Overtime tonight would consist of a game of knifey-spoony.
The Flying Dutchmen were on the right side of a rare lopsided outcome Saturday, when Zach Cooks returned with a flourish in a 72-50 win over Northeastern. The Dutchmen will (hopefully) continue their key three-game road trip tonight, when they are slated to visit Charleston in the first game between the teams since, well, you know. Here’s a look back at the win over the Huskies and a look ahead to the Cougars.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Zach Cooks, back after missing the previous four games (and six of the previous seven), hit his first five shots and finished with 19 points — including the 2,000th of his career — as the Dutchmen trailed just once in cruising past Northeastern. Cooks also added three steals. Aaron Estrada scored 16 points — and hit two 3-pointers! — and finished with eight rebounds, which tied him with Omar Silverio for the team lead. The eight rebounds were a career high for Silverio. Darlinstone Dubar had 10 points, three rebounds and three assists while Abayomi Iyiola scored seven of his eight points during an 8-2 run that helped the Dutchmen begin creating separation just before the first media timeout of the second half. Jarrod Simmons added six points and five rebounds in 20 minutes.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Northeastern, 1/22)
3: Zach Cooks
2: Aaron Estrada
1: Abayomi Iyiola
SEASON STANDINGS
Aaron Estrada 32
Darlinstone Dubar 23
Jalen Ray 20
Zach Cooks 16
Abayomi Iyiola 11
Omar Silverio 8
Kvonn Cramer 4
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
No! That’s three straight non-unicorn score wins in a row. *shifts uncomfortably in seat* It’d been a long time, though, since the Dutchmen’s previous 72-50 win which came against Baltimore (presumably the university, not the entire city) in the third game of the 1956-57 season. My parents were eight and nine years old, respectively, way back then!
The Dutchmen have recorded 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.
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER NINETEEN GAMES
With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 12-7, which is tied for the 27th-best start in program history. It’s the second straight season in which the Dutchmen have opened 12-7 and the seventh time overall in program history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 19 games.
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 10-9
1976-77: 14-5
1999-2000: 14-5
2000-01: 15-4 (marked seventh win in program-record 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-5
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 13-6
2004-05: 13-6
2005-06: 15-4 (most recent 15-4 start)
2006-07: 14-5
2015-16: 13-6 (most recent 13-6 start)
2018-19: 16-3 (marked 13th win in the 16-game winning streak)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 14-5
1961-62: 17-2 (most recent 17-2 start)
1962-63: 13-6
1963-64: 16-3
Some other notable 19-game records:
2020-21: 12-7 (previous 12-7 start)
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)
2013-14: 7-12 (most recent 7-12 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 5-14 (most recent 5-14 start)
2011-12: 6-13 (most recent 6-13 start)
2003-04: 8-11 (most recent 8-11 start)
1995-96: 7-12 (loss in 19th game marked fifth loss of Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)
1994-95: 5-14 (win in 19th game marked second win of three-game winning streak, the first streak in Wright’s first year)
1997-98: 11-8 (most recent 11-8 start)
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)
1990-91: 10-9 (most recent 10-9 start)
1987-88: 4-15 (only 4-15 start, loss in 19th game was ninth loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)
1985-96: 10-9 (over .500 for good)
1964-65: 9-10 (under .500 for good)
1960-61: 17-2 (most recent 17-2 start)
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)
1956-57: 9-10 (under .500 for good)
1955-56: 18-1 (VBK’s first year, first 18-1 start)
1947-48: 13-6 (won season finale)
1945-46: 12-7 (won season finale)
1943-44: 7-12 (won season finale)
Hofstra has never been 19-0, 2-17, 1-18 or 0-19 through 19 games.
Three seasons were completed in fewer than 19 games:
1936-37: 10-7
1937-38: 10-4
1938-39: 10-8
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 NINETEEN
With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 12-7 as head coach. He is the second straight coach to open 12-7 at Hofstra, following Mike Farrelly, and the eighth to post a winning record through 19 games in his first season (or the first season of a second stints). Jack McDonald steered the Dutchmen to a 15-4 start in the first (and only) season of his second stint while Frank Reilly (1947-48) began 13-6 and Butch van Breda Kolff began 18-1 in his first stint (1955-56). Paul Lynner opened 13-6 in 1962-63. Joe Harrington started 11-8 in his lone season in 1979-80 and Mo Cassara opened 13-6 in 2010-11.
IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part one)
The 22-point win for the Dutchmen snapped a streak of 51 consecutive games against Division I teams decided by fewer than 20 points dating back to Feb. 1, 2020, when Hofstra rolled to a 83-60 win over William & Mary. That was the nation’s longest active streak of games decided by fewer than 20 points. The leader now is Northern Kentucky, which, in addition to being the potential home of the Simpson family, has played 46 straight games against Division I foes decided by fewer than 20 points.
IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part two)
And the 22-point win for the Dutchmen marked the most lopsided result in a Hofstra-Northeastern game since Jan. 5, 2009, when the Huskies earned a 73-50 win (whoa, almost the same score!) in Boston. The margin of victory for the Dutchmen Saturday was their largest against Northeastern since a 94-70 win on Jan. 26, 2001, when both schools were still in the America East.
ZACH COO2KS
Zach Cooks reached an impressive career milestone with his final basket of the game Saturday, when his 3-pointer with 6:10 remaining gave him exactly 2,000 points in his career. Cooks has 212 points for Hofstra after collecting 1,788 points in four years at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Cooks is the fifth active Division I player with 2,000 points. Ironically, in that it’s coincidence, Cooks and the Dutchmen have oppose two of the other 2,000 point scorers this season in Detroit Mercy’s Antoine Davis, who leads all active players with 2,430 points, and Richmond’s Grant Golden, who has 2,041 points but hadn’t yet reached the 2,000-point mark when the Dutchmen played the Spiders on DATE HERE.
NOT BAD TO HAVE IN RESERVE
Zach Cooks and Jalen Ray both serving as reserves will almost surely be a short-term arrangement, so we’d better discuss how unusual it is to have two 1,500-point scorers coming off the bench! Not surprisingly, Saturday marked the first time this season a Division I team’s had two players with 1,500 points come off the bench in the same game.
As of yesterday, just five other teams even HAD two 1,500-point scorers on their roster, and only two of those duos have as many combined points as Cooks and Ray, who enter tonight with 3,584 points. Richmond’s Grant Golden and Jacob Gilyars have combined for 3,836 points while Alabama-Birmingham’s Michael Ertle and Quan Jackson have combined for 3,592 points. The Blazers are scheduled to play Western Kentucky tonight. Hofstra has opposed another team with a tandem of 1,500-point scorers in Arkansas, whose duo of Stanley Umude and JD Notae have combined for 3,416 points.
BIG NUMBERS OFF THE BENCH
With his 19 points Saturday, Zach Cooks became the third player this season to score at least 15 points off the bench for the Dutchmen. Omar Silverio has done it five times while Jalen Ray has done it twice. The Dutchmen last had at least three players score at least 15 points off the bench during the 2017-18 season, when Jalen Ray did it three times and Desure Buie, Eli Pemberton and Matija Radovic had one such effort apiece.
DEUCES TO AARON’S TREY TROUBLES
Aaron Estrada’s unique streak of points without a 3-pointer ended Saturday, when he drained a 3-pointer with 10:42 left in the game. Prior to that, each of Estrada’s previous 26 field goals were of the two-point variety dating back to his previous 3-pointer, which he sank in his final attempt of the game against Towson on Jan. 11. Estrada missed 11 consecutive 3-point attempts while going 26-of-42 from inside the arc against Delaware, Drexel and Northeastern. Estrada’s streak of consecutive 2-point field goals in between 3-pointers was the longest by a Hofstra guard or forward since Loren Stokes hit 35 two-pointers between treys from Jan. 13-20, 2007.
STILL TWO MORE TO BE NO. 2 IN THREES
Jalen Ray scored just two points in 23 minutes Saturday, his fewest in a game since he was held scoreless in 32 minutes against Towson on Feb. 27, 2020. Ray was 0-for-4 from 3-point land as he remained at 276 career 3-pointers, one behind Justin Wright-Foreman for second place on the all-time Hofstra list. As much as we all like seeing Ray in a Hofstra uniform, he’s probably not going to get the eligibility needed to catch Antoine Agudio, whose 357 3-pointers might just be the untouchable modern-day version of Bill Thieben’s rebounding record.
TWO MORE TO BE NO. 1 IN GAMES
Jalen Ray inched closer to what we all hope is a much more attainable record Saturday, when he played in his 140th game at Hofstra. Ray is one game away from tying Desure Buie for the most games in program history and *does the math* two games away from breaking the record. If all goes according to plan, Ray will have a chance to set the mark Saturday at UNC Wilmington.
OMAR ON THE REBOUND
Omar Silverio set a career-high with eight rebounds Saturday, when he shared the team lead with Aaron Estrada. Silverio, who’d never pulled down more than six rebounds in his first 86 games between Hofstra and Rhode Island, is the 18th player to lead or share the team lead in rebounding since the start of the 2017-18 season.
IYIOLA PULLS THE MINI-LAETTNER
Abayomi Iyiola enjoyed a perfect shooting afternoon Saturday, when he scored nine points and went 3-of-3 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. He’s the first Hofstra player to have a perfect game shooting from the field and the free throw line (minimum three field goal attempts and three free throw attempts) since Jacquil Taylor scored 18 points while going 7-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line against Division III Rosemont on Dec. 18, 2022. The previous Hofstra player to have a perfect game against a Division I foe was Darren Payen, who scored 10 points while going 3-of-3 from the field and 3-of-3 from the line against George Washington on Dec. 28, 2013
BURGESS BREAKS THROUGH
Caleb Burgess, who made his third straight start Saturday, scored for the first time since returning to the lineup when he collected five points late in the second half. The last Hofstra player to go scoreless in three straight starts was David Green, who opened his career with a trio of scoreless games from Nov. 29 through Dec. 5, 2020.
OVER THE AIR
If tonight'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.
SCOUTING CHARLESTON
The Cougars, under first-year head coach Pat Kelsey, are 10-8 overall and 2-4 in the CAA after edging William & Mary, 74-73, on Tuesday night. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Charleston.
The Dutchmen and Cougars had no common foes in non-league play. In the CAA, both teams have lost to Towson while Hofstra has beaten Delaware and James Madison, each of whom defeated Charleston, and lost to William & Mary.
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fifth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 110th at KenPom.com. The Cougars, who were picked to finish seventh, are ranked 191st.
According to KenPom.com. the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.5) and third in defensive efficiency (103.8). The Cougars rank sixth in offensive efficiency (101.4) and second in defensive efficiency (103.0). Notably, Charleston ranks first in the entire country in adjusted tempo (74.8 possessions per 40 minutes).
Graduate student forward John Meeks, a transfer from Bucknell who hit the game-winning basket in the final seconds Tuesday, leads the Cougars with 15.6 points per game and ranks third in rebounding at 5.1 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Reyne Smith, a native of Australia who already has earned five CAA Rookie of the Week awards, is averaging 13.2 points per game while junior guard Brenden Tucker (11.0 points per game) and graduate student forward Dimitrius Underwood (10.4 points per game) are also scoring in double figures. Underwood, a transfer from Division III Texas-Dallas, is pulling down a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game, followed by graduate student forward Osinachi Smart (5.9 rebounds per game).
KenPom.com predicts an 80-78 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 9-8 against the spread this season.
IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part three)
Tonight marks the first time Hofstra has opposed Charleston since Feb. 13. 2020, when the Dutchmen’s march towards the CAA title began kicking into high gear with a wire-to-wire 76-63 win at the Arena. The Cougars were the only CAA team the Dutchmen did not oppose last season.
ALL-TIME VS. COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
Hofstra is 7-7 against Charleston in a series that began with the Cougars joining the CAA prior to the 2013-14 season. The teams split the season series the last time they opposed one another in 2019-20. Six of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by six points or fewer.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
New head coach bias! (Don’t think we used that last year for Mark Byington, who, err, didn’t get the benefit of any doubts from the stripes)
Pat Kelsey almost coached UMass bias! (One of the more notable last-second changes of heart in recent memory)
Knifey spooney bias! (Reyne Smith must have played that back home)
Brett Gardner might end up in Monument Park bias! (A twist on an oldie but goodie)
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