I'll Be Quirky: Delaware at Hofstra

You take the Southern State exit off the Belt Parkway, take that to the Meadowbrook Parkway north... (Also, hot take: This version is better then Blind Faith's original)

Consistency continued to elude the undermanned Flying Dutchmen in early-season CAA play Tuesday, when a series of shooting droughts doomed the Dutchmen in a 78-66 loss to Towson. Another ECC game awaits this afternoon (hopefully), when the Dutchmen are slated to finally return home and Delaware in a rematch of your favorite America East title games. Unless you’re a Delaware fan who stumbled over here via a Google search, in which case, sorry. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Tigers and a look ahead to the Blue Hens.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Aaron Estrada (24 points, four rebounds, two assists) had another game as he snapped his version of the Manningcast Curse, but the Dutchmen continued to miss the additional scoring punch of Zach Cooks (out a second straight game with an ankle injury) as they fell to Towson. Estrada scored 11 of the Dutchmen’s first 13 points, who went ahead 17-14 (NICE FOOTBALL SCORE) after back-to-back baskets by Kvonn Cramer. But the Dutchmen went 0-for-6 with three turnovers on their next nine possessions, a span in which they fell behind 22-17. The Dutchmen never led again and endured two stretches in the second half in which they missed five straight shots from the field. Omar Silverio was 4-of-8 from 3-point land on his way to finishing with 14 points and tying his season-high with six rebounds. Abayomi Iyiola had 12 points and seven rebounds but missed three layups in the first half. Jalen Ray (2-for-10 shooting, including 1-of-8 from 3-point land) scored just seven points and Darlinstone Dubar finished with only three points while playing just 24 minutes due to foul trouble.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Towson, 1/11)

3: Aaron Estrada

2: Omar Silverio

1: Abayomi Iyiola

SEASON STANDINGS

Aaron Estrada 24

Darlinstone Dubar 22

Jalen Ray 16

Zach Cooks 13

Abayomi Iyiola 10

Omar Silverio 7

Kvonn Cramer 4

A change at the top!

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER SIXTEEN GAMES

With Tuesday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 9-7, which is tied for the 37th-best start in program history. It’s the first time the Dutchmen have opened 9-7 since the 2017-18 season and the eighth time overall in program history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 16 games.

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 8-8

1976-77: 11-5

1999-2000: 11-5

2000-01: 12-4

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 11-5 (most recent 11-5 start)

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 10-6

2004-05: 11-5

2005-06: 12-4

2006-07: 12-4

2015-16: 11-5 

2018-19: 13-3 (most recent 13-3 start, win in 16th game marked ninth win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 11-5

1961-62: 15-1 (most recent 15-1 start)

1962-63: 11-5

1963-64: 13-3

Some other notable 16-game starts:

2014-15: 12-4 (most recent 12-4 start)

2013-14: 5-11 (most recent 5-11 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2011-12: 6-10 (most recent 6-10 start)

2007-08: 4-12 (most recent 4-12 start)

2001-02: 7-9 (most recent 7-9 start)

1994-95: 3-13 (only 3-13 start in program history, Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 2-14 (VBK’s last team, most recent 2-14 start)

1990-91: 8-8 (most recent 8-8 start)

1960-61: 14-2 (only 14-2 start in program history)

1959-60: 15-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 16th game was fifth win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)

Hofstra has never been 16–0, 1-15 or 0-16 through 16 games.

One season was completed in fewer than 16 games:

1937-38 (10-4) 

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1954-55, 1957-58.

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

NUMBER TEN THROUGH SIXTEEN

With Tuesday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 9-7 as head coach. He is the first coach to open 9-7 at Hofstra and the eighth to post a winning record through 16 games in his first season (or the first season of a second stints). Jack McDonald steered the Dutchmen to a 13-3 start in the first (and only) season of his second stint while Frank Reilly (1947-48) began 10-6 and Butch van Breda Kolff began 15-1 in his first stint (1955-56). Paul Lynner opened 11-5 in 1962-63, as did Mo Cassara in 2010-11. Joe Harrington (1979-80) and Mike Farrelly (2020-21) each began 10-6 in their lone seasons at the helm. 

TWO OUT OF THREE AIN’T WHAT WE WANTED

The Dutchmen opened 1-2 in CAA play for the first time since 2016-17, when they started 1-6 on their way to a 7-11 finish and a first-round tournament exit. Every other CAA school has been 1-2 or worse through three games in the CAA since then except Charleston, which hasn’t opened 1-2 or worse since an 0-3 start in 2014-15. The Cougars are 1-1 this season and scheduled to play UNC Wilmington on Monday.

Overall, the Dutchmen have opened 1-2 or worse in CAA play eight times, with previous 1-2 starts in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2016-17 and an 0-3 start in 2011-12.

AARON’S A-PLUS START

Aaron Estrada scored 11 of the Dutchmen’s first 13 points over the first 4:30 Tuesday. It was the fastest start by a Hofstra player since Tareq Coburn scored the Dutchmen’s first 10 points in a span of 4:02 in a 74-69 win over Towson on Jan. 24, 2021.

TWENTY IS THRICE AS NICE

Aaron Estrada scored at least 20 points for the third straight game Tuesday, when he tied his career-high with 24 points, Estrada is the first Hofstra player this season with three straight 20-point games and the first to score at least 20 points in three consecutive games since Jalen Ray finished last season by scoring 20 points in the final four games (which spanned from Feb. 13 until Mar. 8 because of, well, you know).

OCHO OMAR

The 14-point effort Tuesday for Omar Silverio marked the eighth time this season he’s scored in double figures. He entered this season having scored in double figures seven times in 40 games over his first two seasons at Hofstra and eight times in 68 games over three collegiate seasons overall. Silverio scored 10 points for Rhode Island against George Mason on Jan. 13, 2019. (I swear)

NOT THE GOOD KIND OF DQ

Darlinstone Dubar became the first Hofstra player to foul out twice this season Tuesday, when he drew the five fouls in just 24 minutes. Dubar, who also fouled out against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 27, is the first Dutchmen to foul out multiple times in a season since Eli Pemberton and Jacquil Taylor each fouled out twice during the 2018-19 season.

ROUGH NIGHT FOR RAY

Jalen Ray scored seven points while going 2-of-10 from the field, including 1-of-8 from 3-point land. It was the first time in Ray’s career he made one 3-pointer or fewer while taking at least eight shots from beyond the arc. He was the third player this season to make one 3-pointer or fewer while taking at least eight attempts, following Omar Silverio (1-for-8 against William & Mary on Dec. 29) and Aaron Estrada (1-of-9 against William & Mary). It marks the first time since 2014-15 — when Juan’ya Green and Ameen Tanksley did it twice apiece and Dion Nesmith did it once — that three Hofstra players have made one 3-pointer or fewer while taking at least eight attempts in a game.

CAN’T MISS CRAMER

Kvonn Cramer scored six points while hitting all three of his field goal attempts Tuesday. It marked the fourth time — twice apiece in each of the last two seasons — he’s been perfect from the field (minimum three field goal attempts), the most such games by a Hofstra player since Jacquil Taylor was perfect from the field six times in his lone season with the Dutchmen in 2018-19.

OLD-SCHOOL PICKUP BALL

Remember the good ol’ days of your misspent youth, when you’d run up and down the court at your local park (Besse Pond forever) and there were no stoppages unless someone started bleeding and/or someone’s girlfriend showed up? Well, that happened Tuesday, minus the bleeding and the girlfriends showing up. In something too wild and quirky not to note, the Dutchmen and Towson played almost half the second half — all the way to the 10:28 mark, or the first 9:32, to be exact — before hitting the first media timeout, which wasn’t actually a media timeout: Speedy Claxton called timeout with the Dutchmen down 56-48.

There were two stoppages before the four-minute mark of the second half, after which the teams combined to go 8-for-20 from the field before Claxton’s timeout. The Dutchmen and Tigers actually warmed up near the end of the uninterrupted run by combining to hit four of their final five shots prior to the stoppage.

I started looking up how long it’d been since the Dutchmen went that long before (or between) media timeouts, but not every media timeout is listed and even I have my limits. But that was fun. 

OVER THE AIR

If today’s game is played, it will be carried live on FloHoops.com (subscription required). Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

FINDING THEIR WAY HOME

The Dutchmen are scheduled to play at home today for the first time since Dec. 12, when they beat John Jay 102-51. Scheduled games at the Arena against UNC Wilmington and Charleston Jan. 3 and Jan. 5 were postponed due to, well, you know.

If the Dutchmen play today, the 33 days in between home games will be their longest stretch since the 2017-18 season, when they went 35 days between hosting Molloy on Nov. 30 and welcoming James Madison on Jan. 5. That comes with a pretty big asterisk, though: In between games at the Arena, the Dutchmen “hosted” Manhattan at Adelphi on Dec. 20 and “visited” Villanova at Nassau Coliseum on Dec. 22. The Dutchmen last went this long without playing a home game — unofficial or otherwise — during the 2015-16 season, when 35 days elapsed between hosting Molloy (them again!) on Nov. 16 and hosting Florida Atlantic on Dec. 22. 

The Dutchmen haven’t gone more than 35 days in between home games since the 1996-97 season — Speedy Claxton’s freshman season — when they hosted Stony Brook on Nov. 22 and played the next nine games away from home over a 39-day span before facing Vermont at the Physical Fitness Center (!!) on Jan. 2.

You will be stunned to know I dug deep enough to learn the longest gap between home games for the Dutchmen in the DD era came during my first year on campus and the last year of the ECC, when the Dutchmen went 41 days in between hosting Lehigh on Nov, 27, 1993 and hosting Cornell on Jan. 8, 1994. It always comes back to the ECC, Litos! Surprisingly, the Dutchmen’s longest gap between home games in 1992-93 — when they played an independent schedule and had just seven games at the PFC — was a mere 29 days between playing Yale on Dec 8, 1992 and playing Columbia on Jan. 7, 1993.

SCOUTING DELAWARE

The Blue Hens, under sixth-year head coach Martin Inglesby, are 11-5 this season and 2-1 in the CAA after edging Drexel, 81-77, on Tuesday night.

The Dutchmen and Blue Hens had one common foe in non-league play. Hofstra fell to Iona, 82-74, on Nov. 16 while Delaware lost to the Gaels, 83-72, at UBS Arena on Dec. 21.

The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 125th at KenPom.com. The Blue Hens, who were picked to finish first, are ranked 143rd.

According to KenPom.com. the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.6) and fifth in defensive efficiency (105.5). The Blue Hens rank third in offensive efficiency (108.2) and seventh in defensive efficiency (106.4).

The Blue Hens, who lost several undergraduate stars to the transfer portal or professional ball early in Inglesby’s tenure, feature four returning starters among their top five scorers. Fifth-year senior guard Ryan Allen, a preseason all-CAA first-team selection, leads Delaware with 14.4 points per game, followed by the lone newcomer in the bunch — Jameer Nelson Jr., a junior guard and George Washington transfer who was an honorable mention preseason all-CAA selection and ranks second on the team in both scoring (14.4 points per game) and rebounding (5.2 rebounds per game). Yup, his Dad played for Saint Joseph’s THIS CENTURY. You are old and so am I. Graduate student forward Dylan Painter, a preseason first-team all-CAA selection, is averaging 14.1 points per game and a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game. Fifth-year senior guard Kevin Anderson, a preseason all-CAA second-team selection, is averaging 11.4 points per game while sophomore forward Andrew Carr is averaging 8.7 points per game.

KenPom.com predicts a 79-74 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 5.5-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 8-6 against the spread this season.

THE ECC RACE

It’s back! Because of, well, you know, I never got around to this last year, when the Dutchmen played their season series as scheduled against Delaware, Drexel and Towson while the latter three got in just two ECC games apiece. But we need little slivers of normalcy, so today’s game (hopefully) continues an ECC round robin for the Dutchmen, who are slated to host Drexel Monday. With all three other teams already having one ECC win apiece, this is nearly a must-win scenario for the Dutchmen, who have won or shared the ECC title in each of the last three full seasons. Again, I implore you to stop looking at me, this is a real thing.

Delaware 1-0

Towson 1-1

Drexel 1-1

HOFSTRA 0-1

THE ECC ROUND ROBIN

And as just noted, this is the second of three consecutive scheduled games against ECC foes for the Dutchmen. The Dutchmen have played Delaware, Drexel and Towson in some order in three consecutive games five times since the schools joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The most recent ECC round robin occurred from Feb, 20-27, 2020, when the Dutchmen beat Drexel and Delaware on the road before falling to Towson at home.

ALL-TIME VS. DELAWARE

Hofstra is 63-34 against Delaware in a series that began during the 1954-55 season. 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.

The Dutchmen took two of three from the Blue Hens last season, when the teams split games in New-ARK the weekend of Jan. 15-17, 2021 — Delaware scored the final 14 points in a 74-56 win on Jan. 15 and Hofstra never trailed yet needed a last-second defensive stand to escape with a 68-67 win two days later — before the Dutchmen earned an 83-75 win in the CAA quarterfinals on Mar. 7. It was the third straight season in which the Dutchmen beat Delaware in the CAA Tournament.

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

Jameer Nelson Sr. almost made the Final Four bias! (Would you believe that was 18 years ago?)

Mike Pegues also made his head coaching debut this season bias! (A twist on an old favorite — Speedy’s former rival served as the interim head coach at Louisville for six games)

The Jets never needed to acquire Joe Flacco bias! (Another twist on an old favorite)

Your state is too small for a TV station bias! (Per Wikipedia, which is never wrong, there are no TV stations based in Delaware)

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Towson

Let's be responsible for the best thing Scott Van Pelt sees all day again!

The Flying Dutchmen capped a terrific back-and-forth game with a well-timed defensive stand Sunday afternoon, when they held James Madison scoreless for the final 3:45 and scored the final eight points in an 87-80 win. The Dutchmen will look to mount a winning streak this afternoon, when they are slated (hopefully) to visit Towson in a rematch of the 1992 ECC title game (that’s for you, Litos). Here’s a look back at the win over the Dukes and a look ahead to the Tigers.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Aaron Estrada (20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists) once again flirted with a triple-double for the Dutchmen, who overcame a lean bench and early foul trouble as well as a series of first-half deficits to beat James Madison in a key early-season CAA game. The Dutchmen, playing without Zack Cooks and with Omar Silverio benched after drawing two fouls in the first minute, trailed by eight points three times in the opening 20 minutes before a see-saw second half in which there were 12 lead changes and seven ties. Silverio’s two free throws with 2:59 left provided the tying and go-ahead point for the Dutchmen, who came up with a series of defensive stops the rest of the way. Darlinstone Dubar had a block — which led to a layup by Abayomi Iyiola — and a steal on consecutive trips before Jalen Ray’s steal led to a pair of free throws by Estrada that extended the lead to 85-80. Dubar had 19 points, four rebounds and four assists while Iyiola (15 points, 15 rebounds) posted his third double-double of the season. Ray finished with 15 points and sank back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second half. Caleb Burgess, pressed into duty with Silverio sidelined, had seven points and two assists in 27 minutes.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. James Madison, 1/9)

3: Aaron Estrada

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: Abayomi Iyiola

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 22

Aaron Estrada 21

Jalen Ray 16

Zach Cooks 13

Abayomi Iyiola 9

Omar Silverio 5

Kvonn Cramer 4

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

Yes! Can you believe our good unicorn score fortunes? I’d say the last time this happened, the Dutchmen won the CAA, but they didn’t record such an uninterrupted spate of unicorn score wins in 2019-20. There are no shortage of near 87-80 finals in the Dutchmen’s recent past, including the 89-81 win over Arkansas on Dec. 18 as well as, no kidding, an 87-81 overtime win over James Madison on Feb. 5, 2018. The Dutchmen also beat Florida Atlantic 88-80 on Dec. 3, 2016 and earned a pair of 86-80 wins — over Appalachian State and William & Mary — during the 2015-16 season. But no 87-80 wins until Sunday. Woot!

The Dutchmen have recorded eight straight unicorn score victories and (checks notes) eight unicorn score victories this season.

The Dutchmen recorded no unicorn scores last season after recording 13 unicorn scores in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn scores in 2018-19. The term unicorn score was coined by Mets superfan, historian and blogger Greg Prince to describe a score by which the Mets had never previously won. 

11/24/21: 87-49 over Molloy

11/27/21: 98-84 over Detroit Mercy

12/1/21: 81-77 over Princeton

12/4/21: 88-69 over Bucknell

12/12/21: 102-52 over John Jay

12/18/21: 89-81 over Arkansas

12/22/21: 77-71 over Monmouth

1/9/22: 87-80 over James Madison

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER FIFTEEN GAMES

With Sunday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 9-6, which is tied for the 34th-best start in program history. It’s the second straight time the Dutchmen have opened 9-6 but just the fourth time overall in program history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 15 games.

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 8-7

1976-77: 10-5

1999-2000: 10-5

2000-01: 11-4

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 11-4 (most recent 11-4 start)

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 10-5

2004-05: 10-5

2005-06: 12-3

2006-07: 11-4

2015-16: 10-5 (most recent 10-5 start)

2018-19: 12-3 (most recent 12-3 start, win in 15th game marked ninth win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 10-5

1961-62: 14-1 (most recent 14-1 start)

1962-63: 10-5

1963-64: 12-3

Some other notable 15-game starts:

2013-14: 4-11 (most recent 4-11 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2011-12: 6-9 (most recent 6-9 start)

2009-10: 8-7 (most recent 8-7 start)

2007-08: 3-12 (most recent 3-12 start)

2001-02: 7-8 (most recent 7-8 start)

1995-96: 7-8 (lost buzzer-beater to Northeastern to fall under .500 for good)

1994-95: 3-12 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-14 (VBK’s last team, only 1-14 start in program history)

1973-74: 2-13 (only 2-13 start in program history)

1968-69: 5-10 (only 5-10 start in program history)

1960-61: 13-2 (only 13-2 start in program history)

1959-60: 13-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 14th game was third win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)

One season was completed in fewer than 15 games: The 1937-38 team finished 10-4.

Hofstra has never been 15-0 or 0-15 through 15 games.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1954-55, 1957-58.

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

NUMBER TEN THROUGH FIFTEEN

With Sunday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 9-6 as head coach. He is the fourth coach to open 9-6 at Hofstra, following in the footsteps of Joe Harrington in 1979-80 and Mike Farrelly last season. Overall, eight coaches have had winning records through 15 games in their first season (or the first season of their second stints). Jack McDonald steered the Dutchmen to a 12-3 start in the first (and only) season of his second stint while Frank Reilly (1947-48) began 10-5 and Butch van Breda Kolff began 14-1 in his first stint (1955-56). Paul Lynner opened 10-5 in 1962-63 and Mo Cassara was 10-5 in 2010-11.

IT’S THE LAST ONE THAT COUNTS

The Dutchmen took their biggest lead Sunday with their final two points, a pair of free throws by Abayomi Iyiola with 30 seconds left. It marked the first time the Dutchmen have won a game by fewer than 10 points and taken their biggest lead with their final points since Jan. 30, 2016, when Rokas Gustys hit a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left to close out a 70-64 win over Drexel.

AWARDS FOR AARON

Aaron Estrada was named the CAA’s Player of the Week after his big game against James Madison. Estrada, who also earned the award for the weeks ending Dec. 6 and Dec. 20, is the first three-time Player of the Week honoree this season. This marks the first time a player has been the sole recipient of at least three CAA Player of the Week awards within the season’s first nine weeks since — who else — Justin Wright-Foreman won four solo awards and shared another within the first nine weeks of the 2018-19 campaign. Nathan Knight shared the CAA Player of the Week award three times in the first nine weeks of the 2019-20 season.

Twelve Hofstra players have won CAA Player of the Week honors since 2013-14, which was Joe Mihalich’s first season as head coach. No other CAA school has more than 10 Player of the Week honorees in that span. 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK CURSE?

You’ve heard of the Manningcast curse. Is there a Player of the Week curse for Estrada? The star guard struggled in his first game following each of his first two awards, first by being limited to six points on 2-of-10 shooting in 27 minutes — his third-fewest of the season — in the Dutchmen’s 79-62 loss to Stony Brook on Dec. 8 and then by scoring nine points while committing four fouls in a season-low 21 minutes of the 77-71 win over Monmouth on Dec. 22. We’ll be tracking this one closely this afternoon!

THE 20/7/7 CLUB

Estrada certainly wasn’t hexed Sunday afternoon, when he finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. It was the second time this season he’s had at least 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a game. He had 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the 89-81 win over Arkansas on Dec. 18. Estrada is the first Hofstra player since 2010-11 — the first season in which player game logs are available at College Basketball Reference — to have two 20/7/7 games. Charles Jenkins (26 points, eight rebounds, eight assists against Farmingdale State on Nov. 13, 2010), Juan’ya Green (30 points, eight rebounds, seven assists against William & Mary on Jan. 24, 2016) and Eli Pemberton (26 points, seven rebounds, seven assists against Elon on Jan. 30, 2020) are the only other players with one 20/7/7 game in the last 12 seasons.

THE 15/15 CLUB

Abayomi Iyiola joined a select club Sunday, when he scored 15 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. Iyiola is the first Hofstra player with at least 15 points and at least 15 rebounds in a game since Isaac Kante had 16 points and 16 rebounds against Drexel last Feb. 7. He is the fourth player since 2010-11 with a 15/15 game, joining David Imes and Rokas Gustys, the latter of whom is the only one wit multiple 15/15 games. Gustys posted such 12 such efforts — seven during the 2015-16 season, one in 2016-17 and four in 2017-18.

QUICK HOOK

Omar Silverio headed to the bench Sunday after picking up two fouls in the first 32 seconds. It was the quickest substitution of a Hofstra player in at least the last five-plus seasons, though it marked the second time this season Speedy Claxton has made a change less than a minute into the game. Claxton subbed Kvonn Cramer for Abayomi Iyiola 59 seconds after the opening tip against Iona on Nov. 16.

BIG BOOST FROM BURGESS

Silverio spent the remainder of the first half on the bench, which opened up an opportunity for Caleb Burgess — lately the last player in the rotation — to play major minutes. Burgess, who started every game last season and played at least 29 minutes in each of the final 21 games, played a season-high 27 minutes Sunday. That was three minutes more than he played combined in the Dutchmen’s last six games against Division I foes, a stretch that included a DNP against Monmouth on Dec. 22.

OVER THE AIR

If today’s game is played, it will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Cablevision/Optimum/Altice is our overlord universe. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

SCOUTING TOWSON

The Tigers, under 11th-year head coach Pat Skerry, are 10-5 this season and 1-1 in CAA play after holding off Northeastern, 70-67, on Sunday afternoon.

The Dutchmen and Tigers had one common foe in non-league play. Hofstra beat Monmouth 77-71 on Dec. 22 while Towson fell to the Hawks 79-71 on Nov. 13. Almost the same score!

This afternoon’s game pits the top two teams in the CAA, per KenPom.com. The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 123rd at KenPom.com. The Tigers, who were picked to finish eighth, are ranked 109th.

According to KenPom.com. the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.9) and sixth in defensive efficiency (105.4). The Tigers rank first in offensive efficiency (110.1) and fourth in defensive efficiency (103.7). Nationally, Towson and Hofstra are separated by just two spots — 55th and 57th, respectively — in offensive efficiency. 

Senior guard Cam Holden, a transfer from Tennessee-Martin who is playing through a broken jaw, leads the Tigers with 14.1 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Junior guard Nicolas Timberlake (13.7 points per game) and graduate senior Terry Nolan Jr. (11.3 points per game), a transfer from Bradley, are also averaging in double figures while junior guard Jason Gibson is averaging 9.9 points per game. Junior forward Charles Thompson is averaging 5.1 rebounds per game.

KenPom.com predicts a 77-73 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 8-5 against the spread this season.

ALL-TIME VS. TOWSON

Hofstra is 46-27 against Towson in a series that began during the 1982-83 season, when both schools were in the East Coast Conference. The Dutchmen swept last season’s series, which consisted of back-to-back games at the Arena due to the pandemic. The Dutchmen earned a 71-58 win on Jan. 23 before edging Towson, 74-69, the next day. The sweep was the fifth in the last seven years for the Dutchmen.

This afternoon marks the fourth anniversary of the Dutchmen’s dramatic 76-73 win at Towson, The Dutchmen trailed 67-57 with a little more than five minutes left but stormed back and won when Jalen Ray sank a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. The game-winning basket was set up by a gorgeous rebound and dish out by Hunter Sabety, who hit Justin Wright-Foreman in stride before Wright-Foreman passed to the wide-open Ray. 

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.

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

The wounds of 30 years ago still hurt bias! (We weren’t here for it, but all ECC pain is inherited)

SR-71 got some bumper music on Sunday Night Football a few weeks ago bias! (Any excuse to get a fresh SR-71 reference in here)

Stacy Keibler bias! (Per Wikipedia, which is never wrong, the former WWE wrestler went to Towson)

Figure out your name bias! (Towson was formally known as Towson State as well as Maryland State Teachers College at Towson)

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at James Madison

When you have a chance to join a conference whose logo looks like a hard candy crossed with the computer is crashing kaleidoscope symbol on a Mac, you've got to take it. 

(Feels like I’ve been working on this entry for parts of two years)

Apparently William & Mary could contend in the SEC. Eleven days after one of the biggest wins in program history, the Flying Dutchmen absorbed one of their most shocking upsets on Dec. 29, when William & Mary mounted a stunning last-second comeback to earn a 63-62 win. The Dutchmen, whose next three scheduled games were all postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Elon, UNC Wilmington and Charleston programs, will look to return to the court tonight (pandemic willing) when they are slated to visit James Madison. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Tribe (bleech) and a look ahead to everyone’s favorite exiting CAA member.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Jalen Ray’s tie-breaking 3-pointer with 31 seconds left seemed to rescue the Dutchmen, but Ben Wight hit a layup before Omar Silverio committed another back-breaking late turnover, which led to the game-winning layup by Julian Lewis with 10 seconds left as William & Mary earned its first win of the season over a Division I opponent. The Dutchmen raced up the court but Aaron Estrada missed a contested short jumper and Abayomi Iyiola couldn’t get a shot off after corralling the rebound. It’s not any better writing about it than it was witnessing it! Estrada single-handedly kept the Dutchmen in the game in the second half, when he scored 17 of his game-high 21 points. Estrada, who was just 1-of-9 from 3-point land, added six rebounds and six steals. Ray had 20 points, five rebounds and three steals while Iyiola finished with five points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Darlinstone Dubar appeared to roll an ankle late in the first half and had just three points in 18 minutes while Zach Cooks, back after missing the previous XX games with a hip injury, was limited to two points in 18 minutes. Silverio had nine points but was 2-of-11 shooting, including 1-of-8 from 3-point land.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. William & Mary, 12/29)

3: Aaron Estrada

2: Jalen Ray

1: Abayomi Iyiola

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 20

Aaron Estrada 18

Jalen Ray 16

Zach Cooks 13

Abayomi Iyiola 8

Omar Silverio 5

Kvonn Cramer 4

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER FOURTEEN GAMES

With the stunning loss Dec. 29, the Dutchmen fell to 8-6, which is tied for the 36th-best start in program history. It’s the second straight time the Dutchmen have opened 8-6 and the 10th time overall in program history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 14 games.

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 7-7

1976-77: 10-4

1999-2000: 9-5

2000-01: 10-4

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 10-4 (most recent 10-4 start)

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 9-5

2004-05: 10-4

2005-06: 11-3

2006-07: 10-4

2015-16: 10-4 

2018-19: 11-3 (most recent 11-3 start, win in 14th game marked eighth win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 10-4

1961-62: 13-1 (most recent 13-1 start)

1962-63: 10-4

1963-64: 12-2 (most recent 12-2 start)

Some other notable 14-game starts:

2016-17: 9-5 (most recent 9-5 start)

2013-14: 4-10 (most recent 4-10 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 4-10 (won game no. 14 to snap eight-game losing streak)

2011-12: 6-8 (most recent 6-8 start)

2007-08: 3-11 (most recent 3-11 start)

2002-03: 2-12 (most recent 2-12 start)

1996-97: 5-9 (most recent 5-9 start)

1995-96: 7-7 (most recent 7-7 start, last time at .500)

1994-95: 2-12 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-13 (VBK’s last team, most recent 1-13 start)

1988-89: 6-8 (win in 14th game was a 48-34 victory over Rider that still stands as the fewest points allowed by Hofstra in the last 33 seasons)

1986-87: 7-7 (last time at .500)

1966-67: 7-7 (last time at .500)

1961-62: 13-1 (most recent 13-1 start)

1959-60: 13-1 (Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 14th game was third win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)

1937-38: 10-4 (season complete)

Hofstra has never been 14-0 or 0-14 through 14 games.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43, 1945-46, 1948-49, 1949-50, 1951-52, 1954-55, 1957-58.

This feature is inspired by Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

NUMBER TEN THROUGH FOURTEEN

With the loss on Dec. 29, Speedy Claxton fell to 8-6 as head coach. He is the third coach to open 8-6 at Hofstra, following in the footsteps of Joe Harrington in 1979-80 and Mike Farrelly last season. Overall, eight coaches have had winning records through 14 games in their first season (or the first season of their second stints). Jack McDonald steered the Dutchmen to an 11-3 start in the first (and only) season of his second stint while Frank Reilly (1947-48) began 10-4 and Butch van Breda Kolff began 13-1 in his first stint (1955-56). Paul Lynner opened 10-4 in 1962-63.

CLOSELY CONTESTED

The Dutchmen and William & Mary were never separated by more than six points Dec. 29, when the Tribe held a single six-point lead and the Dutchmen had a trio of four-point leads. It marked the first time the Dutchmen played an entire game in which neither team led by more than six points since Dec. 5, 2018, when the Dutchmen edged then-winless Monmouth, 75-73, for the third win in the 16-game winning streak. The Dutchmen’s biggest lead in that game was six points while Monmouth’s biggest lead was two points. Things would be better if the Dec. 29 game ended in similar fashion!

QUITE THE UPSET

By at least one measure, the win Dec. 29 by William & Mary may have been the most stunning CAA upset in more than a decade. The Dutchmen and Tribe were separated by 225 spots — with Hofstra at no. 117 and William & Mary at no. 342 — entering the game.

Since the 2010-11 season — the first season in which game-by-game rankings are displayed for each team at KenPom.com — there appear to be only three instances in which a team ranked 200 or more spots below its opponent won the game. And Hofstra was the losing team twice! Yay? The Flying Dutchmen were ranked 77th at KenPom.com when they fell to no. 285 James Madison 104-99 in overtime on Feb. 23, 2019 and were ranked 68th when they fell to no. 272 UNC Wilmington 87-79 one week earlier. So two of the Dutchmen’s three regular season CAA losses were to teams ranked 200 or more spots below them. The other loss was to Northeastern, which ALSO lost to a team ranked more than 200 spots lower in the KenPom.com rankings that season, when no. 291 Towson beat the no. 95 Huskies 75-72 on Jan, 24, 2019.

The upset by William & Mary was likely the biggest in the CAA since Feb. 4, 2009, when UNC Wilmington beat eventual champion VCU 81-72. UNC Wilmington finished the season ranked no. 305 at KenPom.com while VCU was 54th. OK let’s stop talking about that now.

OH NO THE THREE’S AREN’T FALLING

Alas we’re not completely done talking about that game yet. The Dutchmen shot just 17.6 percent (6-of-34) from 3-point land, their worst percentage in a game in which they took at least 25 shots from beyond the arc since…an 88-61 loss to William & Mary on Jan. 2, 2020, when the Dutchmen shot 16 percent (4-of-25).

In addition, Omar Silverio (1-for-8) and Aaron Estrada (1-for-9) each made just one 3-pointer while taking at least eight attempts. That’s the first time since 2010-11, the first season in which player game logs are available at College Basketball Reference, that two Hofstra players have made one 3-pointer or fewer while taking at least eight shots from beyond the arc.

THE BEST DEFENSE IS A GOOD OFFENSE

The 63 points the Dutchmen allowed in defeat Dec. 29 were the fewest they’ve surrendered in a loss since Dec. 20, 2017, when Manhattan edged Hofstra, 63-61, at Adelphi (really). The Dutchmen last gave up fewer than 63 points in a loss on Jan. 5, 2017, when James Madison earned a 62-54 win at the Arena. The Dutchmen are 4-2 this season when allowing fewer than 70 points, which marks just the second time in the last seven-plus seasons they’ve lost multiple games in which they didn’t allow 70 points. The 2016-17 team was 7-2 when allowing fewer than 70 points, with the losses to James Madison and Towson (69-65 on Feb. 9). Since 2014-15 — Joe Mihalich’s second season at the helm and the real start of the current era of Hofstra basketball —the Dutchmen are 78-10 (a winning percentage of .886) when allowing fewer than 70 points.

COOKS’ STREAK ENDS

Zach Cooks, who missed the previous two games with an injury, scored just two points Dec. 29 as his career-opening (well, at Hofstra, at least) streak of double-digit scoring efforts ended at 11 games. Cooks was just the third player in the last 30 years to begin his Hofstra career by scoring in double figures in at least 11 straight games and the first since 2014-15, when Juan’ya Green scored in double figures in every game on his way to building a 43-game streak and Ameen Tanksley scored in double figures in his first 19 games.

Juan’ya Green 43 games (start of 2014-15 season through Dec. 9, 2015)

Ameen Tanksley 19 games (2014-15 season)

ZACH COOKS 11 games (2021-22 season)

Seth Meyers 8 games (1995-96 season)

Antoine Agudio 7 games (2004-05 season)***

***freshman

Speedy Claxton’s career-opening double-digit scoring streak lasted three games in 1996-97, while the late great Demetrius Dudley’s streak spanned four games in 1991-92.

THE GOOD KIND OF THIEVERY

Aaron Estrada had six steals Dec. 29, the most by a Hofstra player in a game since Desure Buie had six steals against Towson on Jan. 26, 2019. No Dutchmen has recorded more than six steals in a game since Feb. 16, 2013, when Stevie Mejia had seven steals against Towson.

OVER THE AIR

If today’s game is played, it will be carried live on FloHoops.com (subscription required). Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

SECOND TIME, BETTER THAN THE FIRST?

The Dutchmen are looking to avoid their first 0-2 start in CAA play since 2011-12, when they opened 0-7. Every other CAA school has started 0-2 at least once since the Dutchmen last did so, In fact. the only other CAA school without an 0-2 start in league play over the last six years is Charleston, which last began 0-2 in 2014-15. 

BACK FROM PAUSE (HOPEFULLY)

Remember when we were all naive enough to think pandemic-interrupted seasons were a thing of the past? Simpler times. Anyway, if today’s game is played, it will mark the first time the Dutchmen have taken the court since Dec. 29, a pause of 10 days, and the first time James Madison has played since Dec. 11, a pause of 28 days. The Dutchmen were 2-0 last season when resuming play after a pause of 10 days or more while the Dukes were 0-3 when playing after being idle for at least 10 days.

SCOUTING JAMES MADISON

The Dukes, entering their final season in the CAA — the divorce isn’t a friendly one! — under second-year head coach Mark Byington, are 9-2 this season but, as noted earlier, haven’t played since Dec. 11, when they beat Radford 79-70. James Madison is the only CAA team that has yet to play a league game. 

The Dutchmen and Dukes had no common opponents in non-league play.

The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 126th at KenPom.com. The Dukes, who were picked to finish fifth, are ranked 160th.

According to KenPom.com. the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (108.5) and sixth in defensive efficiency (104.7). The Dukes rank seventh in offensive efficiency (101.0) and first in defensive efficiency (101.0). Does that mean this game might end up in a tie?

Guard Takal Molson, a graduate transfer from Seton Hall who was an honorable mention preseason all-CAA selection leads the Dukes with 11.2 points per game and ranks third in rebounding at 5.3 rebounds per game. Junior guard Vado Morse, who was named to the preseason all-CAA second team, ranks second with 10.6 points per game while graduate student guard Charles Falden, a transfer from Winthrop, is averaging 10.2 points per game. Graduate student forward Alonzo Sule, a transfer from Texas State, leads the Dukes in rebounding at 6.3 rebounds per game while redshirt freshman Justin Amadi is averaging 5.4 rebounds per game.

KenPom.com predicts a 76-75 loss for the Dutchmen (oh no, not another one-point loss). Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 1-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 7-5 against the spread this season.

ALL-TIME VS. JAMES MADISON

Hofstra is 22-15 against James Madison in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The Dutchmen were swept last season, when the series consisted of back-to-back games at James Madison due to the pandemic. The Dukes overcame a 12-point deficit to earn a 93-89 victory on Feb. 13 before fending the Dutchmen’s attempted comeback from a 12-point deficit to escape with a 74-70 win the next day. The latter game ended up being the regular season finale for the Dutchmen, who went into a COVID-19 pause later in the week and didn’t play until the CAA Tournament three weeks later.

The sweep was the first for James Madison against the Dutchmen since the 2015-16 campaign.

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

Sun Belt bias! (James Madison is headed to the Sun Belt, and boy are they ever happy about it)

Now you no longer play I-AA football either bias! (You might have heard but James Madison is going to play I-A football starting nest year)

Your new conference makes no geographic sense bias! (Virginia’s not in the sun belt but *shrugging emoji*)

Who are we kidding you’re not getting any calls to go your way bias! (Heh)