I'll Be Quirky: Detroit Mercy

Even Bob Seger can't believe this was his lone no. 1 hit.

The Flying Dutchmen finally returned from their epic season-opening road trip Wednesday afternoon, when they took advantage of a get-right spot by easing past Division II Molloy, 87-49. The Dutchmen will continue a four-game homestand by returning to the land of Division I foes this afternoon, when they are slated to host Detroit Mercy. Here’s a look back at the win over Molloy and a look ahead to *checks Detroit Mercy’s nickname* the Titans.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Jalen Ray, showing no ill effects from his injury scare two nights earlier, scored a game-high 20 points to lead six players in double figures for the Dutchmen, who spotted Molloy a pair of early leads and allowed the Lions to tie the score seven times before Kvonn Cramer and Ray combined to score nine straight points in a decisive run. Cramer (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Darlinstone Dubar (11 points, 12 rebounds) each had double-doubles, with Dubar actually posting a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) in the second half. Zach Cooks and Aaron Estrada each had 14 points while Estrada added seven rebounds. Omar Silverio scored 12 points off the bench. 

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Molloy, 11/24)

3: Jalen Ray

2: Kvonn Cramer

1: Darlinstone Dubar

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 10

Jalen Ray 9

Zach Cooks 7

Aaron Estrada 5

Kvonn Cramer 4

Abayomi Iyiola 1

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

IT HAS HAPPENED! A unicorn score drought spanning 16 wins, 625 days and a whole lot of terrible stuff ended with the 87-49 win. Pop that champagne. Appropriately enough, the closest the Dutchmen came to an 87-49 victory prior to Wednesday was an 87-48 win over another Long Island-based non-Division I opponent, Division III Farmingdale State, on Nov. 20, 2009.

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. 

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER SIX GAMES

With Wednesday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 2-4, which is tied for the 65th-best start in franchise history…or, if you’re a negative Nellie, tied for the 22nd-worst start in program history! Thirteen other teams began 2-4, most recently the 2013-14 squad, which was Joe Mihalich’s first year at the helm. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through six games.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 3-3

1976-77: 5-1

1999-2000: 3-3

2000-01: 5-1

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 4-2 (most recent 4-2 start)

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 2-4

2004-05: 6-0 (most recent 6-0 start)

2005-06: 4-2

2006-07: 3-3

2015-16: 4-2

2018-19: 3-3

Some other notable six-game starts:

2020-21: 3-3 (most recent 3-3 start)

2012-13: 3-3 (last time at .500 that season because…well, you know)

2008-09: 5-1 (most recent 5-1 start)

2007-08: 1-5 (most recent 1-5 start)

1994-95: 1-5 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-5 (VBK’s last team)

1982-83: 6-0

1978-79: 3-3 (last time at .500)

1973-74: 0-6 (most recent 0-6 start, Hofstra won game no. 7 and has never started 0-7)

1969-70: 0-6 (first 0-6 start)

1960-61: 6-0

1969-60: 6-0

1955-56: 6-0

1954-55: 6-0

1952-53: 5-1 (first loss in sixth game)

1951-52: 6-0

1948-49: 6-0

1947-48: 6-0

1943-44: 3-3 (last time at .500)

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

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

SPEEDY THROUGH SIX

With Wednesday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 2-4 as head coach. He is the fourth coach to open 2-4 at Hofstra, following in the footsteps of Roger Gaeckler (1972-73), Dick Berg (1980-81) and Joe Mihalich (2013-14).

101010101010 WINS

The Dutchmen had six double-digit scorers Wednesday for the first time since a 94-74 win over Monmouth on Nov. 9, 2019, when Eli Pemberton and Desure Buie scored 17 points apiece to lead a sextet that included Isaac Kante (15 points), Jalen Ray (14 points), Omar Silverio (13 points) and Tareq Coburn (11 points). As was the case Wednesday, Silverio’s effort was produced as a reserve.

DOUBLE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE FUN

Kvonn Cramer (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Darlinstone Dubar (11 points, 12 rebounds) became the first Dutchmen teammates to post double-doubles in the same game since Eli Pemberton (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Tareq Coburn (10 points, 12 rebounds) had double-doubles against Stony Brook on Dec. 10, 2019. Te double-double was the fifth of Cramer’s career and the first for Dubar.

ZACH STILL COOKIN’

It took until the final two minutes, but Zach Cooks extended his career-opening (well, at Hofstra, at least) streak of double-digit scoring efforts to six games. Cooks hit a jumper with 1:41 left and then drained a 3-pointer 34 seconds later to finish with 14 points. Cooks is just the fifth player in the last 30 years to begin his Hofstra career by scoring in double figures in at least six 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)

Seth Meyers 8 games (1995-96 season)

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

ZACH COOKS 6 games (2021-22 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.

(Correction: I had Darlinstone Dubar down as having scored in double figures in each of his first five games in Wednesday’s I’ll Be Quirky, but he had just nine points in the season opener against Houston. I blame my editor. My editor is me.)

NO HARM, NO FOULS

The Dutchmen had a historic second consecutive efficient game in at least one regard Wednesday, when they were whistled for just five fouls against Molloy. Remarkably, that’s one more foul than they earned two nights earlier against Richmond. (Another way to look at it: They fouled 20 percent more on Wednesday than on Monday)

The nine fouls in back-to-back games are surely the fewest the Dutchmen have committed in a two-game span dating back to at least the 2003-04 season. Prior to Monday, the Dutchmen had committed fewer than 10 fouls just six times since 2003-04.

In addition, per research by Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov, the Dutchmen are just the 10th team since 2010-11 — the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference — to commit five or fewer fouls in two games and the first to do it in back-to-back contests.

FOUR FOR THE FRESHMEN

Jaquan Carlos recorded the first points this season by a Hofstra freshman when he scored on back-to-back fast breaks late in the second half. This marks just the fourth time in the CAA era (2001-present) that the first points by a freshman have been scored in the sixth game or later. Kevin Schutte was the first freshman to score in the 2018-19 season, when he had six points against Rosemont in the seventh game of the campaign on Dec. 22, 2018. The Dutchmen didn’t have any freshmen score in 2006-07, when Mantas Leonavicius was scoreless in 11 games, or in 2008-09, when there were no freshmen on the roster.

BLOWOUTS ARE BORING (but sometimes they happen anyway)

The Dutchmen’s lopsided win Wednesday snapped their streak of games behind decided by 20 points or fewer at 38, the longest among Division I programs, dating back to an 83-60 win over William & Mary on Feb. 1, 2020.

OVER THE AIR

Today’s game will be aired on FloHoops.com (subscription required). Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

http://streamwrhu.net/newPlayer/?hawc/newPlayer/?hawc=

http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=369181&vislive=hofs

DETROIT MERCY AND THE HORIZON LEAGUE

Detroit Mercy, under fourth-year head coach Mike Davis (yup, that Mike Davis), is 0-4 this season after falling to Louisville, 73-67, last Saturday. Did you know Louisville’s interim head coach is Mike Pegues? Mike Davis, getting a tour of the turn-of-the-century America East! Detroit Mercy’s four opponents all entered today in the top 130 at KenPom.com. The Titans’ first nine games are all on the road.

Detroit Mercy was picked to finish fifth in the Horizon League. Senior guard Antoine Davis, the son of Mike, was selected as the preseason Horizon League player of the year. Antoine Davis who ranked third in the country in scoring at 24.0 points per game last season, leads the Titans with 20.0 points per game this year. Junior forward Madut Akec ranks second with 14.5 points per game and leads Detroit Mercy with 8.8 rebounds per game. Graduate student Kevin McAdoo Jr. is averaging 10.8 points per game.

The Dutchmen and Titans have one common opponent. Detroit Mercy’s next game is scheduled for Tuesday at Northeastern, whom Hofstra is slated to face in CAA play on Jan. 22 and Feb. 19.

Today marks the first time Hofstra and Detroit Mercy have ever played in any sport — the first time a men’s basketball game marks Hofstra’s first athletic competition against another Division I school since the Flying Dutchmen beat North Carolina A&T, 92-72, on Nov 14, 2018.

The Dutchmen are 4-4 all-time against current Horizon League schools.

At KenPom.com this morning, Hofstra is ranked 142nd while Detroit Mercy is ranked 220th. KenPom.com predicts a 76-68 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 8-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 3-2 against the spread this season.

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

Almost won the national championship at Indiana bias! (Davis, pressed into the head coaching job when Bobby Knight finally pushed Indiana too far in 2000, led the Hoosiers to the title game in 2002)

Keegan-Michael Key bias! (The actor and comedian went to Detroit Mercy)

Bob Seger bias! (How can you not have a Bob Seger bias when opposing a Detroit-based school?)

Susan Poser used to oppose you all the time bias! (Hofstra’s new president spent the previous five years at the Horizon League’s Illinois-Chicago)

I'll Be Quirky: Molloy

Not that Molloy.

The Flying Dutchmen once again flirted with toppling a giant Monday night, when they raced out to a 14-point first half lead before running out of gas and falling to Richmond 81-68. The Dutchmen will finally return home tonight for the first home game of the Speedy Claxton era — and the first home game in front of fans since, well, you know — when they are scheduled to host Division II Molloy at the Arena. Here’s a look back at the loss to Richmond and a look ahead to the *calls up I’ll Be Quirky doc from the last time we played Molloy to find the school’s nickname* Lions.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The Dutchmen, once again utilizing a small lineup without center Abraham Iyiola, sank their first six shots from the field and led by as many as 14 with under six minutes left in the first half before Richmond began crawling back. The Spiders took the lead with a 15-2 run spanning the halves and never trailed thereafter, though the Dutchmen tied the score at 61-61 on a layup by Zach Cooks with 9:51 left and missed a chance to take the lead on their next possession, when Aaron Estrada missed a layup. A free throw by Kvonn Cramer pulled the Dutchmen within 65-64 with 7:26 left before Richmond ended the game on a 17-4 run. Darlinstone Dubar and Zach Cooks each scored 18 points as they got into double figures for the fifth straight time. Dubar added six rebounds while Cramer posted season highs with 15 points and eight rebounds. Cramer dodged an injury scare when he appeared to jam his neck against Richmond’s Grant Golden late in the first half. Jalen Ray scored just three points and endured an injury scare of his own in the second, when he fell on his left side and remained on the ground for a few minutes. 

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Richmond, 11/22)

3: Darlinstone Dubar

2: Kvonn Cramer

1: Zach Cooks

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 9

Zach Cooks 7

Jalen Ray 6

Aaron Estrada 5

Kvonn Cramer 2

Abayomi Iyiola 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER FIVE GAMES

With their third straight loss, the Dutchmen fell to 1-4, which is tied for the 76th-best start in franchise history…or, if you’re a negative Nellie, tied for the third-worst start in program history! Eight other teams began 1-4, most recently the 2007-08 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through five games.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 2-3

1976-77: 4-1

1999-2000: 3-2

2000-01: 4-1

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 3-2

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 2-3

2004-05: 5-0 (most recent 5-0 start)

2005-06: 4-1

2006-07: 2-3

2015-16: 3-2

2018-19: 3-2

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 3-2

1961-62: 4-1

1962-63: 3-2 (over .500 for good)

1963-64: 4-1

Other notable five-game starts:

2020-21: 3-2 (most recent 3-2 start)

2016-17: 2-3 (most recent 2-3 start)

2013-14: 2-3 (Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 3-2 (last time over .500 that season because…well, you know)

2010-11: 2-3 (last time under .500)

2008-09: 4-1 (most recent 4-1 start)

1994-95: 1-4 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-4 (VBK’s last team)

1982-83: 5-0

1978-79: 3-2 (last time over .500)

1974-75: 2-3 (last time under .500)

1973-74: 0-5 (most recent 0-5 start)

1972-73: 2-3 (under .500 for good)

1969-70: 0-5 (first 0-5 start)

1960-61: 5-0

1969-60: 5-0

1955-56: 5-0

1954-55: 5-0

1952-53: 5-0

1951-52: 5-0

1948-49: 5-0

1947-48: 5-0

1950-51: 3-2 (over .500 for good)

1944-45: 2-3 (under .500 for good)

1937-38: 3-2 (over .500 for good)

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

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

FIVE FOR SPEEDY

This comes with quite the asterisk — you’ve seen the schedule the Dutchmen have played, right? — but Speedy Claxton is the first head coach in program history to start 1-4 in his first five games. Six coaches have started 2-3: Jack Smith (1943-44), Roger Gaeckler (1972-73), Joe Harrington (1979-80), Dick Berg (1980-81), Mo Cassara (2010-11) and Joe Mihalich (2013-14).

DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH

The Dutchmen, who led by 14 points in the first half Monday squandered a double-digit lead in a loss for the second time this season. The Dutchmen led Houston by 13 points in the second half of the 83-75 overtime loss in the season opener. The 14-point lead and 13-point final margin of defeat represents the biggest swing in a loss for the Dutchmen since at least the 2009-10 season, which is as far back as my comebacks/blown leads document goes. The previous biggest swings were 23-point changes against Northeastern on Jan. 25, 2014 (up 10 in a 70-57 loss) and against Old Dominion on Jan. 15, 2011 (up 12 in a 75-64 loss).

NO HARM, NO FOULS

The Dutchmen were whistled for just four fouls Monday, which is almost surely the program’s lowest single-game total in the CAA era (2001-present). I can’t seem to find my game-by-game figures from the 2002-03 season (anyone want to come here and help me clean?) but I’m pretty confident declaring it’s the fewest in at least the last 20-plus years considering there were just two games from 2003-04 through last Friday in which the Dutchmen committed fewer than eight fouls — seven apiece against Elon on Feb. 7, 2019 and Northeastern in the CAA championship game on Mar. 10, 2020.

I’m doubly comfortable about that given that just 14 teams have been whistled for four or fewer fouls since 2010-11, the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference. The Dutchmen were just the eighth Division I team to be called for four or fewer fouls against a fellow D-I foe and the second this season, joining Cinderella’s darlings, UMBC, which committed four fouls against Longwood on Saturday.

In addition, Richmond committed just nine fouls Monday, meaning the two teams combined for just (I was told there’d be no math) 13 fouls. That’s almost certainly the most whistle-free game in the CAA era. At the least, it marked just the third time in the Play Index Era that a Dutchmen opponent committed fewer than 10 fouls. Charleston committed nine fouls in a 76-72 win over the Dutchmen on Feb. 16, 2017, as did Drexel in the Dutchmen’s 61-43 win in the CAA quarterfinals on Mar. 8, 2020. The Dutchmen committed 13 fouls against Charleston and eight against Drexel.

FIVE WITH AT LEAST TEN

Darlinstone Dubar and Zach Cooks continued their fast starts in their first (and in Cooks’ case, surely only) season with the Dutchmen Monday, when both players scored 18 points. Dubar and Cooks have scored in double figures in each of their first five games with the Dutchmen, making them just the sixth and seventh players  to author such a streak in the last 30 years and the second teammate tandem to do so. (Fellow transfer Aaron Estrada scored in double figures in his first four games before being limited to four points Monday)

The previous player to open his Hofstra career with at least five straight double-digit scoring efforts was Eli Pemberton, who became the second freshman in the last 30 years to achieve the feat in 2016-17. The previous teammate tandem to begin their Dutchmen careers with at least five straight double-digit scoring efforts was the 1-2 punch of Juan’ya Green (43 games from the start of the 2014-15 season through Dec. 9, 2015) and Ameen Tanksley (19 games in 2014-15).

The only other players to open their careers with at least five straight double-digit scoring efforts over the last 30 years Seth Meyers (eight games in 1995-96) and freshman Antoine Agudio (seven games in 2004-05). 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.

ROUGH NIGHT FOR RAY

Graduate student Jalen Ray, who missed time in the second half Monday night after landing hard on his left side, was limited to just three points on 1-of-6 shooting. It marked just the 13th time he’s scored in single digits since becoming a full-time starter at the beginning of the 2019-20 season.

BLOWOUTS ARE BORING

While the never-two-games-under-.500 streak ended last Friday, at least one more quirky streak is intact for the Dutchmen, who played their 38th straight game decided by fewer than 20 points Monday night. That’s the longest active streak in the country and the longest since South Florida’s streak of 38 straight games decided by fewer than 20 points ended with a 98-52 loss to Houston on Feb. 28, 2021. That means we’re 28 points better than South Florida — whose streak, it should be noted, began immediately after an 81-61 win over Drexel on Dec. 15, 2019. Everything’s connected to the CAA!

(I decided to get this note in here because let’s face it, the streak will be decidedly imperiled if things go as planned this afternoon)

MAKE THE BIG BOYS SWEAT

Not gonna lie, it’d be more fun to have a win or two, but this is pretty neat nonetheless: The Dutchmen are the only mid-major program in the nation this season with two losses to Top 25 foes, both of which came either in overtime or by three points or fewer. The Dutchmen are likely to face a third top 25 opponent on Dec. 18, when they are slated to visit Arkansas, which entered this week ranked 13th in the AP poll and 12th in the coaches’ poll.

OVER THE AIR

Today’s game will be aired on FloHoops.com (subscription required). Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

WELCOME HOME

The Dutchmen will play their first home game of the season this afternoon, which marks the end of the program’s longest season-opening road trip since the 2006-07 squad began the season with six straight games away from Hempstead (including three at the Great Alaska Shootout, which is about as far away from Hempstead as possible). It will also be the first home game in front of fans in 633 days — since Feb. 29, 2020, when the Dutchmen locked up the regular season CAA title and the top seed in the conference tournament by beating James Madison 97-81. 

MOLLOY COLLEGE AND HOFSTRA VS. NON-DIVISION I FOES

Molloy College is a Division II school located in Rockville Centre, a mere three or so miles down Hempstead Turnpike so from Hofstra. The Lions play in the East Coast Conference, which, again, I’ve been telling you all is a real thing for like 25 years now.

Molloy is 0-3 after an 80-59 loss to New Haven Nov. 17. William Muller leads the Lions with 17.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Darren Fergus (13.3 points per game) and Kendell Ogilive (10.7 points per game) are also averaging in double figures.

Molloy was picked to finish fourth in the 10-team ECC.

The Dutchmen are 2-0 all-time against Molloy and recorded a 107-72 win in the most recent meeting between the schools on Nov. 30, 2017.

The Flying Dutchmen have won their last 20 games against non-Division I foes dating back to a 70-54 loss to Florida Southern during the 1988-89 seasons. This marks the sixth time in the last seven seasons the Dutchmen have faced a non-Division I foe. There were no non-Division I games last season due to the pandemic. The Dutchmen last played a non-DI foe on Nov, 15, 2019, when they beat New York Tech, 111-69.

There is no line on this game, because even degenerate gamblers do not bet on Division I vs. non-Division I games. The Dutchmen are 3-2 against the spread this season.

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

Not my daughter’s school bias! (That’s Molly)

Tyler Botte bias! (Tyler, the son of our friend and longtime New York sportswriter Peter Botte, starred in men’s soccer at Hofstra and is now the head men’s soccer coach at Molloy)

Not the home improvement company bias! (This might be a very uniquely Farmingdale thing to yell)

Let's not make this so difficult bias! (Duh)

I'll Be Quirky: Richmond

Can the Dutchmen burst Richmond's bubble for the second time in 11 months?

If you thought the Houston game was an agonizing near-miss, boy, do we have something for you! The undermanned Flying Dutchmen — employing a seven-man rotation with no one taller than 6-foot-7 — nearly pulled off one of the most impressive wins in program history Friday night before no. 20 Maryland scored the game’s final six points to escape with a 69-67 win. That’s two almost wins over top 20 programs in 10 days, rats. The Dutchmen will complete the arduous road trip tonight, when they’re slated to visit Richmond. Here’s a look back at the loss to Maryland and a look ahead to the creepy crawly Spiders.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The Dutchmen, playing without center Abraham Iyiola, managed to hang tight in a remarkably closely contested game and went ahead 67-63 with 1:26 left on back-to-back 3-pointers by Jalen Ray. Even after Maryland’s Julian Reese and Eric Ayala sandwiched jumpers around an errant 3-pointer by Ray, the Dutchmen had the ball with the shot clock off, but Ayala blocked Omar Silverio’s ill-advised 3-pointer with four seconds left and Silverio promptly fouled Ian Martinez on the “rebound.” Martinez hit both free throws and then burned a foul on Zack Cooks before Fatts Russell stole Aaron Estrada’s in-bounds pass at halfcourt. Ray finished with a game-high 18 points and was 5-of-12 from 3-point land for the Dutchmen, who never trailed by more than seven and never led by more than four. Estrada (12 points, nine rebounds) and Darlinstone Dubar (10 points, seven rebounds) each flirted with double-doubles while Cooks had 13 points. Dubar, the tallest player for the Dutchmen at 6-foot-7, split time at center with Kvonn Cramer, who had six points and four rebounds.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Maryland, 11/19)

3: Jalen Ray

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: Aaron Estrada

SEASON STANDINGS

Jalen Ray 6

Darlinstone Dubar 6

Zach Cooks 6

Aaron Estrada 5

Abayomi Iyiola 1

Now that’s close!

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER FOUR GAMES

With the loss to Maryland, the Dutchmen fell to 1-3, which is especially noteworthy beyond the fact it is tied for the 65th-best start in program history…or, if you’re a negative Nellie, tied for the fourth-worst start in program history! Eighteen other teams began 1-3, most recently the 2013-14 squad in Joe Mihalich’s first year. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through four games.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 2-2

1976-77: 3-1

1999-2000: 2-2

2000-01: 4-0

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 2-2

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 1-3

2004-05: 4-0 (most recent 4-0 start)

2005-06: 2-1

2006-07: 1-3

2015-16: 3-1

2018-19: 2-2

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 2-2

1961-62: 3-1

1962-63: 2-2

1963-64: 3-1

Other notable four-game starts:

2020-21: 2-2 (most recent 2-2 start)

2017-18: 3-1 (most recent 3-1 start)

2010-11: 1-3 (Mo Cassara’s first team)

1994-95: 1-3 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 0-4 (VBK’s last team, most recent 0-4 start)

1982-83: 4-0

1973-74: 0-4

1969-70: 0-4

1960-61: 4-0

1959-60: 4-0

1955-56: 4-0

1954-55: 4-0

1952-53: 4-0

1951-52: 4-0

1948-49: 4-0

1947-48: 4-0

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

FOUR FOR SPEEDY

With the loss Friday, Speedy Claxton became the third Hofstra coach — all this century — to open 1-3. As noted above, Mo Cassara and Joe Mihalich each did so in 2010-11 and 2013-14, respectively. Frank Reilly (1947-48) and Butch van Breda Kolff (first stint in 1955-56) each began 4-0 while Jack McDonald began his second stint at 3-1 in 1946-47. Tom Pecora (2001-02) was the lone coach to open 3-1 while eight others have opened 2-2: McDonald (1936-37), Jack Smith (1943-44), Paul Lynner (1962-63), Roger Gaeckler (1972-73), Joe Harrington (1979-80) Dick Berg (1980-81), van Breda Kolff in his second stint (1988-89) and Mike Farrelly (2020-21).

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

The narrow loss Friday dropped the Dutchmen to 1-3 and ended one of the most remarkable streaks in Hofstra history. The Dutchmen are two games under .500 for the first time since finishing the 2016-17 season at 15-17 — a span of 126 games and 1,470 days dating back to a 77-74 win over Army in the 2017-18 opener on Nov. 10, 2017.

It’s believed to be the longest span in which Hofstra did not fall two games under .500 since a seven-season plus span from the start of the 1957-58 campaign through the third game of the 1964-65 season — a stretch of 189 games encompassing the final five seasons of Butch van Breda Kolff’s first tenure and the first two-plus seasons of Paul Lynner’s reign. I write believed to be because official records have Hofstra at 15-8 in 1957-58, when they had four victories vacated due to eligibility issues. Apparently the NCAA was so mad at CCNY, they put Hofstra on probation. Anyway, I haven’t been able to figure out if any of those wins were turned into losses that dropped the Dutchmen to two under at any point. Regardless, even if that streak were to start at some point during the 1957-58 season or with the start of the 1958-59 season, it is the most recent longest stretch in which the Flying Dutchmen never fell two games under .500.

As the buzzer sounded Friday night, just 51 Division I programs had gone as long or longer without falling two games under .500 than Hofstra, including 44 programs whose streak predates the 2016-17 finale and seven others who were last two games under .500 as of the end of their ’16-17 season. Virginia, tipping off at 7 PM, stayed on the list with a 68-52 win over Coppin State while Western Kentucky, tipping off at 8 PM, joined Hofstra in falling off by losing to Memphis, 74-62.

tl;dr these are the good ol’ days, enjoy them.

UNDERSIZED BUT NOT OVERMATCHED

With 6-foot-10 Abraham Iyiola unavailable Friday night and 6-foot-8 Jarrod Simmons still recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the season opener against Houston, the Dutchmen played the entire game against Maryland with no one taller than 6-foot-7 — Darlinstone Dubar — on the court. It is believed to be the first time the Dutchmen have played an entire game without someone taller than 6-foot-7 since Nov. 24, 2012, when a pair of 6-foot-7 players — Moussa Kone and one of the He Who Shall Not Be Nameds — were the tallest players in the lineup for Hofstra in an 80-56 loss to George Washington. (This was the last game before the bottom fell out and resulted in four players no longer being referred to by their names here)

I write believed to be because per both the Hofstra site and KenPom.com, Kone was measured at 6-foot-8 during his junior and senior years at Hofstra. Now that’s a growth spurt! Regardless, playing an entire game without anyone taller than 6-foot-7 is some kind of unusual feat…one we might see again tonight.

CLOSELY CONTESTED

The Dutchmen and Maryland were never separated by more than seven points Friday night. It marked the first time the Dutchmen played an entire game in which neither team led by more than seven 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.

RAY MOVIN’ ON UP (part one)

Graduate student Jalen Ray continued climbing a pair of all-time Hofstra lists Friday night. With 18 points, Ray moved past Ken Rood into 15th place on the all-time scoring list with 1,372 points. His climb could slow tonight, when he needs 51 points — three more than the single-game school record — to surpass Rick Apodaca for 14th place. 

14.) Rick Apodaca 1,422

15.) JALEN RAY 1,372

16.) Ken Rood 1,354

17.) Barry White 1,344

18.) Dave Bell 1,330

We suppose we can give Ray a break tonight if he doesn’t catch or at least tie Apodaca tonight. Ray has gained at least a half-spot on the all-time scoring list in every game but one since joining the 1,000-point club against Richmond on Dec. 22, 2020.

Dec. 22, 2020: Tied for 38th place

Jan. 2: 38th place

Jan. 3: 37th place

Jan. 7: 36th place

Jan. 9: 35th place

Jan. 15: 34th place

Jan. 17: 33rd place

Jan. 23: 29th place

Jan. 24: Tied for 28th place

Jan. 30: 28th place

Jan. 31: 25th place

Feb. 6: 23rd place

Feb. 7: 22nd place

Feb. 13: 21st place

Feb. 14: 21st place

Mar. 7: 18th place

Mar. 8: 17th place

Nov. 16: 16th place

Nov. 19: 15th place

RAY MOVIN’ ON UP (part two)

And by taking the court for his 125th career game Friday, Ray moved into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list, one game ahead of Roberto Gittens, Loren Stokes and Greg Johnson. Ray is four games away from tying Charles Jenkins and Nathaniel Lester for third place and 16 games behind the all-time leader, Desure Buie.

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried on SNY, which is channel 70 on Optimum or Cablevision or whatever it’s called nowadays. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

RICHMOND AND THE ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

Richmond, under 17th-year head coach Chris Mooney, is 2-2 this season after alternating wins and losses against North Carolina Central, Utah State, Georgia State and Drake, the latter of whom edged the Spiders, 73-70, on Saturday.

Richmond was picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 behind unanimous no. 1 pick St. Bonaventure. Graduate student guard Jacob Gilyard and graduate student forward Grant Golden were named to the preseason all-A10 team while junior Tyler Burton was selected to the preseason all-A10 second team.

Golden leads the Spiders with 19.3 points per game and ranks second with 60 rebounds per game. Burton is second in scoring at 15.7 points per game and is pulling down at team-high 7.0 rebounds per game. Gilyard is averaging 10.7 points per game.

The Dutchmen and Richmond have two common opponents. The Spiders are slated to play Maryland in the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship on Thursday (not a bad way to spend Thanksgiving) and are scheduled to visit Duquesne in an A-10 game on Feb. 1. Hofstra beat Duquesne, 73-63, on Nov. 13.

The Dutchmen are 1-3 all-time against Richmond, but the lone win came in the most recent meeting between the schools last Dec. 22, when Jalen Ray scored 23 points in his homecoming as Hofstra overcame a nine-point second-half deficit to beat the no. 23 Spiders, 76-71. It was just the second win over a ranked opponent for the Dutchmen in the DD era (1993-pres).

This marks the ninth straight season in which Hofstra has faced at least one A-10 school. Hofstra is 38-106 all-time against current Atlantic 10 schools, a membership that includes former Dutchmen conference foes George Mason (CAA), La Salle (ECC) and VCU (CAA). With the win over Duquesne on Nov. 13, the Dutchmen have won their last two games against A-10 foes. Hofstra hasn’t beaten two A-10 teams in the same season since the 2015-16 campaign, when the Dutchmen beat St. Bonaventure 89-83 and La Salle 84-80 in back-to-back games on Nov. 28 and Dec. 2.

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 144th while Richmond is ranked 68th. KenPom.com predicts a 78-69 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 10.5-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 3-1 against the spread this season.

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

T.J. Cline wouldn’t come to Hofstra bias! (Cline played his freshman season at Niagara under Joe Mihalich in 2012-13 but transferred to Richmond instead of accompanying Juan’ya Green and Ameen Tanksley to Hofstra)

Nancy Lieberman bias! (T.J.’s her son)

First 15 over 2 bias! (No matter how tonight turns out, we’ll still love Richmond for knocking off Jim Boeheim and Syracuse in 1991)

The Mayor bias! (Richmond alum Sean Casey hit .302 over 12 big league seasons, back when hitting .302 was valued by teams)

I'll Be Quirky: Maryland

Wouldn't bet against this guy mounting a historic comeback for someone, even at almost 60 years old.

A slow start was too much to overcome Tuesday night for the Flying Dutchmen, who spotted Iona a 12-point first half lead and tied the game three times in the second half before falling to the Gaels, 82-74. If that scores sounds familiar, it should! The Dutchmen will get their second chance to try and pull off an upset against a top 25 foe tonight, when they are scheduled to visit Maryland, who just lost to oh come on are you kidding me really George Mason? Here’s a look back at the loss to Iona and a look ahead to the Terrapins. 

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Jalen Ray (20 points) seamlessly returned from injury, but Zach Cooks (11 points on 4-of-17 shooting, including 1-of-7 from 3-point land) was contained by Rick Pitino & Co. as the Dutchmen couldn’t get over the hump. Iona raced out to a leads of 14-2, 16-4 and 19-7 as the Dutchmen opened up by shooting 4-of-13 with three turnovers. The Dutchmen pulled within three points three times in the first half and trailed 39-32 at intermission before falling behind by 11 with 16 minutes left. Ray then scored 11 points in a 17-6 run that ended with Darlinstone Dubar hitting a jumper to tie the game 55-55 with 10:45 left. The Dutchmen were down 65-64 and had a chance to go ahead with 5:08 left, but Caleb Burgess missed two free throws and Iona ended the game on a 17-10 run. Ray (6-10 from 3-point land) hit six 3-pointers for the third time in his career while Dubar finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Aaron Estrada had 11 points while Iyiola had six points and 10 rebounds.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Iona, 11/16)

3: Jalen Ray

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: Abayomi Iyiola

SEASON STANDINGS

Zach Cooks 6

Darlinstone Dubar 4

Aaron Estrada 4

Jalen Ray 3

Abayomi Iyiola 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THREE GAMES

As you have probably gathered by now, the Dutchmen are 1-3, which is tied for the 45th-best start in program history. Thirty-three other teams began 1-2, most recently last year’s squad. The Dutchmen last began 1-2 in back-to-back-to-back seasons from 1997-98 through 1999-2000. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through three games.

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 2-1

1976-77: 2-1

1999-2000: 1-2

2000-01: 3-0

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 1-2

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 1-2

2005-06: 2-1

2006-07: 0-3

2015-16: 3-0

2018-19: 2-1

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 1-2

1961-62: 2-1

1962-63: 1-2

1963-64: 3-0

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

THIRD GAME NOT USUALLY THE CHARM

Speedy Claxton is the fourth straight Hofstra coach to open his first season 1-2 and the 11th all-time. Tom Pecora (2-1 in 2001-02, with the loss coming in his third game) was the most recent first-year head coach to open better than 1-2. The others: Dick Berg (2-1 in 1980-81, with the loss coming in his third game), Butch van Breda Kolff I (3-0 in 1955-56), Frank Reilly (3-0 in 1947-48) and Jack McDonald (2-1 in 1946-47).

No Hofstra head coach has ever lost his first three games. The only first-year Hofstra head coaches to earn their first win in the third game are Roger Gaeckler (1972-73), Jack Smith (1944-45) and McDonald in his first stint in 1936-37, when he directed the Dutchmen to the first win in program history with a 42-40 overtime win over Staten Island.

A FAMILIAR RESULT

Not only did the Dutchmen lose to Iona 82-74 for the second straight season, they fell by that score in the third game of the season for the second straight year. I have no idea if something like that’s ever happened before, but I tend to doubt it! (And if you watched the game and/or were interested for entertainment purposes only after getting a line where Hofstra was a 6 1/2-point underdog, you know the Dutchmen seemed to score on a putback just before the buzzer but it didn’t count for some weird reason)

FIT TO BE TIED IN A WIRE-TO-WIRE LOSS

The Dutchmen didn’t lead in a loss for the first time since Rutgers led the entire way in a 70-56 win on Nov. 29, 2020. But the Dutchmen managed to tie the game in the second half of a loss in which they never led for the first time since Feb. 22, 2015, when the Dutchmen tied William & Mary twice in the second half of an 80-78 loss at the Arena.

RAY MOVIN’ ON UP (part one)

Graduate student Jalen Ray continued climbing a pair of all-time Hofstra lists in his season debut Tuesday. With 20 points, Ray moved past Barry White into 16th place on the all-time scoring list with 1,354 points. He enters tonight needing 11 points so surpass Ken Rood for 15th place.

14.) Rick Apodaca 1,422

15.) Ken Rood 1,354

16.) JALEN RAY 1,354

17.) Barry White 1,344

18.) Dave Bell 1,330

RAY MOVIN’ ON UP (part two)

And by taking the court for his 124th career game Tuesday, Ray moved into a tie for fifth place on the all-time games played list with Roberto Gittens, Loren Stokes and Greg Johnson. Ray is four games away from tying Charles Jenkins and Nathaniel Lester for third pace and 17 games behind the all-time leader, Desure Buie.

ZACH STILL COOKING

Fellow graduate student Zach Cooks’ red-hot start slowed a bit Tuesday, when he scored 11 points. But his 66 points through three games are still the most by a Hofstra player in his first three games for the school since, and we are not kidding here, Speedy Claxton scored 63 points in his first three games in 1996-97. 

In addition to Claxton and Cooks, the only players to score at least 60 points in their first three games for Hofstra in the last 30 years are almost certainly Lawrence Thomas (64 points in 1995-96) and the late great Demetrius Dudley (95 points in 1991-92). I say almost certainly because I seem to have misplaced my 1992-93 stats, but I’m pretty sure no newcomers scored at least 60 points in their first three games that season.

ALL OR NOTHING

Loyal reader EvanJ checks in with a fascinating stat for Caleb Burgess, who had six assists, no points and no turnovers before fouling out Tuesday. Per Evan and the Play Index at College Basketball Reference, that’s the sixth time a player has had no points, at least six assists and no turnovers while fouling out since 2010-11, the start of the Play Index era.

DON’T FALL TWO UNDER .500!

The Dutchmen’s loss Tuesday imperils one of the neatest streaks we’ve discovered here at DD HQ. The Dutchmen haven’t been two games under .500 since ending the 2016-17 season at 15-17. Only 51 other Division I teams — including tonight’s opponent, Maryland — have gone as long or longer without falling two games under .500, including 44 programs whose streak predates the 2016-17 finale and seven others who were last two games under .500 as of the end of their ’16-17 season. The number shrunk by two last night, when Nevada and Oregon State fell to 1-3 with losses to San Francisco and Samford, respectively.

In addition to Hofstra, two other schools with 1-2 records are putting their streaks on the line tonight. Virginia is hosting Coppin State while Western Kentucky is visiting Memphis.

Among true mid-majors (defined by me as schools outside the Power 6, AAC, A-10, West Coast and Mountain West), Hofstra’s streak is exceeded by just 11 schools and matched by two more.

(Once again, dear Dutchmen: Please win tonight so this stat remains current, thank you in advance)

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried on FS1, which is channel 69 on Optimum or Cablevision or whatever it’s called nowadays. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

HOFSTRA VS. TOP 25 TEAMS

Maryland is ranked no. 20 in the AP poll and no. 21 in the coaches’ poll, though the Terrapins’ ranking may be endangered after Wednesday’s loss to George Mason (really, are you kidding us).

This will be the 22nd time Hofstra faces a top 25 team in the DD Era (1993-present). The Dutchmen are 2-19 in the previous 21 games after the 83-75 overtime loss to then-no. 15 Houston on Nov. 9.

This will also be the second straight season in which Hofstra faces two top 25 foes. The Dutchmen lost to Rutgers in last year’s opener.

11/9/21: no. 15 Houston 83-75 L (OT)

12/22/20: no. 23 Richmond 76-71 W

11/29/20: no. 24 Rutgers 70-56 L

12/22/17: no. 1 Villanova 95-71 L

12/11/16: no. 6 Kentucky 96-73 L

11/12/13: no. 3 Louisville 97-69 L 

11/18/10: no. 8 North Carolina 107-63 L

11/13/09 no. 1 Kansas 101-65 L

11/17/09 no. 12 UConn 76-67 L

12/22/06 no. 23 Syracuse 85-60 L

2/23/06 no. 25 George Mason 77-68 W

12/30/04 no. 7 Syracuse 80-75 L

11/22/02 no. 21 Gonzaga 69-61 L

12/4/01 no. 9 Syracuse 91-65 L

3/15/01 no. 15 UCLA 61-48 L***

3/17/00 no. 14 Oklahoma State 86-66 L***

11/20/98 no. 6 Maryland 89-59 L

12/2/98 no. 25 St. John’s 70-49 L

11/27/97 no. 19 Louisville 75-66 L

12/14/96 no. 19 Xavier 79-43 L

12/28/95 no. 8 Villanova 91-57 L 

***NCAA Tournament

MARYLAND AND THE ACC, ERR, BIG TEN

Maryland, under 11th-year head coach Mark Turgeon, is 3-1 this season with wins over Quinnipiac, George Washington and Vermont before Wednesday’s 71-66 loss to George Mason, which continues stealing our thunder even 15 years later.

Maryland was picked to finish fifth in the Big 10, which of course has 14 teams, in a poll conducted by The Athletic and The Columbus Dispatch, because the Big 14 does not actually conduct a preseason poll.

Senior Eric Ayala, who received four votes in the all-conference poll, leads Maryland with 15.8 points per game. Graduate student Fatts Russell (12.8 ppg), junior Qudus Wahub (12.3 ppg) and junior Donta Scott (10.5 ppg) are also averaging in double figures. Wahub and Scott are each averaging 8.5 rebounds per game. Simon Wright, an Elon transfer, has scored three points.

The Dutchmen and Maryland have one common opponent — their next one. Hofstra visits Richmond on Monday before the Spiders play Maryland on Thanksgiving.

Hofstra is 0-5 all-time against Maryland, which will always be an ACC school to me. The teams last faced each other on Nov. 16, 2018, when the Terrapins overcame an eight-point deficit early in the second half to record an 80-69 win. 

The Dutchmen are 4-11 all-time against current Big 10 foes, though none of those wins was recorded against a team actually in the Big 10 at the time. All three of the Dutchmen’s wins against Rutgers came before Rutgers, which will always be an A-10 school to me, joined the Big Ten in 2014. The Dutchmen beat Nebraska, which will always be a Big 8/Big 12 school to me, in the opening round of the NIT in 2006.

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 153rd while Maryland is ranked 36th. KenPom.com predicts a 77-63 for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 12-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 2-1 against the spread this season.

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

Gary Williams bias! (The court at Maryland is named after the coach who directed the Terrapins to the 2002 national title)

Buck Williams bias! (The longtime Nets star played at Maryland)

Walt Williams bias! (Walt played for six NBA teams after starring at Maryland)

Frank Reich bias! (Need a non-Williams and who is better than the guy responsible for engineering both the greatest pro and college football comebacks of all-time?)