conference. The teams split last season’s series, when Towson overcame an early 10-point deficit to beat the Dutchmen 68-47 in Maryland on Jan. 16, 2023 before Hofstra returned the favor by climbing back from an 11-point first-half deficit to earn a 76-72 victory at the Arena on Feb. 2, 2023. One year ago last night! </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra and Towson opposed one another in the ECC and the North Atlantic Conference/America East before moving together to the CAA for the 2001-02 school year. Hofstra has faced only two opponents as often as it’s faced Towson: Longtime conference rivals Delaware and Drexel. Yeah, about that…</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONE TIME ONLY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The unbalanced schedule means this season marks the second time since 1982-83 — when I believe the ECC schedule consisted of just a single round-robin — that Hofstra and Towson are in the same conference and playing each other just once in the regular season. They played each other twice apiece from 1983-84 through then-Towson State’s last year in the ECC in 1991-92 and twice a season every year from 1995-96 — when Towson joined the NAC following a short pitstop in the Big South — through 2010-11 before playing just once during the 2011-12 season when the CAA had 12 teams. That’s 36 times in 37 years the two teams played each other twice per season, including a campaign played in a pandemic. I know there’s a lot of balls to juggle in the air when scheduling a 14-team league, but it’s a bummer there’s no home-and-home this season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hasn’t Charles Thompson been there longer than Andrei Semenov was at James Madison bias? (Sure seems that way, but good to see someone playing his entire career at one school)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Orioles finally got sold this week bias! (And then they got Corbin Burnes)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nicolas Timberlake can’t shoot the lights out here anymore bias! (Timberlake, who played five years at Towson, transferred to Kansas for his free pandemic season after shooting a whopping 60.6 percent — 20-of-33 — from 3-point land at the Arena)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jermon Bushrod bias! (The Towson graduate played 12 seasons in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Saints in 2009)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-70518915380087451582024-02-02T04:33:00.005-05:002024-02-02T04:33:50.334-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Stony Brook (postgame)<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/5xgjtm4_M20?si=92pCcJRR7q5v30Qq" width="480"></iframe><div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>No better way to celebrate Billy Joel's return to the radio than Long Island's Division I men's basketball teams playing a game that embodied this 1990 hit.</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Wait a minute, you’re saying to yourself. The Flying Dutchmen overcame a 13-point deficit against Stony Brook last night and earned a euphoric 72-71 win thanks to Tyler Thomas threading a jumper between a double team with 0.4 seconds left. (Shake harder, Stony Brook!) The Dutchmen aren’t scheduled to play again until hosting Towson on Saturday night. So what is this nonsense appearing on my screen?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Well, I’ve been been thinking for a while about splitting up I’ll Be Quirky and doing the boilerplate postgame material (recap, 3 Stars, the Dutchmen’s record through however many games and Speedy Claxton’s standing with previous Hofstra coaches through however many games, plus, hopefully, the unicorn score and Keith Hernandez bits) in one file after the game instead of waiting until the next game’s IBQ.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Long story short is this isn’t labor-intensive work, but it is time-consuming and it’s often turning a night before project into a night before and the day of project. And whether it’s because I’m posting later on the day of the game or because the files are much longer, I’m receiving far fewer views this season than last. None of this season’s posts have matched the AVERAGE view count of last season’s posts. While I know this is a niche blog, that’s still a sizable drop. My guess is the biggest factor is Tickle Me Stupid tanking Twitter for writers.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There isn’t much I can do about that, but maybe splitting up IBQ — a solid idea, considering the first IBQ in 2016-17 was 592 words and Thursday’s post was A LOT longer than that — and trying to post links on other social media sites will help. We’ll see. Of course, in my own inimitable style, I’m doing this halfway through the conference season. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Also, as is always the case with all of IBQ, none of this is solely or even mostly my idea. Loyal readers Jaden Daly, Stephen Gorchov and Jess Kalbfleisch all suggested this to me as well, so if they think it’s a good idea, it must be.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, I’ve already buried the lede in my own inimitable style, which probably isn’t helping readership! Drop me a line on Twitter (yeah, that’s what I’m calling it) with any feedback you have on the new split format and please stop back tomorrow for the rest of the IBQ, including individual news and notes from the win over Stony Brook and a preview of Towson, Now finally…the first postgame IBQ!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas scored 26 points and hit an off-balance, double-teamed jumper with 0.4 seconds left to cap a chaotic final 30 seconds, complete a comeback from a 13-point deficit and get the Dutchmen to the midway point of the CAA season with a winning record. Stony Brook led 41-31 following a first half in which the Seawolves shot 53.6 percent, including 57.1 percent (8-of-14) from 3-point land. The Seawolves scored the first three points of the second half and led 50-38 with 16:22 before the Dutchmen began inching back with a a 10-2 run. Stony Brook took two more seven-point leads, the last at 58-51, before German Plotnikov scored the final six points of an 8-0 run to give the Dutchmen their first lead in almost 28 minutes. The two Tylers — Stephenson-Moore and Thomas — then channeled their inner Larry Bird and Michael Jordan by combining to score the next 14 points. Thomas hit a pair of free throws to put the Dutchmen ahead 66-64 with 2:00 left, but Dean Noll hit a corner 3-pointer 15 seconds later. Following a timeout, Jaquan Carlos missed a 3-pointer and Aaron Clarke sank a jumper on the other end to extend the Seawolves’ lead to 69-66 with 30 seconds left. Jacco Fritz was fouled while hitting a layup off a gorgeous feed from Carlos under the basket but missed the free throw. Keenan Fitzmorris hit a pair of free throws before Fritz put back a Carlos miss to again pull the Dutchmen within one with seven seconds left. Carlos fouled Clarke, who missed the front end of the one-and-one to set up Thomas’ game-winner. The Dutchmen weren’t whistled for a technical foul for mobbing Thomas on the court (phew) and Stephenson-Moore missed a 65-foot Frantz Massenat attempt at the buzzer. Thomas added six rebounds an three assists while Carlos (11 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds) came as close as humanly possible to a triple-double without getting it. Carlos also didn’t commit a turnover in 38 minutes. Plotnikov scored a career-high 17 points while Dubar (10 points, seven rebounds) flirted with a double-double. Fritz had eight points and five rebounds for the Dutchmen, who got all their scoring from starters.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Stony Brook, 2/1)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: German Plotnikov</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 43</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 43</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 23</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 9</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A tie!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Yes! Holy crap! Prior to last night, the Dutchmen had a whopping 32 victories end within three points of a 72-71 final, but never AT 72-71 until now! That’s awesome.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This is the Dutchmen’s fifth unicorn score victory of the season but their first since way back on Nov. 30. Wow! Spanning two months AND two years! That’s by far the longest in-season unicorn score victory drought since in the five-plus seasons we’ve been tracking unicorn scores.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/6/23: 101-48 over St. Joseph’s (NY)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/20/23: 102-68 over Buffalo</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/22/23: 97-92 (OT) over High Point</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/30/23: 82-63 over South Florida</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2/1/24: 72-71 over Stony Brook</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen recorded 12 unicorn score victories last season after recording 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, 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<a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank"> to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Moar history! Tyler Thomas, of course, recorded the Keith Hernandez by hitting the go-ahead and game-winning jumper with 0.4 seconds left. That is, not surprisingly, the latest in a game the Keith Hernandez has ever been recorded, or at least since the start of last season. And in a wild bit of quirkiness, Thomas has all four Keith Hernandezes recorded in either the final minute of regulation or overtime. That’s clutch. That’s the Keith Hernandez.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 14</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-TWO GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 12-10. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 36th-best record in school history through 22 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 12-10 since way back in 1990-91 — which, as you no doubt are tired of hearing by now, was my senior year of high school — and the sixth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen have been 8-8, 8-9, 10-9, 11-9 and 12-10 this season all for the first time since that 1990-91 season. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 22 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 12-10 (ended a season-long pattern of never being more than one game over or under .500)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 16-6 (win in 22nd game marked second win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 17-5 (most recent 17-5 start, win in 22nd game marked final win of 10-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 18-4 (win in 22nd game marked 10th win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 15-7 (most recent 15-7 start)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 15-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 15-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 18-4 (most recent 18-4 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 16-6 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 16-6 (most recent 16-6 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 19-3 (most recent 19-3 start, win in 22nd game marked final win in the 16-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 14-8 (most recent 14-8 start, win in 22nd game marked second win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 17-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 19-3 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 16-6 (fifth win of 11-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 18-4</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 22-game records:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 13-9 (most recent 13-9 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21: 13-9 (win over Delaware in the CAA quarterfinals was the final win of the season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 10-12 (most recent 10-12 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 7-15 (most recent 7-15 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-17 (most recent 5-17 start, tied for worst 22-game record in school history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 7-15 (loss in 22nd game marked eighth loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 7-15 (Jay Wright’s first year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 5-17 (wins in games 21-22 were the first back-to-back wins all season; VBK’s last year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1992-93: 6-16 (most recent 6-16 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 14-8 (win in 22nd game was third in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89: 9-13 (most recent 9-13 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 5-17 (win in 22nd game snapped program-record 12-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1986-87: 8-14 (most recent 8-14 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 13-9 (first and only other 13-9 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1984-85: 11-11 (most recent 11-11 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 11-11 (at .500 for the last time, fourth loss of eight-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1978-79: 8-14 (last win of season and last win of Roger Gaeckler’s tenure)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75: 8-13 (last loss of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74: 6-16 (last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73: 8-13 (last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72: 11-11 (at .500 for the last time, first loss of season-ending four-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71: 14-8 (first win of season-ending five-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 21-1 (only 21-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 22nd game was 11th win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 20-2 (only 20-2 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1946-47: 16-6 (last loss of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 22-0, 4-18, 3-19, 2-20, 1-21 or 0-22 through 22 games. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eleven seasons were completed in fewer than 22 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 10-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40: 12-9</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41: 13-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1941-42: 15-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1942-43: 15-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44: 7-12</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45: 8-13</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46: 12-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48: 13-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-NINE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 58-31 (.652) as head coach. That’s tied for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 88 games at the helm.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 59-30 (.663, 88th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 58-31 (.652, 89th game was the 18th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 58-31 (.652, 89th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 58-31</b> (.652, 89th game was the 22nd game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 46-43 (.517, 89th game was the seventh game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 46-43 (.517, 89th game was the 22nd game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-45 (.494, 89th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 37-52 (.416, 89th game was the 24th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 36-53 (.404, 89th game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 35-54 (.393, 89th game was the seventh game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 34-55 (.382, 89th game was the 28th game of his third season in 2003-04)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner moves into first while there’s a three-way tie for second, a tie for fifth and the eighth- thru 11th-place coaches separated by three wins.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p></div>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-89485264475057991972024-02-01T13:02:00.005-05:002024-02-01T13:02:17.702-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Stony Brook at Hofstra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdoORZ32AdfaC-n4Ui-TX_7t6duQUdadKh6Op2V0Z1Jv9l1MbvP8kaPwAZSkmvDDOYnjMSkZ4DeXng39VwhUdPdpsGfFTQctjchwErfoSWvPmIIQ0CzSOfZpgvaSvsQtLmIWYXengihmqQInniFiSNNDXU-4i5TJN9D5tioUfP7-LIsi2nyS7jIRaEu0/s640/ShelbyvilleFootball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdoORZ32AdfaC-n4Ui-TX_7t6duQUdadKh6Op2V0Z1Jv9l1MbvP8kaPwAZSkmvDDOYnjMSkZ4DeXng39VwhUdPdpsGfFTQctjchwErfoSWvPmIIQ0CzSOfZpgvaSvsQtLmIWYXengihmqQInniFiSNNDXU-4i5TJN9D5tioUfP7-LIsi2nyS7jIRaEu0/s320/ShelbyvilleFootball.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>Stony Brook fans tailgate tonight and was nostalgically of all the times they didn't beat Hofstra in football and didn't send alums into the NFL's head coaching ranks. </i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Good news: The Flying Dutchmen played a great first half Saturday! Bad news: The second half was…not so great. The Dutchmen continued to struggle trying to put together 40 solid minutes Saturday, when they squandered a 13-point first-half lead and fell to Monmouth 81-78. The Dutchmen will seek that elusive complete game as they hit the midway point of the CAA season tonight, when our good pals Stony Brook visit the Arena for the second game between the teams in 10 days. But it’s spanning two months! Here’s a look back at the loss to the Hawks and a look ahead to the Seawolves.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas (24 points) and Darlinstone Dubar (21 points) had big games, but Xander Rice was too much for the Dutchmen to overcome in what would have been an instant classic at the Jersey Shore if the result was a little different (and if the officials were a little better — OK, a lot better). The Dutchmen, ice cold from 3-point land most of the CAA season, hit their first four 3s — two by Thomas and one apiece by Dubar and German Plotnikov — in taking a 16-13 lead at the first media timeout. The pace slowed a bit until the Dutchmen got hot again from outside during a half-ending 14-4 run that began with KiJan Robinson (two) and Jaquan Carlos hitting a trio of 3-pointers and ended with three free throws by Carlos to give the Dutchmen a 50-39 lead. Thomas drained a 3-pointer with 16:34 left to put the Dutchmen ahead by double digits for the last time at 57-47 before Monmouth began its comeback. The Hawks went on a 30-13 surge and seemed to be in control up 77-70 with 1:21 left, but Dubar and Thomas hit 3-pointers and Bryce Washington capped an 8-1 run by sinking a pair of free throws to tie the game with 26 seconds left. But the Hawks held for the last shot and Rice benefited form the home whistle when Washington was called for a foul as Rice hoisted a 3-pointer with two seconds left. Rice hit all three shots for the last of his 31 points and the Dutchmen couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer. Thomas snapped his lengthy shooting slump by going 5-for-10 from 3-point land and added seven rebounds and four assists. Washington (seven points, seven rebounds, two blocks, one steal) had another solid game as the defensive spark off the bench while Robinson scored nine points via a trio of 3-pointers. Jacco Fritz had six points and six rebounds but fouled out in 24 minutes while Carlos finished with six points, eight assists and four reboudns but also committed five turnovers.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Monmouth, 1/27)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Bryce Washington</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 43</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 40</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 21</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 9</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-ONE GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 11-10. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 43rd-best record in school history through 21 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 11-10 since way back in 1984-85 — when I was in sixth grade! — and the sixth time overall in school history, That has got to be the farthest back we’ve gone to find the previous tie the Dutchmen had a certain record through ‘X’ games since we started this exercise in 2018-19. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 21 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 11-10 (over .500 for good)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 15-6 (win in 21st game marked first win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 16-5 (win in 21st game marked ninth win of 10-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 17-4 (win in 21st game marked ninth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-7 (most recent 14-7 start)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 14-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 14-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 17-4 (most recent 17-4 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 16-5 (most recent 16-5 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 15-6 (most recent 15-6 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 18-3 (most recent 18-3 start, win in 21st game marked 15th win in the 16-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 13-8 (most recent 13-8 start, win in 21st game marked first win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 16-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 18-3 (only other 18-3 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 15-6 (fourth win of 11-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 17-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 21-game records:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21: 12-9 (most recent 12-9 start, loss in 21st game marked the unplanned and unexpected regular season finale because of, well, you know)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 10-11 (most recent 10-11 start; win in 21st game snapped Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 7-14 (most recent 7-14 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-16 (most recent 5-16 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2009-10: 9-12 (most recent 9-12 start, season-low three games under .500)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 10-11 (last time within one win of .500, Tom Pecora’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97: 10-11 (under .500 for good)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 7-14 (loss in 21st game marked seventh loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 6-15 (most recent 6-15 start, Jay Wright’s first year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 4-17 (most recent 4-17 start, VBK’s last year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 13-8 (win in 21st game was second in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1988-89: 8-13 (most recent 8-13 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 4-17 (loss in 21st game was 11th loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1974-75: 8-13 (last loss of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1972-73: 8-13 (last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1971-72: 11-10 (over .500 for the last time, last win of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1970-71: 13-8 (last loss of season)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 19-2 (only 19-2 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 20-1 (most recent 20-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 21st game was 10th win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 20-1 (first 20-1 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45: 8-13 (lost season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40: 12-9 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 21-0, 3-18, 2-19, 1-20 or 0-21 through 21 games. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">More quirky quirkiness: With 11-10 now having been achieved, the only other 21-game record combinations the Dutchmen haven’t experienced this century aside from the above-mentioned records are 20-1, 19-2, 8-13, 6-15 and 4-17.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Seven seasons were completed in fewer than 21 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 10-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41: 13-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44: 7-12</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46: 12-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48: 13-6</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-EIGHT</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 57-31 (.648) as head coach. That’s tied for the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 88 games at the helm.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 58-30 (.667, 88th game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 58-30 (.655, 88th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 57-31 (.644, 88th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 57-31</b> (.648, 88th game was the 21st game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 46-42 (.517, 88th game was the sixth game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 45-43 (.506, 88th game was the 21st game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-44 (.494, 88th game was the third game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 36-52 (.414, 88th game was the 23rd game of his third season in 2012-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 35-53 (.402, 88th game was the 16th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 35-53 (.391, 88th game was the sixth game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 34-54 (.379, 88th game was the 27th game of his third season in 2003-04)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some quirky history here with ties for first, third and ninth place. I believe this is the first time Speedy Claxton has fallen out of sole possession of a top-three spot since at least the start of last season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen squandered a double-digit lead in a loss for the second time this season and the ninth time since Speedy Claxton became head coach for the 2021-22 season. The Dutchmen led Saint Louis by 11 points in the first half of a 71-68 loss on Dec. 9.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>UNLUCKY THIRTEEN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen frittered away a 13-point lead Saturday, their biggest blown lead in a loss since they led North Carolina A&T by 13 points in the second half of an 81-79 loss on Dec. 31, 2022. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONLY HALFWAY THERE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who led Monmouth by 11 points at the half Saturday, lost a game in which they had a double-digit lead at intermission for the first time since Jan. 7, 2021, when they squandered a 17-point halftime lead in an 81-78 overtime loss to Northeastern. Apparently 81-78 losses with squandered double-digit leads are our thing?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>STREAKING NO MORE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The loss Saturday ended the Dutchmen’s seven-game winning streak against Monmouth — which dated all the way back to Dec. 5, 2017, when Joel Angus II and Kenny Wormley were in the starting lineup and Jalen Ray hit the miraculous 3-pointer off Justin Wright-Foreman's purposely missed free throw with under two secnds left to lift Hofstra to an 85-84 win. The Dutchmen’s longest active winning streak is now a seven-game streak against Delaware dating back to Mar. 7, 2021. Will that streak be put on the line in a CAA game again?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FAST START</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen led Monmouth 16-13 at the first media timeout Saturday, which arrived with 15:51 left in the first half (obviously). The 16 points are the most the dutchmen have scored this season prior to the first media timeout. They led Buffalo 15-6 when the under-16 timeout arrived with 15:57 left in the first half of a 102-68 win on Nov. 20. The Dutchmen didn’t score their 16th (and 17th and 18th, thanks to a Darlinstone Dubar 3-pointer) points until there was 15:45 left in the first half of the ECC clash. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT NOT A FIRST-HALF TEAM SATURDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen led 50-38 at the half Saturday. It marked the second time this season the Dutchmen have scored at least 50 points in the first half and the first time since they racked up 59 points in the first 20 minutes of the 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT A SECOND-HALF TEAM SATURDAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen scored just 28 points in the second half Saturday, their fewest of the season and their fewest since they scored 28 points in the second half of the 79-65 loss to Cincinnati in the second round of the NIT last Mar. 18. Even after having a far better first half than second half Saturday the Dutchmen are averaging 44.8 points per second half (848 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.5 points per first half (725 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>20-20 NOT ENOUGH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A truly quirky thing continued happening Saturday, when Tyler Thomas (24 points) and Darlinstone Dubar (21 points) each scored 20 points in a loss for the Dutchmen. It marked the fourth time this season the Dutchmen have lost a game in which both Thomas and Dubar scored at least 20 points. All four losses have come in the last nine games dating back to the 84-79 loss to St. John’s on Dec. 30. Entering this season, the Dutchmen had two players score at least 20 points in a loss just four times in the previous five seasons combined,</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar moved into 33rd place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Monday, when his 21 points increased his career total to 1,131 points and lifted him past Mike Moore. Dubar is two points away from moving past Wandy Williams for 32nd place, nine points away from surpassing Nathaniel Lester for 31st place and 29 points away from moving ahead of Ted Jackson for 30th place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>33.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,131</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Mike Moore 1,128</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP, TOO</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club last Thursday, moved into 40th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when his 24 points increased his career total to 1,027 points and lifted him past John Irving and James Shaffer. Thomas is 19 points away from moving past Percy Johnson for 39th place and 34 points away from surpassing Darius Burton for 38th place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Darius Burton 1,060</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>40.) TYLER THOMAS 1,027</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) James Shaffer 1,022</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">42.) John Irving 1,018</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO DOUBTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas snapped his shooting slump Saturday, when he scored 24 points while going 9-of-16 from the field, including 5-of-10 from the 3-point line. Thomas entered Saturday with 38 points over his previous three games, a span in which he was 14-of-47 from the field, including 2-of-25 from beyond the arc. Thomas has scored in double figures in 44 of his last 46 games and 49 times overall in the last two seasons. The 24-point effort Saturday marked the 14th time this season Thomas has scored at least 20 points and the 26th time he’s done so at Hofstra. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER FROM THREE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas ended an even longer slump Saturday by going 5-of-10 from 3-point land. Thomas entered Saturday having gone just 5-of-33 from beyond the arc in his previous four games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar continued his impressive season Thursday, when he finished with 21 points. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 21 games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 23 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. The latter streak is the longest by a Hofstra player since Aaron Estrada ended his career with the Dutchmen by scoring in double figures in his final 24 games last season, That stretch actually spanned 28 games because Estrada missed three games due to an ankle injury and one game due to illness.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington continued to fare well coming off the bench Saturday, when he finished with seven points and seven rebounds. The seven rebounds were the most for Washington since he arrived at Hofstra and his most since he had 10 rebounds for Pennsylvania way back on Jan. 26, 2019, when he collected 23 points in his lone double-double for the Quakers.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN THE HARD WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Alas, one quirky stat took a hit Saturday, when the Dutchmen lost even though Bryce Washington scored seven points. The Dutchmen are 10-2 this season when Washington scores at least seven points and just 1-8 when he scores fewer than seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>(This really works well today because it's the title of an album by Pat Benatar, who attended Stony Brook before dropping out to pursue her musical career) </i></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAQUAN’S TRIP FIVES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos had an up-and-down game Saturday, when he finished with six points, eight assists and four rebounds but also committed five turnovers. It was the third time this season Carlos has collected at least five points and five assists while committing five turnovers. He did so just once last season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FRITZ’S PAIR OF SIXES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz finished with six points and six rebounds Saturday. It was the sixth time this season Fritz has collected at least six points and six rebounds — Iron Maiden interested in funding an NIL for Fritz? — but the first time the Dutchmen have lost the game. That makes them *drumroll* 5-1 when Fritz has at least six points and six rebounds!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HERE’S TO YOU, KIJAN ROBINSON</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson provided another first-half spark Saturday, when he scored all nine of his points via a trio of 3-pointers before halftime. Robinson was scoreless in three-plus minuets in the second half, when he missed his lone shot. He has scored his last 17 points in the first half dating back to Jan. 18, when Robinson had eight points against Hampton.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN GIVING A HAND</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov, fresh off his best performance with the Dutchmen in last Thursday’s 64-55 win over William & Mary, had just five points Saturday but added a career-high five assists — two more than his previous single-game best, achieved against St. John’s in an 84-79 loss on Dec. 30.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A FOUL FREE THROW DISCREPANCY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen had just 12 free throw attempts Saturday — a whopping 20 fewer than Monmouth. Of course, that’s not a season-high for free throw differential going in the wrong way. St. John’s hoisted 31 free throws — 24 more than the Dutchmen! — in its 84-79 win at UBS Arena (i.e. Carnesecca Arena east) on Dec. 30.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight’s game will be carried live in the metro New York area on MSG, which is channel 72 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. You can also catch it on the MSG app if you have an Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords subscription or somehow paid one billion dollars (approx) for the app. It will also be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING STONY BROOK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seawolves, under fifth-year head coach Geno Ford, are 11-10 this season and 4-4 in CAA play following an 86-78 overtime win over UNC Wilmington on Saturday. Hey! Once again, their records are the same as ours! Did we just become best friends?</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Seawolves had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat St. Joseph’s (NY) 101-48 on Nov. 6, four days before the Seawolves earned a 91-50 win over the local Division III foe. In CAA play, both teams have lost to Charleston. The Dutchmen lost to Northeastern, who fell to Stony Brook, and beat Delaware, who beat the Seawolves. Stony Brook beat Monmouth, which defeated the Dutchmen.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 142nd at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. They’ve slipped following each of the last five games despite being 3-2 in that span. The Seawolves, who were picked to finish ninth, are ranked 213th.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank seventh in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.4 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (104.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.3 possessions per 40 minutes, the third-most in the league. The Seawolves rank ninth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.1 points per 100 possessions) and sixth in defensive efficiency (105.4 per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.9 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Graduate student Tyler Stephenson-Moore, who was selected to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Seawolves with 14.8 points per game. Graduate student Aaron Clarke, who played four seasons at Sacred Heart and spent three seasons as teammates with Tyler Thomas, is averaging 12.9 points per game. Graduate student Keenan Fitzmorris, who began his career at Stanford, is averaging 10.4 points per game. Sophomore guard Andre Snoddy, who played his first two seasons at Central Connecticut, leads Stony Brook with 6.7 rebounds per game while graduate student Chris Maidoh, who played four seasons at Fairfield, is averaging 6.3 rebounds per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 74-68 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 7-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-13 against the spread this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FEBRUARY = CRUNCH TIME</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen have fared well in February, which, as you likely know, begins today. Since joining the CAA in 2001-02, the Dutchmen are 112-68 (.622) in regular season games played on or after Feb. 1, including a perfect 8-0 last February.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HELLO WE MEET AGAIN</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are playing Stony Brook for the second time this season just 10 days after facing the Seawolves for the first time. However, that means these games span two months! This is the fastest the Dutchmen have completed a season series against an opponent since they split with Elon over a nine-day span from Feb. 15-24, 2022.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. STONY BROOK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 27-6 all-time against Stony Brook, including 9-2 since the series resumed in 2014. Darlinstone Dubar tied his career-high with 30 points and Jaquan Carlos scored a career-high 30 points last Monday night, when the Dutchmen overcame a nine-point first-half deficit to earn an 80-74 win out east. The Dutchmen are trying to sweep the season series for the second straight year.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 45-38-2 in all sports against Stony Brook since the two schools began scheduling each other again in the spring of 2014, including 41-27-2 since the 2016-17 school year began. Hofstra is 10-5-1 (NICE JETS RECORD IN 1981) against the Seawolves dating back to last Feb. 18, when the Flying Dutchmen basketball team beat Stony Brook 68-65.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Why aren’t your former football players and coaches getting NFL head coaching gigs bias? (Dan Quinn joined Raheem Morris in the NFL head coaching ranks today, which is really remarkable)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nicolls Road bias! (That’s a really long road)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">How many Andrei Semenov types do you have anyway bias! (The Seawolves have SIX graduate students on their roster, I feel like there’s a Rodney Dangerfield joke about class to be made here)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’ve won as many football games since the start of the school year as you bias! (I know this was used last week but I’m sorry, facts are facts)</p></div>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-71718119694843744472024-01-27T04:15:00.007-05:002024-01-27T04:15:32.453-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Monmouth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S5HSQjgGAWuZexBt7Bcc4mODX1Y35JuFDWCl5KgFidijATtHs-doop3TYnfQgJ_ChgSyeW7LPRxcLrPq-0IRg4m4Lwak6-GGdTa3vd2TA8qeCHG-SeODh1-nz-YySt1XdsgDsL1ky8Kekw48aTpwUeoGvXzDAmnL45GGyaXYwl3r5ZL_zgWT2DIKFxk/s600/DeeDennisJerseyShore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S5HSQjgGAWuZexBt7Bcc4mODX1Y35JuFDWCl5KgFidijATtHs-doop3TYnfQgJ_ChgSyeW7LPRxcLrPq-0IRg4m4Lwak6-GGdTa3vd2TA8qeCHG-SeODh1-nz-YySt1XdsgDsL1ky8Kekw48aTpwUeoGvXzDAmnL45GGyaXYwl3r5ZL_zgWT2DIKFxk/s320/DeeDennisJerseyShore.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><i>Believe me there are not a lot of suitable photos I can post from "The Gang Goes To The Jersey Shore."</i></span></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A fast start? A halftime lead? A winning streak? All in this economy? Apparently! It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but the Flying Dutchmen took care of business Thursday night with a wire-to-wire 64-55 win over William & Mary. The task will likely get tougher this afternoon, when The Gang Goes To The Jersey Shore to visit Monmouth. Here’s a look back at the win over the Tribe and a look ahead to the Hawks.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas reached a pair of career milestones, but his shooting struggles continued and German Plotnikov (a career-high 15 points) authored a breakout performance as the Dutchmen did what they needed to do against William & Mary. Plotnikov had a 3-pointer as the Dutchmen hit their first three shots during a 8-0 run. Darlinstone Dubar scored seven unanswered points to start a 9-0 surge that extended the Dutchmen’s lead to 19-6 before Gabe Dorsey responded with a 14-4 run — seriously, it was one-on-five — to pull William & Mary within 23-20 with 5:09 left. Jaquan Carlos answered with a 3-pointer for the Dutchmen, who never led by fewer than four the rest of the way even as the game devolved into a rock fight only Tom Pecora and Bruiser Flint could love. And maybe not even them. Plotnikov had a team-high five points and Thomas reached the 2,000-point mark for his career and the 1,000-point mark at Hofstra on consecutive baskets on the two baskets he hit during a 14-6 second-half run that extended the lead to 50-34 with 12:45 left. William & Mary had a chance to close the gap to five or six points with under three minutes left but turned the ball over on one possession before missing three shots on its next possession. The Dutchmen iced the win by going 5-of-7 from the free throw line over the last minute. Plotnikov finished 6-of-7 from the field, including 4-of-4 from inside the 3-point line. Dubar had 14 points, four rebounds and three assists while Jaquan Carlos (eight points, nine rebounds, six assists) got more than halfway to all the categories in a triple-double. Jacco Fritz had seven points and a season-high 11 rebounds. Thomas scored 13 points but was just 4-of-17 from the field, including 1-of-12 from 3-point land. Bryce Washington added seven points off the bench.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. William & Mary, 1/25)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: German Plotnikov</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Jacco Fritz</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 41</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 37</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 21</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 9</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Plotnikov’s first 3-star honor!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! Somewhat surprisingly this is just the second 64-55 win in program history and the first in more than 70 years — since waaaaaaaaaay back during the 1951-52 season, when the Dutchmen beat Bridgeport by that very score. My parents might not have even been in preschool yet! Even more surprisingly, this is the third time since 2018-19 — the first season in which we began tracking unicorn scores — that the Dutchmen have recorded a victorious final score for the first time since the 1951-52 season. Now that’s quirky. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned four unicorn score victories this season after recording 13 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar did it again and wasted no time in doing so Thursday night, when he opened the scoring 13 seconds into the game to give the Dutchmen a lead they’d never relinquish. It’s the earliest Keith Hernandez this season by the Dutchmen and the second-earliest Keith Hernandez in history (or at least since last season) behind only Dubar’s game-opening layup eight seconds into a 66-52 win over Drexel last Feb. 13.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 13</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 10</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 11-9. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 36th-best record in school history through 20 games. Once again, this is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 11-9 since 1990-91 — my senior year of high school — and the seventh time overall in school history. The Dutchmen have been 8-8, 8-9, 10-9 and 11-9 this season all for the first time since that 1990-91 season. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 20 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 10-10 (loss in 20th game was final regular season loss)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 14-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 15-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 16-4 (marked eighth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-6 (most recent 14-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 13-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 14-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 16-4 (most recent 16-4 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 15-5 (most recent 15-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 14-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 17-3 (most recent 17-3 start, win in 20th game marked 13th win in the 16-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 15-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 18-2 (most recent 18-2 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 14-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 17-3 (first 17-3 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 20-game records:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2021-22: 13-7 (most recent 13-7 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 9-11 (most recent 9-11 start; loss in 20th game marked final loss of Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 7-13 (most recent 7-13 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-15 (most recent 5-15 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 6-14 (most recent 6-14 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04: 8-12 (most recent 8-12 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 9-11 (Tom Pecora’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1996-97: 10-10 (most recent 10-10 start, last time at .500)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 7-13 (loss in 20th game marked sixth loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 3-17 (only 3-17 start, VBK’s final team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1991-92: 12-8 (win in 20th game was first in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 4-16 (only 4-16 start, loss in 20th game was 10th loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 18-2 (first 18-2 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 19-1 (first 19-1 start, VBK’s first year)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1944-45: 8-12 (win in penultimate game was final win of season)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1940-41: 13-7 (won regular season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 20-0, 2-18, 1-19 or 0-20 through 20 games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">More quirky quirkiness: With 11-9 now having been achieved, the only other 20-game record combinations the Dutchmen haven’t experienced this century aside from the above-mentioned records are 19-1, 18-2, 10-10, 4-16 and 3-17.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Six seasons were completed in fewer than 20 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 10-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44: 7-12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46: 12-7</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48: 13-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-SEVEN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 57-30 (.655) as head coach. That’s tied for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 87 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 58-29 (.667, 87th game was the 16th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 57-30 (.655, 87th game was the third game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 57-30</b> (.655, 87th game was the 19th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 56-31 (.644, 87th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 45-42 (.517, 87th game was the fifth game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 44-43 (.506, 87th game was the 20th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 43-44 (.494, 87th game was the second game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 36-51 (.414, 87th game was the 22nd game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 35-52 (.402, 87th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 34-53 (.391, 87th game was the fifth game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 33-54 (.379, 87th game was the 26th game of his third season in 2003-04)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some quirky history here as I believe this is the first time Speedy Claxton has tied Paul Lynner since Claxton’s third game at the helm. Joe Mihalich also moves over 500 for good.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen never trailed Thursday night. It was their fourth wire-to-wire win of the season and their first since a 62-57 victory over Iona on Dec. 6. The Dutchmen had nine wire-to-wire wins last season — their most since at least the 2005-06 season, which is as far back as play-by-play logs go at the Hofstra site.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DEFENSE DIDN’T REST</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen allowed fewer than 60 points for the third time this season and have now won 47 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points. The Dutchmen last lost when giving up fewer than 60 points on Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>STILL A SECOND-HALF TEAM</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen didn’t need to mount a comeback Thursday, but they were once again more prolific in the second half (36 points) than in the first half (28 points). The Dutchmen have now scored 820 points in the second half this season (an average of 41 points per second half) after scoring just 675 points in the first half (an average of 33.8 points per first half). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BEST-OF-SEVEN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">If the CAA season was a best-of-seven…well, that’d be weird, but the Dutchmen would have a winning season right now? The Dutchmen are just the third CAA team in the last 10 seasons to win three in a row following a 1-3 start in league play. Towson did so in 2019-20 before North Carolina A&T did so last year.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THOMAS’ 1-2 MILESTONE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas made a quirky bit of history unlikely to ever be repeated at Hofstra or anywhere else Thursday night, when he scored his 2,000th career point and his 1,000th point at Hofstra on consecutive baskets in the second half. Thomas, who finished with 1,002 points in three seasons at Sacred Heart, hit a turnaround baseline jumper with 16:29 left for his 2,000th and 2,001st career points and his 998th and 999th points at Hofstra. Per Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov, Thomas is one of just eight active Division I players with 2,000 points. Thomas then sank a turnaround jumper in the lane with 13:20 remaining for his 1,000th and 1,001st points at Hofstra (and his 2,002nd and 2,003rd points of his college career). Thomas, the 42nd player at Hofstra to score 1,000 points, scored two more points to finish the game with (carries the one, drops the remainder) 1,003 points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) James Shaffer 1,022</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) John Irving 1,018</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>42.) TYLER THOMAS 1,003</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOW THEY GOT TO 1,000 POINTS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas became the 10th player since 2005-06 (as far back as play-by-play data goes at Hofstra’s site) to reach 1,000 points via a layup or jumper since I could only get the 16 most recent members of the club dating back to 2005-06, the furthest back play-by-play data goes at Hofstra’s site. Four players have reached 1,000 points with a 3-pointer while three did so via a free throw. The list!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3-POINTER</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar, 1/6/24</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada, 1/28/23</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Eli Pemberton, 12/1/18</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Loren Stokes, 12/30/05</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>2-POINTER</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas. 1/25/24</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jalen Ray, 12/22/20</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Desure Buie, 1/4/20</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Justin Wright-Foreman, 1/7/18</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rokas Gustys, 1/5/18</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Brian Bernardi, 1/2/17</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mike Moore, 2/11/12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Charles Jenkins, 2/28/09</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Carlos Rivera, 1/27/07</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Antoine Agudio, 3/20/06</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FREE THROW</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Ameen Tanksley, 2/25/16 (completing a nostalgic 3-point play)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Juan’ya Green, 2/7/16</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Nathaniel Lester, 2/1/12</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A THOUSAND HERE, A THOUSAND THERE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas is the second player to transfer to Hofstra and score 1,000 points for the Dutchmen after scoring 1,000 points at his first collegiate stop. Juan’ya Green scored 1,131 points in two seasons at Niagara before collecting 1,186 points at Hofstra. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A THOUSAND TIMES TWO (part one)</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar, of course, recorded his 1,000th point for Hofstra on Jan. 6. Dubar and Tyler Thomas are the first set of Hofstra teammates to have 1,000 points for the Dutchmen since 2019-20, when Eli Pemberton and Desure Buie starred on the CAA and eventual national champions (prove me wrong, children!). </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A THOUSAND TIMES TWO (part two)</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar and Tyler Thomas are also the first set of Hofstra teammates to reach the 1,000-point milestone in the same season since 2017-18, when Rokas Gustys and Justin Wright-Foreman did so in consecutive games from Jan. 5-7.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar moved into 34th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Monday, when his 14 points increased his career total to 1,110 points and lifted him past Richie Swartz. Dubar is 19 points away from moving past Mike Moore for 33rd place, 23 points away from surpassing Wandy Williams for 32nd place and 40 points away from moving ahead of Nathaniel Lester for 31st place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30.) Ted Jackson 1,159</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Mike Moore 1,128</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>34.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,110</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov’s move to the starting lineup has been a winning move for both the Dutchmen — who are 3-0 since Plotnikov swapped spots with Bryce Washington — and Plotnikov. The junior scored a career-high 15 points Thursday after setting career-highs in minutes in the previous two games. Plotnikov has 33 points in the last three games, a span in which he’s shooting 65 percent (13-of-20) from the field, including 8-of-10 from inside the 3-point line. He shot 50 percent (18-of-36) from the field in his first 13 games this season, including 12-of-20 from inside the 3-point line. The 33 points are also the most Plotnikov has scored in a three-game span. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A NEW FACE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With his 15 points Thursday night, German Plotnikov became the first player other than Darlinstone Dubar or Tyler Thomas to lead the Dutchmen in scoring this season. He’s also the first player other than Dubar, Thomas or Aaron Estrada to lead the Dutchmen in scoring outright since Amar’e Marshall had a team-high 24 points in the 85-66 loss to then-no. 4 Purdue on Dec. 7, 2022. Warren Williams shared the team lead in scoring twice later in the season. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>JAQUAN THE STAT-STUFFER</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos, as Tom Pecora used to say about Loren Stokes, stuffed the stat sheet Thursday night, when he finished with eight points, nine rebounds and six assists. It marked the fourth time this season Carlos has finished with at least five points, five rebounds and five assists in a game and the ninth time he has done so in the last two seasons. Only four players — Juan’ya Green (23), Aaron Estrada (19), Desure Buie (11) and Justin Wright-Foreman (10) — have more such games since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. The nine rebounds were also a season-high for Carlos and his most since he tied a career-high with 10 rebounds against Hampton last Feb. 16.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FRITZ SHOPPING AT 7/11</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz snapped a four-game slump Thursday, when he finished with seven points and a season-high 11 rebounds while also adding two assists, two blocks and two steals. Fritz entered Thursday with just 21 points and 13 rebounds in his previous four games. The 11 rebounds were a season-high for Fritz and his most since he pulled down 12 rebounds for Canisius against Toledo on Dec. 10, 2022.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar continued his impressive season Thursday, when he finished with 14 points. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 20 games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 22 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TOUGH SLEDDING FOR THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas notched a pair of career milestones and scored in double figures for the 43rd time in the last 45 games and the 48th time overall in the last two seasons Thursday night, but he but still continued to struggle by finishing with 13 points while going 4-of-17 from the field, including 1-of-12 from 3-point land. It’s the second time this season Thomas has made four or fewer field goals while hoisting at least 17 shots — he was 4-of-20 from the field in the 74-56 loss to UNLV on Dec. 21 — and the first time since at least the 2010-11 season that a Hofstra player has made one or fewer 3-pointers while taking at least 12 shots from beyond the arc.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thomas has scored just 38 points while shooting 14-of-47 from the field over the last three games. He has two 3-pointers in that span, which marks just the second time he’s made two or fewer 3-pointers in a three-game span since he arrived at Hofstra. Thomas was 2-for-12 from beyond the arc from Nov. 19=26, 2022.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TARDY THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas didn’t score his first points Thursday night until he sank a pair of free throws with 7:11 left in the first half. It was the second-latest Thomas has gotten into the scoring column in his 55 games at Hofstra, ahead of only Monday night, when he was scoreless until hitting a 3-pointer with 5:07 left in the first half. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BRYCE THE GLUE GUY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington had a solid game off the bench Thursday, when he finished with seven points and was the only reserve to score. The Dutchmen improved to 10-1 this season when Washington scores at least seven points, They are 1-8 when he scores fewer than seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING MONMOUTH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Hawks, under 13th-year head coach King Rice, are 10-10 this season and 3-4 in CAA play following a 72-65 loss to Stony Brook on Thursday. It was the fourth loss in the last five games for Monmouth following a 2-0 start in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Hawks had one common opponent in non-conference play. Both teams lost to Princeton (no shame there), with the Dutchmen falling 74-67 on Nov. 10 and Princeton beating Monmouth, 82-57, eight days later.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In CAA play, both teams have beaten Hampton and lost to Charleston, The Dutchmen beat Stony Brook, which beat Monmouth, and lost to Northeastern, whom the Hawks beat.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 139th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> (and have managed to fall following each of the three wins in their current streak). The Hawks, who were picked to finish 11th, are ranked 201st.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank ninth in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (105.1 points per 100 possessions) and third in defensive efficiency (102.4 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the third-most in the league. The Hawks rank eighth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (105.2 points per 100 possessions) and seventh in defensive efficiency (105.2 per 100 possessions — hey that’s a tie!) while averaging 67.2 possessions per 40 minutes, the sixth-most in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Graduate student Xander Rice, who was a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection, leads the Hawks with 21.1 points per game, the third-best mark in the CAA. Rice, the son of King played the previous four seasons at Bucknell. Sophomore Jack Collins ranks second on Monmouth with 10.9 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game. Graduate student Nikita Konstantynovskyi, who played two years apiece at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Tulsa, ranks third on the team with 9.3 points per game and is second in rebounding at 7.5 rebounds per game.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts an 72-71 win for the Dutchmen. Sounds tense! Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-12 against the spread this season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. MONMOUTH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 8-6 all-time against Monmouth in a series that began in 1983-84. The Dutchmen have won seven straight games against the Hawks, whom they swept last season in the first clashes as conference rivals. Tyler Thomas and Warren Williams scored 18 points apiece in a 77-57 win at the Arena on Jan. 11, 2023 before Thomas scored 23 points in a wire-to-wire 86-57 win on the Jersey Shore on Feb. 11.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Father and son bias! (I think this is going to be a tougher grind than the time the Dutchmen played Detroit Mercy and Mike and Antoine Davis)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music bias! (This extremely cool sounding building just opened at Monmouth)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Situation Bias! (The guy who portrayed that character on Jersey Shore attended Monmouth)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dee and Dennis had the worst night of their lives on the Jersey Shore bias! (Know your Sunny, kids)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-55550908419924542382024-01-25T14:42:00.009-05:002024-01-25T14:42:42.642-05:00I'll Be Quirky: William & Mary at Hofstra<iframe frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://youtube.com/embed/zevVSkWODyo?si=J-cGlSrBzVe4Q_s1" style="background-image: url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zevVSkWODyo/hqdefault.jpg);" width="480"></iframe><div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>I hope the Dorseys don't have this kind of sibling rivalry.</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It took another second-half comeback following a fitful first half, but thanks in large part to another monster game from Darlinstone Dubar (30 points, 11 rebounds), Long Island remains the domain of the Flying Dutchmen thanks to Monday night’s 80-74 win over Stony Brook. The Dutchmen will look to continue climb over .500 in the CAA tonight, when they host William & Mary. Fortunately, nothing crazy ever happens against those guys! Here’s a look back at the win over the Seawolves and a look ahead to the Tribe.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen got off to a fast start, went into a familiar funk and trailed for more than 22 consecutive minutes before ending the game on a 24-15 run. After enduring miserable stretches in their previous three games, the Dutchmen took a 15-4 lead over the first 6:38, a span in which every starter but Tyler Thomas scored. Stony Brook responded by scoring 15 straight points to begin a 22-2 run in which the Dutchmen were 1-of-11 from the field with two turnovers. The Dutchmen began inching back and got within a possession twice down the stretch in the first half before Stony Brook, which led 37-32 at intermission, opened a pair of eight-point leads early in the second. The Dutchmen got within two points four times before scoring eight straight points during a 15-4 run that included the jumper by (spoiler alert!) Darlinstone Dubar putting the visitors ahead for good at 60-59 with 6:52 left. Stony Brook responded with an 8-2 surge to pull within 73-71 with 43 seconds remaining but Jaquan Carlos sandwiched four free throws around an empty possession for the Seawolves and the Dutchmen held on. Dubar became the first Hofstra player with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a double-double in 17 years while Carlos scored a career-high 23 points, including 18 in the second half, and added six assists. Tyler Thomas (1-of-6 from 3-point land) continued to struggle from long distance but had 11 points — including the basket that started the 15-4 run — and finished with seven rebounds. German Plotnikov had eight points in 38 minutes.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Stony Brook, 1/22)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 41</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 37</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 19</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">No! But this is just the second 80-74 win in program history and the first since waaaay back on Dec. 2, 1963, when the Flying Dutchmen — who really were called the Flying Dutchmen back then! — went on the road to beat another local rival, Long Island University, by that score. My parents were still in high school and just under a decade away from welcoming me!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned four unicorn score victories this season after recording 12 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Do-everything Darlinstone Dubar took sole possession of the Keith Hernandez lead by hitting the go-ahead jumper that put the Dutchmen ahead 60-59 with 6:52 left. Dubar has four Keith Hernandezes this season, one more than Tyler Thomas. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 1H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 13</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 9</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER NINETEEN GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Monday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 10-9. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 41st-best record in school history through 19 games. That’s the same spot they were at through 18 games! Quirky! Speaking of quirky, this is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 10-9 since 1990-91 and the seventh time overall in school history. The Dutchmen have been 8-8, 8-9 and 10-9 this season all for the first time since that 1990-91 season in which I was a senior in high school. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 19 games:</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 10-9</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 14-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 14-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 15-4 (marked seventh win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-5 (most recent 14-5 start)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 13-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 13-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 15-4 (most recent 15-4 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 14-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 13-6 (most recent 13-6 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 16-3 (most recent 16-3 start, marked 13th win in the 16-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 12-7 (most recent 12-7 start)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 14-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 17-2 (most recent 17-2 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 13-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 16-3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 19-game records:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 9-10 (most recent 9-10 start, under .500 for good; loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 7-12 (most recent 7-12 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-14 (most recent 5-14 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 6-13 (most recent 6-13 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04: 8-11 (most recent 8-11 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 7-12 (loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 5-14 (win in 19th game marked second win of three-game winning streak, the first streak in Wright’s first year)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997-98: 11-8 (most recent 11-8 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 3-16 (only 3-16 start, 84-76 win over Central Connecticut in 19th game was lone regular season ECC win and also the first game I ever covered, VBK’s last team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 4-15 (only 4-15 start, loss in 19th game was ninth loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-96: 10-9 (over .500 for good)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65: 9-10 (under .500 for good)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 17-2 (first 17-2 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 18-1 (most recent 18-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 19th game was eighth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57: 9-10 (under .500 for good)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 18-1 (VBK’s first year, first 18-1 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1947-48: 13-6 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1945-46: 12-7 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1943-44: 7-12 (won season finale)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 19-0, 2-17, 1-18 or 0-19 through 19 games. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">More quirky quirkiness: With 10-9 now having been achieved, the only other 19-game record combinations the Dutchmen haven’t experienced this century aside from the above-mentioned records are 18-1, 17-2, 11-8, 4-15 and 3-16.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Three seasons were completed in fewer than 19 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 10-7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-SIX</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Monday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 56-30 (.651) as head coach. That’s the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 86 games at the helm.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 58-28 (.674, 86th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 57-29 (.663, 86th game was the second game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 56-30</b> (.651, 86th game was the 19th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 55-31 (.640, 86th game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 45-41 (.523, 86th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 1983-84)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 43-43 (.500, 86th game was the 19th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 42-44 (.488, 86th game was the first game of his fourth season in 1991-92)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 36-50 (.419, 86th game was the 21st game of his third season in 2012-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 34-52 (.395, 86th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 33-53 (.384, 86th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 1997-98) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 32-54 (.372, 86th game was the 25th game of his third season in 2003-04)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some quirky history here as Frank Reilly takes over the top spot for the first time, or at least the first time since I was able to piece together his career record earlier this season. Joe Mihalich also gets to .500 for good while the tiers become clearly established with the top four coaches separated by three games, the next three coaches separated by three games and the bottom four coaches separated by four games. </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>HOW MANY TIMES IN A ROW HAVE THE DUTCHMEN WON WHEN TRAILING BY AT LEAST NIIIIINE POINTS?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen didn’t fall into a double-digit hole Monday, but they did trail Stony Brook 26-17 before beginning their comeback. The Dutchmen, of course, trailed Hampton by 18 points last Thursday before storming back to earn an 86-77 victory. This marks the first time the Dutchmen have overcome deficits of at least nine points in consecutive wins since Dec. 28-30, 2019, when they trailed James Madison by 13 points in an 82-76 victory and trailed Towson by 12 points in a 75-67 win.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM <i>(part one)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen have trailed at the half in each of their last two wins. This is the first time the Dutchmen have overcome halftime deficits in consecutive victories since they won three such games from Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2023, when they trailed at the half against Not Twitter Guy, Charleston and Towson.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM <i>(part two)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen followed up their 59-point second-half outburst against Hampton by scoring 48 points in the second half Monday. This is the first time the Dutchmen have scored at least 48 points in the second half of consecutive games since Dec. 12-18, 2021, when they scored 53 points in the second half of a 102-51 win over Division III John Jay before scoring 49 points in the second half of an 89-81 win over then-no. 24 Arkansas.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen hadn’t scored at least 48 points in consecutive games against Division I foes since Feb. 9-14, 2019, when they scored 53 points in the second half of a 93-87 win over William & Mary (i.e. the game in which Justin Wright-Foreman tied the school record with 48 points) before scoring 56 points in the second half of a 99-95 win over Charleston.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SECOND-HALF TEAM <i>(part three)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This goes beyond quirky into wild territory. The Dutchmen have scored 784 points in the second half this season (an average of 41.3 points per second half) after scoring just 647 points in the first half (an average of 34.1 points per first half). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A FAMILIAR HOLE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have trailed at the half in their last four games, which is not even their longest streak this SEASON. They trailed at the half in five straight games from Dec. 12-30, a span in which they went 1-4.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have trailed at the half 12 times overall this season, matching their entire total from last season and exceeding their total of 10 halftime deficits in Speedy Claxton’s first season in 2021-22. The Dutchmen are 4-8 when trailing at the half this season after going 7-5 in those games last season and 3-7 in those games in 2021-22</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This seems like a good place to start breaking down Darlinstone Dubar’s latest big game. Dubar finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds Monday in his third straight double-double and his seventh of the season. He is the first Hofstra player with at least three straight double-doubles since Isaac Kante had four in a row from Dec. 19, 2020-Jan. 3, 2021 and the first Hofstra player with at least seven double-doubles in a season since Kante recorded eight double-doubles during the 2019-20 campaign.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE 30/10 CLUB</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Any double-double is impressive, but by at least one measure, Darlinstone Dubar had the most dominant double-double by a Hofstra player in almost a generation Monday, when he finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Dubar is the first Hofstra player to finish with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a double-double since Jan. 20, 2007, when Loren Stokes had 30 points and 15 rebounds in a 77-69 win over William & Mary. That was 548 games ago! The only player to have a 30/10 double-double in any combination in between was Charles Jenkins, who finished with 32 points and 13 assists in a 99-96 overtime win over James Madison on Feb. 18, 2009.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As just noted, Darlinstone Dubar continued his impressive season Monday, when he finished with 30 points and 11 rebounds. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 19 games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 21 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SECOND HALF D-STONE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar also continued his penchant for performing his best after halftime Monday, when he scored 15 of his 30 points in the second half. Dubar has scored 362 points this season, including 195 in the second half or overtime. Shades of Justin Wright-Foreman’s breakout season in 2016-17.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar moved into 35th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Monday, when his 30 points increased his career total to 1,096 points and lifted him past Derrick Flowers and Ameen Tanksley. Dubar is 12 points shy of moving past Richie Swartz into 34th place and 33 points away from surpassing Mike Moore for 33rd place.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">31.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">32.) Wandy Williams 1,132</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">33.) Mike Moore 1,128</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>35.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,096</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Darius Burton 1,060</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) James Shaffer 1,022</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) John Irving 1,018</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS IS COOKING <i>(part one)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos became the “2” in a 1-2 punch Monday night, when he scored a career-high 23 points while tying a career-high with four 3-pointers and adding a team-high six assists. The 23 points easily surpassed Carlos’ previous single-game best of 19 points, set in the 79-73 overtime loss to UNC Wilmington in the CAA semifinals last Mar. 6. Carlos has hit four 3-pointers in a game three times. He previously had four 3-pointers against Quinnipiac on Nov. 27, 2022 and against Monmouth on Jan. 11, 2023. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS IS COOKING <i>(part two)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos has scored 36 points combined in his last two games, which is the most prolific two-game stretch of his career. He had 34 points last Mar. 5-6 against William & Mary and UNC Wilmington in the CAA Tournament,</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TOUGH SLEDDING FOR THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos has emerged just as Tyler Thomas’ slump deepens. Thomas scored 11 points Monday, his second-fewest points of the season, and has 25 points in the last two games, his fewest points over a two-game stretch since he had 24 points against Drexel and Hampton last Feb. 13-16. He is also just 1-of-13 from 3-point land in the last two games, which marks the second time he’s hit one 3-pointer or fewer in a two-game span since arriving at Hofstra. Thomas was a combined 0-for-6 from beyond the arc against Saint Mary’s and Middle Tennessee State from Nov. 19-25, 2022.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SLOW STARTING THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas scored just three points in the first half Monday, It marked the second straight game in which he scored three points or fewer in the first half — he had two points against Hampton last Thursday — and only the fourth time he’s been limited to three points or fewer in the first half since arriving at Hofstra. Coincidentally, his first two games also came consecutively from Jan. 14-16, 2023, when Thomas scored two points in the first half against Delaware and three points in the first half against Towson, respectively. He followed that up by scoring nine points in the first half against UNC Wilmington on Jan. 19, 2023, in case you’re looking for trends tonight.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER 1K?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The good news is Tyler Thomas now has a real chance to record his 1,000th point for Hofstra at home! With his 11 points on Monday, Thomas has 990 points for the Dutchmen, which means he needs *does the math, drops the remainder* 10 points to become the 42nd player in school history to score 1,000 points. He has scored in double figures in 42 of his last 44 games and 47 times overall in the last two seasons.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TEN IS THE MAGICAL NUMBER?</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And now for a truly Quirky fact: Of the 23 players to join the 1,000-point club in the Defiantly Dutch era, six had 990 points entering the game in which they collected their 1,000th point for Hofstra, including Darlinstone Dubar earlier this season. The others are Carlos Rivera, Nathaniel Lester, Juan’ya Green, Ameen Tanksley and Rokas Gustys. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov made his second Hofstra start Monday and set a career-high in minutes for a second straight game by playing 38 minutes. He finished with eight points and has 18 points in the last two games, which is tied for his third-highest two-game total over the last two seasons. Plotnikov had 20 points against Princeton and Iona from Nov. 7-11, 2022 and 22 points against Stony Brook and Northeastern last Feb. 4-8. He also had 18 points against George Washington and San Jose State from Nov. 14-17, 2022. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>(NOT) PUTTING ON THE FRITZ</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz’s slump continued Monday when he had six points and three rebounds before fouling out after 19 minutes of action. Fritz has five rebounds or fewer in each of the last four games after recording five reboudns or fewer just six times in the first 15 games of the season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BRYCE THE GLUE GUY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">One of the negative quirky stats fell by the wayside Monday, when the Dutchmen won even though Bryce Washington scored just two points. The Dutchmen improved to 1-8 this season when Washington scores fewer than seven points. They are 9-1 this season when he scores at least seven points.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ONE BASKET IS ENOUGH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington’s two points were the only points scored by a Hofstra reserve Monday night. It was the third time this season reserves have combined for one basket or fewer. KiJan Robinson hit a 3-pointer for the only bench points in an 85-76 win over Wright State on Nov. 21 while no reserves scored in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING WILLIAM & MARY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Tribe, under fifth-year head coach Dane Fischer, is 7-12 this season and 2-4 in CAA play following Saturday’s 76-69 loss to North Carolina A&T. William & Mary has dropped three straight games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Tribe had two common opponents in non-conference play. Both teams lost to George Washington — the Revolutionaries beat the Dutchmen 71-609 on Nov. 14, three days after edging the Tribe 95-89 — while the Dutchmen beat Norfolk State 74-58 on Dec. 16, which was 18 days after the Spartans earned a 96-62 win over William & Mary.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In CAA play, both teams have beaten Hampton and lost to Campbell. The Dutchmen beat Stony Brook, who defeated the Tribe 63-59 on Jan. 13.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 137th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Tribe, who were picked to finish eighth, are ranked 323rd.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank seventh in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (106.2 points per 100 possessions) and sixth in defensive efficiency (105.3 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.9 possessions per 40 minutes, the third-most in the league. The Tribe rank 12th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (100.6 points per 100 possessions) and 11th in defensive efficiency (107.4 per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.8 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore guard Trey Moss, who spent his first two seasons at South Florida, leads the Tribe with 13.5 points per game. Junior guard Gabe Dorsey, who played his freshman season at Vanderbilt and was a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection, is averaging 13.1 points per game while sophomore guard Chase Lowe is averaging 12.7 points per game while leading the Tribe in assists at 2.7 assists per game and ranking second in rebounding at 6.1 rebounds per game. Junior Caleb Dorsey, who played the previous three seasons at Penn State and is Gabe’s older brother, is averaging a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts an 80-66 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 13-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-11 against the spread this season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. WILLIAM & MARY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 28-15 against William & Mary in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The Dutchmen won both games between the teams last season, when Aaron Estrada and Tyler Thomas scored 20 points apiece in a 75-62 victory in Virginia on Jan. 7, 2023 before the Dutchmen recorded the most lopsided victory in CAA Tournament history by beating the Tribe 94-46 in the quarterfinals on Mar. 5. This marks the second straight year in which the Dutchmen and Tribe are scheduled to play just once in the regular season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Hofstra-William & Mary series has lately been one of the CAA’s most exciting and competitive rivalries. Twelve of the last 24 games between the teams have been decided by six points or fewer or in overtime, including back-to-back barnburners in the CAA Tournament in 2015 (shudders) and 2016.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Siblings bias! (Not sure if we’ve ever seen two brothers opposing Hofstra on the same team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Your Dad played for Towson bias! (Stephen Dorsey, Caleb and Gabe’s father, also played for VMI)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show bias! (Easy one there)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Heyyyy little brother bias! (I like to think Caleb says that to Gabe, a la Dan Dorian to J.D. in Scrubs)</p></div>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-27408345648800026872024-01-22T18:33:00.008-05:002024-01-22T18:33:45.721-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Stony Brook at Hofstra<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDEhUf2G26Fi3ar1BLuVBeSR2floQT00AZXxEXIoVl3in9IskNtH11CptpETUpdE17Noxjtzh48eDjfZAmIyO6uRrPy_qG8c-6Unqa9R9-YRo_cCAEP-yT878ShhEPdwKGA7dXsY9yaDC2SJvCNYnkoU81Qnrnq-4qOmgW5asOTA5BbQK3ruLYlEeqbc/s640/LemonOfTroyJebediah.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDEhUf2G26Fi3ar1BLuVBeSR2floQT00AZXxEXIoVl3in9IskNtH11CptpETUpdE17Noxjtzh48eDjfZAmIyO6uRrPy_qG8c-6Unqa9R9-YRo_cCAEP-yT878ShhEPdwKGA7dXsY9yaDC2SJvCNYnkoU81Qnrnq-4qOmgW5asOTA5BbQK3ruLYlEeqbc/s320/LemonOfTroyJebediah.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>I'm not saying Hofstra and Stony Brook are arguing over marrying first cousins, but...</i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There’s still a lot of work to do to turn around a once-promising season, but the Dutchmen dodged what really might have been the most demoralizing loss in memory Thursday night, when they overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Hampton 86-77. The Dutchmen will look to continue climbing out of their early-season hole tonight, when they visit Stony Brook in a nationally televised game. Here’s a look back at the win over the Pirates and a look ahead to our friendly rivals the Seawolves.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Flying Dutchmen got off to another miserable start and came discouragingly close to not only hitting rock bottom but digging deeper and finding whatever sediment lies below, but Darlinstone Dubar scored 14 points to keep the Dutchmen within striking distance in the first half before Bryce Washington, German Plotnikov and Jaquan Carlos helped complete the comeback during a 59-point (!!!) second half. Hampton, which entered the game as the no. 347 team in the nation at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, never trailed in a first half in which it led by as many as 18 points. The Pirates led 42-27 at intermission and scored the first basket of the second half before Dubar scored nine points in a 17-0 run that took just 4:02. Hampton responded with a 14-7 run in which it went 4-for-5 from 3-point land, but Washington, Carlos and Plotnikov hit 3-pointers in a 27-second span to give the Dutchmen their first lead at 60-58. Because nothing can be easy this season, the Pirates scored the next five points and seven of the next nine before a 72-second span in which there was one tie and two lead changes, the last on Washington’s go-ahead 3-pointer from the corner with 5:24 left. Twenty-four seconds later, Hampton’s Kyrese Mullen picked up his fifth foul by elbowing Dubar, which also earned Mullen a flagrant two and an ejection. The Dutchmen mounted a six-point play via two free throws apiece by Thomas and Dubar and a jumper by Thomas before Hampton — because nothing is easy this year — scored the next five points. Plotnikov and Thomas had baskets on consecutive possessions and the Dutchmen iced the win by going 6-of-8 from the line over the final 1:41. Dubar (27 points, 10 rebounds) not only posted his seventh double-double of the season, he also had a team-high four assists and two blocks and shared the team lead with two steals. Carlos (13 points) and Plotnikov (10 points) scored all their points in the second half while Washington (nine of his 11 points) and Thomas (12 of his 14 points) also heated up after halftime. KiJan Robinson barely missed making it six players in double figures by collecting eight points, all in the first half.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Hampton, 1/18)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Darlinstone Dubar</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Bryce Washington</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: German Plotnikov</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 38</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 36</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 17</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Was seriously starting to worry I’d never get to ask this again this season. Anyway, no! This is the second 86-77 win in program history…and the first since Mar. 4, 1994, when the Dutchmen beat Chicago State 86-77 in the first round of the ECC Tournament. You know, that season began terribly and ended with a championship. Cripes this is gonna get me believing again, isn’t it.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have earned four unicorn score victories this season after recording 12 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined <a href="http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/08/22/a-unicorn-is-born/" target="_blank">by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won</a>. You may also know it as a <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL_Scorigami" target="_blank">“Scorigami,”</a> a term popularized in the NFL.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">History! Bryce Washington joined the Keith Hernandez club by sinking the go-ahead 3-pointer the Dutchmen up 70-68 with 5:24 left. Washington collected his first Keith Hernandez in his 44th game with Hofstra. Welcome to the group, Bryce. We’ll present you an oversized Keith Hernandez 1986 Topps Record Breakers card. (That would actually be pretty cool)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 1H)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME STANDINGS <i>(or at least since last season)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 13</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Warren Williams 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER EIGHTEEN GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 9-9. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 41st-best record in school history through 17 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 9-9 since 2016-17 — this ends a two-game streak of the dutchmen recording a 16- and 17-game record for the first time since my senior year of high school, though they were also 9-9 in 1990-91 — and the 11th time overall in school history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 18 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 9-9</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 13-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 13-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 14-4 (marked fifth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 13-5 (most recent 13-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 12-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 12-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 14-4 (most recent 14-4 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 13-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 12-6 (most recent 12-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 15-3 (most recent 15-3 start, win in 18th game marked 12th win in the 16-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 11-7 (most recent 11-7 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 13-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 16-2 (most recent 16-2 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 12-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 15-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 18-game starts:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 9-9 (last time at .500, let’s not repeat that this time around)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 6-12 (most recent 6-12 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-13 (most recent 5-13 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04: 8-10 (most recent 8-10 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1997-98: 10-8 (most recent 10-8 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1995-96: 7-11 (most recent 7-11 start, loss in 18th game was fourth loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 4-14 (most recent 4-14 start, Jay Wright’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 2-16 (only 2-16 start, worst 18-game start in school history, VBK’s last team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 4-14 (loss in 18th game was ninth loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1981-82: 11-7 (win in 18th game was the fourth straight but immediately preceded an eight-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65: 9-9 (last time at .500)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 16-2 (first 16-2 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 17-1 (most recent 17-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 17th game was seventh win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1956-57: 9-9 (last time at .500)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1955-56: 17-1 (first 17-1 start, first year of VBK’s first stint)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1938-39: 10-8 (lost season finale)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 18-0, 3-15, 1-17 or 0-18 through 18 games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Two seasons were completed in fewer than 18 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38: 10-4 </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 7-10</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-FIVE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 55-30 (.647) as head coach. That’s the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 85 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 57-28 (.671, 85th game was the first game of his fourth season in 1965-66)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 57-28 (.671, 85th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 55-30</b> (.647, 85th game was the 18th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 54-31 (.635, 85th game was the 10th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 44-41 (.518, 85th game was the third game of his fourth season in 1982-83)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 42-43 (.494, 85th game was the 18th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 41-44 (.482, 85th game was the 28th and final game of his third season in 1990-91)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 36-49 (.424, 85th game was the 20th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 33-52 (.388, 85th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 32-53 (.376, 85th game was the third game of his fourth season in 1996-97) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 31-54 (.365, 85th game was the 24th game of his third season in 2003-04)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner and Frank Reilly have the first known tie atop the standings since I started ranking all the coaches through however many games Speedy Claxton has coached. First known tie, of course, because I didn’t have Reilly’s correct record until this season. This is also the last time Joe Mihalich will be under .500 as Hofstra’s head coach, which is pretty impressive considering he was 10-23 in his first rebuilding season in 2013-14. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CALL IT A COMEBACK <i>(because it was, part one)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The third time was the charm for the Dutchmen, who took the lead after falling into a double-digit first-half hole — just as they did in a 71-68 loss to Northeastern on Jan. 11 and a 69-68 loss to Campbell on Jan. 13 — but held on to complete their comeback from an 18-point deficit. That ties the largest known comeback of the Defiantly Dutch era, set previously when the Dutchmen overcame an 18-point deficit in a 96-85 win over Canisius on Nov. 13, 2015 and matched fewer than four months later in a 70-69 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 25, 2016. I’m sure the Dutchmen got the last laugh over UNC Wilmington that season, no need to look up what happened thereafter.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CALL IT A COMEBACK <i>(because it was, part two)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen entered the locker room down 42-27 before kicking the comeback into high gear in the second half. The 15-point deficit was the largest the Dutchmen have overcome since they trailed UNC Wilmington by 16 points at halftime of the 70-69 win on Feb. 25, 2016.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SHARP SECOND HALF</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen roared back by scoring 59 points in the second half. The 59-point half matched the most prolific of the season for the Dutchmen, who scored 59 points in the first half of a 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>RUN RUNAWAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speaking of the Buffalo win…the Dutchmen spotted Hampton the first two points of the second half before tying the game by scoring 17 straight points. The run was the second-longest of the season for the Dutchmen behind only the 19-0 run they mounted in the first half of the 102-68 win over their long-ago ECC rivals.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>1010101010 WINS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen had five players score in double figures Thursday, when starters Darlinstone Dubar (27 points), Tyler Thomas (14 points), Jaquan Carlos (13 points) and German Plotnikov (10 points) were joined by new sixth man Bryce Washington (11 points). It was the second time this season five players have scored in double figures for the Dutchmen, who also had five double-digit scorers in the 101-48 win over Division III St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6, and the first time they’ve done so against a Division I opponent since the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT last Mar. 14. The Dutchmen are now 8-0 under Speedy Claxton when at least five players score in double figures.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>COLLECTING FREEBIES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Remember when the Dutchmen shot free throws as often and as well as anyone in the country? Well, they enter today ranked 358th in the nation in free throw rate at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, but that’s after going 20-for-23 from the line Thursday night. The attempts and makes from the free throw line were each the second-highest figures of the season for the Dutchmen, who were 25-of-30 from the line in the 97-92 overtime win over High Point. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE’S CYCLE <i>(plus one)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">By one measure, Darlinstone Dubar may have had the most impressive individual game by a Hofstra player in at least the CAA era Thursday night. Dubar led the Dutchmen with 27 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two blocks while sharing the team lead with two steals. As far as I can tell, Dubar is the first player since at least the 2002-03 season to lead or share the team lead in all five of those statistical categories in the same game. Just two other players have led the Dutchmen in four statistical categories in the same game in that span. Stevie Mejia led the Dutchmen with 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 61-43 loss to Georgia State on Feb. 13, 2013 while Aaron Estrada had 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one block in a 76-73 win over Northeastern on Feb. 19, 2022. Pretty solid. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As just noted, Darlinstone Dubar continued his impressive season Thursday, when he finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 18 games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 20 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar moved into 37th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 27 points increased his career total to 1,066 points and lifted him past Percy Johnson and Darius Burton. Dubar is five points shy of moving past Derrick Flowers into 36th place and 25 points away from surpassing Ameen Tanksley for 35th place.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">34.) Richie Swartz 1,107</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>37.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,066</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Darius Burton 1,060</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) James Shaffer 1,022</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) John Irving 1,018</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR D-STONE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you may have surmised by now, Darlinstone Dubar posted another double-double Thursday. The double-double was the second straight for Dubar and his sixth of the season. All six of Dubar’s double-doubles this season have come in his last 12 games after he had just two double-doubles in his first 73 games at Hofstra. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>BRYCE THE GLUE GUY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Once again the Dutchmen went as Bryce Washington went Thursday. Washington, who hit the bench with German Plotnikov taking his spot in the starting lineup, provided a much-needed jolt off the bench by scoring 11 points — including nine in the second half, when he hit all three of his 3-pointers, including the go-ahead basket with 5:24 left. The Dutchmen are now 9-1 this season when Washington scores at least seven points and 0-8 when he doesn’t. The Dutchmen also won all four games last season in which Washington scored at least seven points. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN FOR STARTERS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov made his first Hofstra start Thursday, when he scored 10 points in a career-high 35 minutes. The 10 points tied a season-high for Plotnikov, who also had 10 points against St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6, and were his most against a Division I opponent since he scored 14 points against Stony Brook on Feb. 4, 2023. Plotnikov made 48 appearances off the bench before his first start, the second-most appearances prior to a start behind walk-on Matt Grogan, who came off the bench in his first 78 games before making his lone start on his Senior Day on Feb. 25, 2012.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT TWENTY IN TWENTY-FOUR FOR THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas’ streak of 20-point games ended at five Thursday night, when he scored 14 points — including 12 in the second half — in the Dutchmen’s comeback win. Thomas has scored in double figures in 41 of his last 43 games and 46 times overall in the last two seasons. He has at least 20 points in 25 of 53 games with the Dutchmen. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NO THREES FOR THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Another streak ended for Tyler Thomas on Thursday night, when he went 0-for-7 from 3-point land. Thomas entered the game with at least one 3-pointer in each of his previous 46 games dating back to Nov. 26, 2022. The seven 3-point attempts without a make were the most by a Hofstra player since Aaron Estrada was 0-for-10 from beyond the arc in a 68-47 loss to Towson on Jan. 16, 2023.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER 1K?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With his 14 points on Thursday, the countdown to Tyler Thomas potentially recording his 1,000th point for Hofstra officially hit high gear. Thomas has 979 points at Hofstra, which means he needs *does the math, drops the remainder* 21 points to become the 42nd player in school history to score 1,000 points. He had at least 21 points in each of the five games prior to Thursday, 21 times in 53 games at Hofstra and 36 times dating back to the start of his career with Sacred Heart in 2019-20.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A STIRRING CARLOS?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos bounced back from a nightmarish game against Campbell by scoring all 10 of his points in the second half Thursday. Carlos, who also had three assists, was 3-of-4 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point land, after going 1-for-12, including 1-of-6 from beyond the arc, in the 69-68 loss to Campbell.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>KIJAN CAN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Carlos struggling along with the rest of the Dutchmen not named Darlinstone Dubar in the first half Thursday, freshman KiJan Robinson scored eight points while playing 12 minutes. Robinson didn’t appear after halftime and thus just missed making the 1010101010 Wins club a 101010101010 Wins club. That would have been quirky!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>(NOT) PUTTING ON THE FRITZ</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speaking of quirky…starting center Jacco Fritz had no rebounds in 19 minutes Thursday. It’s the third time this season Fritz hasn’t recorded a rebound and the first time the Dutchmen have won such a game. The Dutchmen fell to George Washington 71-60 on Nov. 14 and lost to Saint Louis 71-68 on Dec. 9.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SIX IS TECHNICALLY MORE THAN FIVE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen got a much-needed assist in their comeback attempt with five minutes left Thursday night, when Hampton’s Kyrese Mullen drew his fifth foul by elbowing Darlinstone Dubar and was then assessed a technical for the flagrant-2 foul. It’s nice that there is now technology that allows these things to be called in real time! Looking at you, Tony Skinn. Anyway, that means the Dutchmen — clinging to a 70-68 lead — got a six-point play out of it when Dubar and Tyler Thomas hit the four free throws and Thomas followed with a layup 10 seconds later.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">More importantly for our quirky purposes, it meant Mullen became the first CAA player to finish with six fouls — one more than the limit! — in a league game since at least 2010-11, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. Remarkably, he was the 88th player to do so since 2010-11 an the fourth to pull off the feat this season. McNeese State’s Antavion Collum joined the club Saturday. Quirky!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tonight’s game — a 9 PM tip, which has to be the latest east coast tip ever, history! — will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING STONY BROOK</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Seawolves, under fifth-year head coach Geno Ford, are 9-9 this season and 2-3 in CAA play following a 71-68 loss to Delaware on Thursday night. Hey! Their records are the same as ours! Did we just become best friends?</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Seawolves had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat St. Joseph’s (NY) 101-48 on Nov. 6, four days before the Seawolves earned a 91-50 win over the local Division III foe. In CAA play, both teams have lost to Charleston. The Dutchmen lost to Northeastern, who fell to Stony Brook, and beat Delaware, who obviously beat the Seawolves.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 136th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. That’s a 12-spot drop after a win, which frankly means the computers are catching up to what the eye test was saying in the three previous losses. The Seawolves, who were picked to finish ninth, are ranked 221st.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank ninth in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (104.0 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (104.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 69.0 possessions per 40 minutes, the third-most in the league. Nice. The Seawolves rank 10th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (103.6 points per 100 possessions) and seventh in defensive efficiency (105.1 per 100 possessions) while averaging 64.9 possessions per 40 minutes, the 11th-most in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Graduate student Tyler Stephenson-Moore, who was selected to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Seawolves with 14.9 points per game. Graduate student Aaron Clarke, who played four seasons at Sacred Heart and spent three seasons as teammates with Tyler Thomas, is averaging 12.1 points per game. Graduate student Keenan Fitzmorris, who began his career at Stanford, is averaging 10.6 points per game. Sophomore guard Andre Snoddy, who played his first two seasons at Central Connecticut, leads Stony Brook with 6.3 reboudns per game while graduate student Chris Maidoh, who played four seasons at Fairfield, is averaging 6.2 rebounds per game.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 72-71 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 6-11 against the spread this season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. STONY BROOK</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra is 26-6 all-time against Stony Brook, including 8-2 since the series resumed in 2014. The Dutchmen swept the first season series between the schools as CAA rivals last year, when Tyler Thomas had a double-double (29 points, 11 rebounds) in a 79-58 win at the Arena on Feb. 4 before Thomas scored 23 points to help stave off an upset bid by the Seawolves in a 68-65 win out east on Feb. 18.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’ve won as many football games since the start of the school year as you bias! (Sorry, facts are facts)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Kim Barnes Arico bias! (The former St. John’s women’s basketball coach and current coach at the University of Michigan began her playing career at Stony Brook before transferring to Montclair State)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Former Tyler Thomas teammate bias! (We like alliteration so we’ll have to use this one if Aaron Clarke benefits from a call)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">You never beat us in football bias! (Again, I’m sorry but facts are facts)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-44224966843582824732024-01-18T03:28:00.006-05:002024-01-18T03:28:33.868-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hampton at Hofstra<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOz2sVLr-Rr2W9iBFvSqqueYLB6DVuBZ_fEqGfYoJO0n1zJAuDt1f8ne-PWJuhp6wjyKkWpAL_YLxeHtpAaajmjYo7c4MNd_VLSORfvksxJ17oCWUBXcYPxnsySRVC2k-0ZDJ83EzFym4D2AZzQuN_yN3rfqDQ7uJkcDqgc3uO-Hbe3TmTQyk4MOrQEg/s1049/JeromeMathis2006Topps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1049" data-original-width="756" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOz2sVLr-Rr2W9iBFvSqqueYLB6DVuBZ_fEqGfYoJO0n1zJAuDt1f8ne-PWJuhp6wjyKkWpAL_YLxeHtpAaajmjYo7c4MNd_VLSORfvksxJ17oCWUBXcYPxnsySRVC2k-0ZDJ83EzFym4D2AZzQuN_yN3rfqDQ7uJkcDqgc3uO-Hbe3TmTQyk4MOrQEg/s320/JeromeMathis2006Topps.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><i>A 1-3 CAA start is bearing down on the Dutchmen like gunners on a punt return.</i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A once-promising season continued to go sideways for the Flying Dutchmen on Saturday afternoon, when they followed a familiar plot — fall behind by double digits in the first half, take a second-half lead and go ice-cold down the stretch — in a 69-68 loss to Campbell. Not nice, not nice at all. The Dutchmen, mired in their worst four-game CAA start and under .500 after December for the first time since 2017, will again attempt to begin climbing out of the hole tonight, when they host Hampton in the HU vs. HU battle. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Fighting Camels (still a cool nickname) and a look ahead to the Pirates.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar (21 points, 14 rebounds) posted another double-double and Tyler Thomas scored 23 points, but they combined to miss five shots in a game-ending 0-for-8 drought for the gassed Dutchmen, Campbell, which entered the game ranked no. 321 at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, scored 10 unanswered points to begin a 18-7 run that ended with Laurynas Vaistaras sinking a 3-pointer to put the Fighting Camels ahead 35-20 with 3:20 left. The Dutchmen scored the last eight points of the half to begin a 39-19 run in which Thomas had 14 points, including a 3-pointer that capped the surge and extended the lead to 59-54 with 10:30 remaining. Campbell answered with an 8-3 run before Dubar and Thomas combined for a 6-1 run, but Thomas’ layup with 3:58 provided the final points for the Dutchmen, who clung to a 69-68 lead when the teams combined for five empty trips over a span of more than two minutes. Anthony Dell’Orso scored the game-winning points on a layup with 54 seconds for Campbell and Thomas sandwiched three missed shots around a turnovers by the Fighting Camels. Dell’Orso missed the front end of a one-and-one with 11 seconds left and the Dutchmen called timeout with 3.6 seconds left. Jaquan Carlos in-bounded the ball to Jacco Fritz, who handed it off to the slumping Carlos, who missed an off-balance floater at the buzzer. Carlos finished 1-of-12 from the field, including 0-for-6 inside the 3-point line. Dubar posted his fifth double-double of the season while Thomas added a team-high five assists and finished with four rebounds. With Carlos struggling, KiJan Robinson played 23 minutes and scored nine points. Fritz had nine points and five rebounds.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Campbell, 1/13)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Darlinstone Dubar</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Tyler Thomas</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: KiJan Robinson</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 36</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 35</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 17</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 2</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER SEVENTEEN GAMES</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 8-9. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 48th-best record in school history through 17 games. Or, if you were a negative Nelly, you could also say it’s tied for the 27th-worst record in school history through 17 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 8-9 since 1990-91 — once again, my senior year of high school, can we please stop conjuring up those memories! — and the ninth time overall in school history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 17 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 9-8</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 12-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 12-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 13-4 (marked fifth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 12-5 (most recent 12-5 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 11-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 11-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 13-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 12-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 12-5 </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 14-3 (most recent 14-3 start, win in 17th game marked 11th win in the 16-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 10-7 (most recent 10-7 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 12-5</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 15-2 (loss in 17th game snapped 14-game winning streak, most recent 15-2 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 11-6</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 14-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 17-game starts:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21: 11-6 (most recent 11-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: 9-8 (most recent 9-8 start, last time over .500)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 13-4 (most recent 13-4 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 6-11 (most recent 6-11 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2012-13: 5-12 (most recent 5-12 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2008-09: 10-6 (most recent 10-6 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 4-13 (most recent 4-13 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2003-04: 7-10 (most recent 7-10 start)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 3-14 (most recent 3-14 start, Jay Wright’s first team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 2-15 (only 2-15 start, worst 17-game start in school history, VBK’s last team)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1987-88: 4-13 (loss in 17th game was seventh loss of program-record 13-game losing streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1985-86: 8-9 (last time under .500)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1964-65: 9-8 (last time over .500)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 16-1 (most recent 16-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 17th game was sixth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1957-58: 13-4 (loss in 17th game snapped 10-game winning streak)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1939-40: 9-8 (over .500 for good)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1936-37: 7-10 (season complete)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 17-0, 1-16 or 0-17 through 17 games. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Quirky quirkiness: With 8-9 now having been achieved, the only other 17-game record combinations the Dutchmen haven’t experienced this century aside from the above-mentioned records are are 3-14 and 2-15. See? Things can be worse!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">One season was completed in fewer than 17 games:</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-FOUR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 54-30 (.643) as head coach. That’s the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 83 games at the helm.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 57-27 (.679, 84th game was the 25th and final game of his third season in 1964-65)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 56-28 (.667, 84th game was the 13th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 54-30</b> (.643, 84th game was the 17th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 53-31 (.631, 84th game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 1957-58)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 44-40 (.524, 84th game was the second game of his fourth season in 1982-83)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 42-42 (.500, 84th game was the 17th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 41-43 (.488, 84th game was the 27th game of his third season in 1990-91)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 36-48 (.429, 84th game was the 19th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 33-51 (.393, 84th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 32-52 (.381, 84th game was the second game of his fourth season in 1996-97) </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 30-54 (.357, 84th game was the 23rd game of his third season in 2003-04)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This was a double milestone game for Joe Mihalich, who moved to .500 for the first time since he was 1-1 and moves ahead of Butch van Breda Kolff, almost surely for good. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>1-3 IS GOOD IN BASEBALL, BUT…</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Good news: It’s been seven years since the Dutchmen were in the position they’re in now. Bad news: The Dutchmen are in the position they’re in now.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s loss to Campbell, the Dutchmen fell to 1-3 in the CAA and 8-9 overall. The 1-3 CAA start is the worst for the Dutchmen since 2016-17, which was also the previous season in which they slipped under .500 after December 31. That team was 9-8 after the 1-3 CAA start, which turned into a 1-6 CAA start and (does the math) an overall record of 9-11. The Dutchmen got within one game of .500 four times but never climbed back to the break-even mark. Of course, that team was figuring out what it had in Justin Wright-Foreman in the post-Juan’ya Green era rand what it didn’t have in Rokas Gustys in the post-Juan’ya Green era. This team…not so much. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, entering this season, the Dutchmen and Delaware were the only CAA teams to start 2-2 or better in each of the last six seasons. The Blue Hens lost their first six league games in Martin Inglesby’s first season but ended the Dutchmen’s season in the quarterfinals of the CAA Tournament. Yeah well the Dutchmen’s only win this season is against Delaware so take that you future Conference USA jerks!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The stretch of six straight seasons in which the Dutchmen never slipped under .500 after Dec. 31 is the program’s longest streak since Buch van Breda Kolff and Paul Lynner combined for seven straight such seasons #alliteration from the 1957-58 through the 1963-64 campaigns. Well it would have been nice to match that feat. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE DUTCHMEN AND 1-3 STARTS IN THE CAA</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The 1-3 start marks just the fifth time the Dutchmen have opened 1-3 or worse through four games since joining the CAA in 2001-02. The precedent…isn’t good. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2002-03: finished 6-12 and ninth in a 10-team CAA after opening 1-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: finished 8-10 and eighth in a 12-team CAA after opening 1-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: finished 3-15 and 11th in a 12-team CAA after opening 0-4</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2016-17: finished 7-11 and eighth in a 10-team CAA after opening 1-3</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The only season in which the Dutchmen opened 1-3 or worse in CAA play and won a tournament game was 2002-03, when they beat William & Mary 74-64 in a first-round game. To be fair, it should be noted that was the season in which Rick Apodaca and Wendell Gibson were each suspended for the first 14 games.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>8-9 IS SOMETIMES GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN THE NFC SOUTH, BUT…</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell out of a pretty select club. Entering this season, the Dutchmen were one of just 12 true mid-majors — defined by me as anyone outside the power six conference, the American Athletic Conference and Gonzaga — to not fall under .500 after Dec. 31 in any of the preceding six seasons This was a pretty good list!</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">HOFSTRA</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Alabama-Birmingham</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Belmont</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Brigham Young</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Drake</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Furman</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hawaii</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Liberty</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Saint Mary’s</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">San Diego State</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">UNC Greensboro</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">VCU</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There’s last year’s NCAA and NIT runner-ups in there! Plus our pals at VCU. Good company. Oh well. This list now numbers just 10 schools, by the way, because Furman entered January at 6-7 and fell to 6-9 with a pair of losses to open Southern Conference play. Speaking of sixes and nines…</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT A NICE SIX- OR NINE-GAME STRETCH</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen have lost five of their last six games and are 2-7 since opening the season 6-2. Not surprisingly, these are the worst six- and nine-game stretches since the 2016-17 season, when they lost six straight games from Jan. 2-19 — the longest losing streak of the Joe Mihalich Era — and went 1-8 from Jan. 2-28. All of this is to say it’s been pretty good lately, but this still isn’t a whole lot of fun. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE 300s ARE GOOD IF YOU’RE A MAJOR LEAGUE HITTER, BUT…</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The loss to Campbell marked just the eighth time since the 2011-12 season — the furthest back individual boxscores can be accessed at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> — that the Dutchmen have fallen to a team that entered the game ranked no. 300 or lower at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Fighting Camels were ranked no. 321 entering Saturday. Here’s the full list, in case you’re a sicko like me.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/8/13: Monmouth (no. 339) 88-84</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1/2/14: Tulane (no. 304) 61-58</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1/5/14: Fairleigh Dickinson (no. 315) 86-67</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/15/16: Sacred Heart (no. 328) 90-86</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3/3/17: Delaware (no. 303) 81-76</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">11/6/19: San Jose State (no. 332) 79-71</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">12/29/21: William & Mary (no. 342) 63-62</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1/13/24: Campbell (no. 321) 69-68</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Well, the season turned out pretty good after the San Jose State loss. Until, well, you know.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK <i>(because it wasn’t)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen overcame a double-digit deficit to take a second half lead only to eventually lose for the second straight game Saturday. Last Thursday, the Dutchmen trailed Northeastern by 21 points in the first half and came back to take a trio of one-point leads in the second half before falling to the Huskies 71-68.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marks the first time the Dutchmen have overcome double-digit deficits to take the lead in consecutive losses since — and this probably won’t surprise you! — Jan. 26-28, 2017. The Dutchmen, in order, trailed Drexel by 15 points and later led by three points in an eventual 81-80 overtime loss before trailing Elon by 11 points and later taking a four-point lead in an 84-70 defeat. I have no idea how far back I’d have to look to find three straight such games so let’s try not to find that out.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TEAM BARBASOL <i>(is cutting itself shaving?)</i></b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As noted above, the Dutchmen lost a second straight game by three points or fewer Saturday. This marks the first time the Dutchmen have dropped two consecutive games by three points or fewer since Jan. 18-23, 2020, when they fell to Charleston 69-67 before losing to Delaware 73-71. Again, that season turned out pretty good after that, until, of course, you know.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A LOST FIRST IMPRESSION</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With the loss Saturday to new CAA member Campbell, the Dutchmen are now — depending on how you count Northeastern’s CAA debut — either 11-12 or 11-13 in their first game against a new league foe in the Defiantly Dutch era (1993-present).</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen fell to all three of their one-year-only East Coast Conference foes — Troy State, Chicago State and Northeastern Illinois — in 1993-94. I very likely came up with this stat just to mention the ECC. The Dutchmen were 2-4 in their first games new North Atlantic Conference opponents in 1994-95, with wins over Maine and Boston University and losses to New Hampshire, Northeastern, Vermont and Hartford.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are now 9-5 in their first games against new league foes in the CAA. The Dutchmen went 3-3 in their first games against the CAA’s old guard in 2001-02 — with wins over Old Dominion, VCU and William & Mary and losses to UNC Wilmington, James Madison and George Mason — before earning a win over Georgia State and falling to new/old league foe Northeastern in 2005-06. The Dutchmen then beat Charleston in 2013-14 and Elon in 2014-15. That winning streak, however you define it, ended with the last-second loss to North Carolina A&T on Dec. 31 before the Dutchmen bounced back with wins in their first league clashes with Hampton, Monmouth and Stony Brook.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OPENING WITH ONE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I’d probably note this anyway because I’m quirky like that, but this reminds me of when the Dutchmen used to shoot free throws. The Dutchmen rank next-to-last in the nation in free throw rate at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a> after ranking last in free throw rate last season. I guess they’ll lead the nation by 2384?</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, Darlinstone Dubar opened the scoring Saturday by splitting a pair of free throws 24 seconds into the game. It’s the second time this season Dubar has hit a free throw for the Dutchmen’s first point — he also did so after Wright State scored the first six points in an eventual 85-76 win for the Dutchmen on Nov. 21 — and the first time the Dutchmen have scored the game’s first point via a free throw since Feb. 26, 2022, when Jalen Ray hit three free throws to begin an 83-67 win over William & Mary.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar continued his impressive season Saturday, when he finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 17 games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 19 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar moved into 39th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 21 points increased his career total to 1,039 points and snapped a tie with John Irving while lifting him past James Shaffer. Dubar is seven points shy of moving past Percy Johnson into 39th place, 22 points away from surpassing Darius Burton for 1,045 points and 31 points away from moving ahead of Derrick Flowers. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">35.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Darius Burton 1,060</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>39.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,039</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40.) James Shaffer 1,022</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">41.) John Irving 1,018</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR D-STONE</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As you may have surmised by now, Darlinstone Dubar posted a double-double Saturday. The double-double is the fifth this season for Dubar and his first since he had 20 points and 12 rebounds in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4. All five of Dubar’s double-doubles this season have come in his last 11 games after he had just two double-doubles in his first 73 games at Hofstra. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TWENTY AGAIN IN TWENTY-FOUR FOR THOMAS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas produced another 20-point game Saturday, when he finished with a team-high 23 points. Thomas has scored at least 20 points in each of his last five games and in 25 of his his 52 games with the Dutchmen dating back to last season. He has scored in double figures in 40 of his last 42 games and 45 times overall in the last two seasons.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER 1K?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With his 23 points on Saturday, the countdown to Tyler Thomas potentially recording his 1,000th point for Hofstra can officially begin. Thomas has 965 points at Hofstra, which means he needs *does the math, drops the remainder* 35 points to become the 42nd player in school history to score 1,000 points. He has scored at least 35 points twice in his college career, so you never know, tonight could be the night. Thomas scored 36 points for Sacred Heart against Merrimack on Jan. 7, 2021 and collected 40 points for the Dutchmen in the 97-92 overtime win over High Point on Nov. 22.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>KIJAN CAN</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Jaquan Carlos struggling, KiJan Robinson saw 23 minutes at point guard Saturday and finished with nine points. The nine points are the most Robinson’s scored since he had a career-high 13 points in the 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 14 while the 23 minutes mark his third-heaviest workload of his freshman season behind the 27 minutes he played in an 84-79 loss to St. John’s on Dec. 30 and the 24 minutes he played in a 71-69 loss to George Washington on Nov. 14.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>FRITZ SHOPS AT THE FIVE-AND-DIME</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz finished with nine points and five rebounds while adding a team-high two steals Saturday. The Dutchmen fell to 5-2 this season when Fritz scores at least seven points. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz scored his nine points while going 4-of-4 from the field. It was the third time this season Fritz has been perfect from the field. He was 4-of-4 in a 74-58 win over Norfolk State on Dec. 16 and 6-of-6 in a 76-71 win over Delaware on Jan. 6.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES </b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The idea of as Bryce Washington goes, so go the Dutchmen gained some traction Saturday, when Washington was held scoreless while collecting just one assist in 12 minutes. It marked the third time this season Washington hasn’t scored a point. The Dutchmen fell to 0-8 this season when Washington doesn’t score at least seven points.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>COLD CARLOS</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Is it time to worry about Jaquan Carlos? The Dutchmen’s point guard had a borderline historically cold shooting afternoon Saturday, when he was 1-of-12 from the field and finished with three points. Carlos is just the third Hofstra player since the 2010-11 season — the first season of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference — to hit one field goal or fewer while taking at least 12 shots. Nathaniel Lester was 1-of-13 in a 62-60 loss to Florida Atlantic on Nov. 22, 2011 and Aaron Estrada finished 1-of-12 in a 68-65 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 18, 2023.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>COUNTING DOWN?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos, who leads the CAA with 6.4 assists per game, set a season-low in assists for the second straight game Saturday, when he had two assists two days after finishing with three assists in a 71-68 loss to Northeastern. The two assists Saturday were the fewest for Carlos since he had two assists in a 79-73 overtime loss to UNC Wilmington in the CAA semifinals on Mar. 6, 2023.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GERMAN THE GLUE GUY?</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov continued serving as the Dutchmen’s sixth man Saturday, when he had three points, five rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in a season-high 28 minutes. Prior to Saturday, Plotnikov hadn’t played at least 28 minutes in a game since Nov. 30, 2022, when he played 32 minutes in the 81-77 overtime loss to George Mason (grrr).</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING HAMPTON</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Pirates, under 15th-year head coach Edward Joyner Jr., are 4-13 overall and 0-5 in the CAA after falling to North Carolina A&T, 81-80. Camian Shell hit a runner with 1.2 seconds left to hand Hampton its eighth straight loss. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Pirates had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat Norfolk State 74-58 on Dec. 16 while Hampton fell to the Spartans 75-68 on Nov. 13. In CAA play, both teams have lost to Campbell while the Dutchmen beat Delaware, which defeated Hampton.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 124th at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Pirates, who were picked to finish 13th, are ranked 347th.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With two weeks of league play in the books, we’ll start using the conference-only efficiency rankings at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. According to said metrics, the Dutchmen rank 10th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (99.8 points per 100 possessions) and eighth in defensive efficiency (103.9 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 68.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the fifth-most in the league. There’s nothing fluky about this 1-3 start, kids. The Pirates rank last in the CAA in both offensive efficiency (94.7 points per 100 possessions) and defensive efficiency (119.3 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 69.3 possessions per 40 minutes, the second-most in the league.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore Kyrese Mullen leads the Pirates with 14.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Graduate student Tedrick Wilcox, who opened his career at Dominican College and played the previous two seasons at St. Francis (NY) before the school dropped sports, is averaging 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Junior Jordan Nesbitt, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection who opened his career with a season apiece at Memphis and Saint Louis before transferring last season 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds in nine games after missing the first eight games due to eligibility issues.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts an 83-64 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 18 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 6-10 against the spread this season.</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. HAMPTON</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen are 2-0 all-time against Hampton after sweeping the season series in the Pirates’ CAA debut last season, when the Dutchmen led wire-to-wire in both a 67-51 win in Hampton and in a 73-43 victory at the Arena. </p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Oldest museum in Virginia bias! (Per Wikipedia, which is never wrong, that honor goes to Hampton University Museum)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jerome Mathis bias! (The former All-Pro kick returner played at Hampton)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Not that Rashida Jones bias! (This Rashida Jones is the president of MSNBC)</p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Deron Powers is also an alumni of your school bias! (When someone has played for both the Dutchmen and their opponent, he gets used more than once here)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078465096738160247.post-47566575500278865592024-01-13T04:48:00.002-05:002024-01-13T04:48:15.323-05:00I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Campbell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby4dOPQU-ToPhXa48n8Ts5BWKpF9yhTeQaYNPBbiAsn0Cr5fodO-2MKg3dWWsf-6xGixwgiDc7T-P620HD8sVj8uVmDc_2coVqXlVRE2N_Z9AkIJ4wDUuFtHwIS0ZYBHOz57M1Hx7TYrBoyuZTnY1FZ2B-8os-cLMD4S3oRvhtHkBQy4c12PDFDp_byU/s1200/CampbellLogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="687" data-original-width="1200" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgby4dOPQU-ToPhXa48n8Ts5BWKpF9yhTeQaYNPBbiAsn0Cr5fodO-2MKg3dWWsf-6xGixwgiDc7T-P620HD8sVj8uVmDc_2coVqXlVRE2N_Z9AkIJ4wDUuFtHwIS0ZYBHOz57M1Hx7TYrBoyuZTnY1FZ2B-8os-cLMD4S3oRvhtHkBQy4c12PDFDp_byU/s320/CampbellLogo.png" width="320" /></a></div><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i>This is a little terrifying. <br /></i></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Well, this is turning into a problem. The Flying Dutchmen authored a third straight inconsistent performance Thursday night, when they overcame a 21-point first-half deficit and held a trio of one-point leads in the second half before missing four of their final five shots and falling to Northeastern, 71-68. The Dutchmen are now in must-win mode now on the back end of the worst planned road trip in CAA history this afternoon, when they visit Campbell — located a mere 735 miles form Northeastern! — for the first time. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Huskies and a look ahead to…the Fighting Camels? Now this is a matchup of two cool nicknames.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas scored 26 of his game-high 32 points in the second half Thursday but missed a pair of potential game-tying 3-pointers in the final seconds as the Dutchmen came up short in their comeback bid. Darlinstone Dubar opened the game with a dunk for the Dutchmen, but Northeastern scored the next 10 points and later mounted a 17-0 run to take a 42-21 lead. Dubar ended the half with a dunk #Bookending to begin a 33-11 surge for the Dutchmen that ended with Thomas converting a nostalgic 3-point play to give the visitors their a 54-53 lead with 8:57 left. The Huskies scored nine of the next 13 points before Thomas mounted his own 7-2 run to put the Dutchmen ahead 65-64 with 2:33 remaining. Chris Doherty hit a pair of free throws to give Northeastern the lead for good and Bryce Washington and Dubar each missed shots, after which Luka Sakota — the new Vasa Pusica or Matt Janning! — drained a 3-pointer. Thomas responded with a 3-pointer and Masai Troutman missed the front end of a 1-on-1, but Washington stepped out of bounds on what would have been the go-ahead layup with 24 seconds remaining. Sakota hit two free throws and Thomas missed a contested 3-pointer and a desperation heave in the final six seconds. Jaquan Carlos had 13 points, three assists and five steals while Dubar added 10 points and a team-high six rebounds.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3 STARS OF THE GAME <i>(vs. Northeastern, 1/11)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">3: Tyler Thomas</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2: Jaquan Carlos</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1: Darlinstone Dubar</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEASON STANDINGS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 34</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar 32</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos 17</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jacco Fritz 8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Bryce Washington 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Silas Sunday 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">KiJan Robinson 1</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER SIXTEEN GAMES</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 8-8. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 46th-best record in school history through 15 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 8-8 since 1990-91 — my senior year of high school! — and the seventh time overall in school history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 16 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1975-76: 8-8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1976-77: 11-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1999-2000: 11-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2000-01: 12-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 11-5 (most recent 11-5 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NIT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1998-99: 10-6</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2004-05: 11-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2005-06: 12-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2006-07: 12-4</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2015-16: 11-5 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2018-19: 13-3 (most recent 13-3 start, win in 16th game marked ninth win in the 16-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2022-23: 9-7 (most recent 9-7 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1958-59: 11-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1961-62: 15-1 (most recent 15-1 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1962-63: 11-5</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1963-64: 13-3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Some other notable 16-game starts:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2020-21: 10-6 (most recent 10-6 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2014-15: 12-4 (most recent 12-4 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2013-14: 5-11 (most recent 5-11 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2011-12: 6-10 (most recent 6-10 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2007-08: 4-12 (most recent 4-12 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">2001-02: 7-9 (most recent 7-9 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1994-95: 3-13 (only 3-13 start in program history, Jay Wright’s first team)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1993-94: 2-14 (VBK’s last team, most recent 2-14 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1973-74: 2-14 (first 2-14 start)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1960-61: 14-2 (only 14-2 start in program history)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1959-60: 15-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 16th game was fifth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hofstra has never been 16–0, 1-15 or 0-16 through 16 games.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Quirky quirkiness: The only other 16-game record combinations the Dutchmen haven’t experienced this century are 3-13 and 2-14. Let’s not do either one of those anytime soon!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">One season was completed in fewer than 16 games:</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">1937-38 (10-4) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NUMBER TEN THROUGH EIGHTY-THREE</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">With Thursday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 54-29 (.651) as head coach. That’s the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 83 games at the helm.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Paul Lynner 57-26 (.687, 83rd game was the 24th game of his third season in 1964-65)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Frank Reilly 56-27 (.675, 83rd game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SPEEDY CLAXTON 54-29</b> (.651, 83rd game was the 16th game of his third season in 2023-24)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff I 52-31 (.627, 83rd game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 1957-58)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Dick Berg 43-40 (.518, 83rd game was the first game of his fourth season in 1982-83)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Butch van Breda Kolff II 41-42 (.494, 83rd game was the 26th game of his third season in 1990-91)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe Mihalich 41-42 (.494, 83rd game was the 16th game of his third season in 2015-16)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mo Cassara 36-47 (.434, 83rd game was the 18th game of his third season in 2012-13)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Roger Gaeckler 32-51 (.386, 83rd game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jay Wright 32-51 (.386, 83rd game was the first game of his fourth season in 1996-97) </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tom Pecora 30-53 (.361, 83rd game was the 22nd game of his third season in 2003-04)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Two! Two ties through 83 games as Joe Mihalich moves into a tie with Butch van Breda Kolff II and Jay Wright matches Roger Gaeckler.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">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.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK <i>(because it wasn’t)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen nearly pulled off what likely would have been the biggest comeback in the Defiantly Dutch era (1993-pres) Thursday, when they trailed by 21 points before taking a trio of one-point leads in the second half. If my research is correct, the biggest comeback win over the last 30-plus seasons happened Feb. 25, 2016, when the Dutchmen overcame an 18-point deficit to beat UNC Wilmington, 70-69.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>WELL, IT SORT OF WAS A COMEBACK</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As it was, taking the lead after falling behind by 21 points marks the Dutchmen’s biggest comeback in a loss since Dec. 19, 2020, when they overcame a 23-point first-half deficit to take a five-point lead in the second half against St. Bonaventure before falling 77-69.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>NOT ON THE REBOUND</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen finished with just 19 rebounds Thursday, their fewest boards in a game since they had 19 reboudns in the 85-66 loss to Purdue on Dec. 7, 2022.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER’S THIRD WITH THIRTY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas posted his third 30-point game of the season and of his Hofstra career Thursday, when he finished with 32 points. Thomas is the 10th player since the 1989-90 season to record at least three 30-point games for the Dutchmen.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Justin Wright-Foreman 23</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Demetrius Dudley 12 </p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Charles Jenkins 12</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Antoine Agudio 10</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Speedy Claxton 8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Aaron Estrada 8</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Loren Stokes 7</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Mike Moore 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Zeke Upshaw 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas 3</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TYLER’S TORRID HALF</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas was especially prolific in the second half Thursday, when he scored 26 points. Remarkably, that’s only his second-best second half (or any half) of the season. Thomas scored 33 points in the second half of a 97-92 overtime victory over High Point on Nov. 22. Those are the two most prolific halves by a Hofstra player since Justin Wright-Foreman scored 37 of his single-game, record-tying 48 points in the second half of a 93-87 win over William & Mary on Feb. 9, 2019. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>TWENTY AGAIN IN TWENTY-FOUR FOR THOMAS</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Tyler Thomas, obviously, produced another 20-point game Thursday, when he finished with 32 points. Thomas has scored at least 20 points in each of his last four games and in 24 of his his 51 games with the Dutchmen dating back to last season. He has scored in double figures in 39 of his last 41 games and 44 times overall in the last two seasons.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>CARLOS SHOPS AT THE FIVE-AND-DIME <i>(but a different one)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos finished 13 points and five steals Thursday night. The five steals were the most by a Hofstra player since Carlos had five steals in an 86-62 win over Delaware on Jan. 14, 2023.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THREE IS NOT THE MAGIC NUMBER</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jaquan Carlos, who leads the CAA with 6.6 assists per game, had a season-low three assists Thursday. The three assists were the fewest for Carlos since he finished with two assists in a 79-73 overtime loss to UNC Wilmington in the CAA semifinals on Mar. 6, 2023.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>D-STONE DEALING</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar had his quietest game of the season Thursday but still maintained a pair of impressive streaks by finishing with 10 points. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 16 games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 18 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Darlinstone Dubar moved into a tie for 40th place on the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 10 points increased his career total to 1,018 points and pulled him even with John Irving. Dubar is five points shy of moving past James Shaffer into 39th place and 28 points away from surpassing Percy Johnson for 38th place.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">36.) Derrick Flowers 1,069</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">37.) Darius Burton 1,060</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">38.) Percy Johnson 1,045</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">39.) James Shaffer 1,022</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">40t.) John Irving 1,018</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>40t.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,018</b></p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES <i>(part one)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As Jacco Fritz goes, so go the Dutchmen? The graduate student center was limited to three points, five rebounds and two assists while committing three turnovers Thursday. The Dutchmen are 5-1 this season when Fritz scores at least seven points and 3-7 when he doesn’t.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SEVEN WISHES <i>(part two)</i></b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Then again, is it as Bryce Washington goes, so go the Dutchmen? Washington had four points, one rebound and one block while committing two turnovers Thursday. The Dutchmen fell to 0-7 this season when Washington doesn’t score at least seven points.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>A SPARK FROM PLOTNIKOV</b></p><p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">German Plotnikov continued serving as the Dutchmen’s sixth man Thursday, when he scored four points in 15 minutes. But Plotnikov was also whistled for a technical foul after he tried wresting the ball away from Chris Doherty following a foul. Doherty hit both technical free throws.</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px;"><br /></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>OVER THE AIR</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today’s game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click <a href="https://go.flosports.tv/partner/caa" target="_blank">here</a>. Hofstra will also provide a <a href="http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=" target="_blank">radio feed</a> as well as <a href="http://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?t=1&gid=hofs" target="_blank">live stats</a> at the Pride Productions hub.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GETTING TO KNOW CAMPBELL</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Today marks the Dutchmen’s first game against Campbell, which joined the CAA on July 1, 2023.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Campbell, located in Buies Creek, North Carolina (we’ll just assume it’s named after Desure), was founded as Buies Creek Academy 1887 by Baptist minister James Archibald Campbell. The school was renamed Campbell Junior College in 1926 before becoming Campbell College in 1961 and Campbell University in 1979. It has an enrollment of 5.622 students on an 850-acre campus. </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Among Campbell’s alums are late Major General Jeffrey Bannister, late Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Green, the only set of brothers to win Cy Young Awards — Jim Perry, who won the honor for the Minnesota Twins in 1970, and the late Gaylord Perry, the Hall of Famer who was the first to earn a Cy Young in each league (with Cleveland in 1972 and the San Diego Padres in 1978) — as well as Baltimore Orioles centerfielder Cedric Mullins and Chris Clemons, a 2019 graduate who played part of a season with the Houston Rockets after ending his collegiate career by scoring in double figures in his final 115 games. That was the longest active streak at the time of Clemons’ graduation, ahead of…Justin Wright-Foreman, who ended his career by scoring in double figure sin his last 88 games. Quirky! </p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Campbell is the site of the Campbell Basketball School, which was founded in 1956 and is the oldest and largest summer basketball camp in the country. UCLA legend John Wooden was a regular instructor at the Campbell Basketball School.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In sports, Campbell fields nine men’s teams and 10 women’s teams. The school’s nickname is the Fighting Camels. There’s no definitive answer as to why Campbell is the Fighting Camels, but several fascinating theories, as explained in this <a href="https://magazine.campbell.edu/articles/why-the-camels/" target="_blank">alumni magazine article</a>. (If any Campbell fans are reading this, Hofstra is the Flying Dutchmen because a student journalist — not me, I swear! — in the school’s early days sarcastically dubbed the basketball team the Flying Dutchmen while watching players practice)</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Campbell moved from NAIA to Division I in 1977 and became a founding member of the Big South in 1985. The school moved to the Trans America Athletic Conference in 1994 and remained in the league — which was renamed the Atlantic Sun in 2001 — until rejoining the Big South in 2011.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The men’s basketball team made its first and thus far only NCAA Tournament appearance in 1992, when it was a no. 16 seed and fell to eventual national champion Duke in the first round. The Fighting Camels also reached the NAIA championship game in 1977.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The women’s basketball team has made two NCAA Tournaments while the baseball team won six Big South titles and reached the NCAA Tournament seven times. Campbell played football from 1925 through 1950 before shuttering the program until 2008, when the school began playing Division I-AA. Only 44 years to go for us!</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>SCOUTING CAMPBELL</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Fighting Camels, under 11th-year head coach Kevin McGeehan, are 7-9 overall and 1-2 in the CAA after falling to Delaware, 68-62, on Thursday night, Campbell raced out to a 16-2 lead before the Blue Hens mounted their comeback.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen and Fighting Camels had no common opponents in non-conference play. In CAA play, both teams have opposed Delaware, whom the Dutchmen edged, 76-71, on Jan. 6.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 121st at <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>. The Fighting Camels, who were picked to finish 12th, are ranked 321st.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">According to <a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a>, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (107.4 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (103.3 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 67.0 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league. The Fighting Camels rank 13th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (95.6 points per 100 possessions) and ninth in defensive efficiency (109.4 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 64.9 possessions per 40 minutes, the 12th-most in the league.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sophomore Anthony Dell’Oroso, a native of Australia who was selected to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Fighting Camels with 16.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Senior Laurynas Vaistaras, a native of Lithuania, ranks second on the team with 9.7 points per game and 3.9 points per game while junior Jasin Sinani, who played his freshman season at Milwaukee, is averaging 7.7 points per game.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://KenPom.com">KenPom.com</a></span> predicts a 70-62 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 8 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 6-9 against the spread this season. Not nice.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>ALL-TIME VS. CAMPBELL</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This marks the first game between Hofstra and Campbell. It’s the first first game for Hofstra against a new CAA foe since a 67-51 win over Hampton on Jan. 5, 2023. The Dutchmen played North Carolina A&T once and had longstanding regional rivalries with Monmouth (12 games) and Stony Brook (30 games) before those schools joined Hampton in moving to the CAA for the 2022-23 season.</p>
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<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY</b></p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Chris Clemons cost Justin Wright-Foreman a cool Quirky stat bias! (A mouthful but true)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We’ve been to more Division I-AA tournaments than you bias! (It’s true)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Your nickname is almost as cool as our old nickname bias! (Also true)</p>
<p style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Cedric Mullins bias! (Had a 30/30 season for the Orioles in 2022, in case it ever comes up in a certain grid game)</p>Jerry Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11039592694913420983noreply@blogger.com0