Back in the pre-Internet days of 1991, there was a glorious week or so where we all thought Journey and Steve Perry had reunited. Alas.
The 2021-22 season officially became all about three days in March for the Flying Dutchmen on Thursday night, when Towson raced out to a 12-point first half lead and withstood a flurry early in the second half by the Dutchmen before easing their way to a 78-68 win. The Dutchmen will look to avoid completely lapsing into crisis mode this afternoon, when they are slated to host James Madison for the final time as conference rivals. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Tigers and a look ahead to the Dukes.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Well, at least there was no double-digit lead to be squandered this time? The Dutchmen did have an early eight-point lead, but Towson scored 10 unanswered points to start a half-ending 30-12 run that gave the Tigers a 43-33 lead at intermission. Charles Thompson opened the second half with a layup to extend Towson’s lead to 12 before Aaron Estrada scored eight points in a 12-0 run that knotted the score with 16:42 left. The Dutchmen tied the score again at 47-47 before Juwan Gray’s nostalgic 3-point play gave Towson the lead for good and fueled the Tigers’ own 12-0 run. The Dutchmen got no closer than six points the rest of the way. Estrada led the Dutchmen with 22 points and seven assists while adding three steals, which tied him for the team lead with Omar Silverio. Jalen Ray, who scored 17 points while going 5-of-12 from 3-point land, was the only other player to score in double figures for the Dutchmen. Caleb Burgess had eight points, three assists and two steals in a season-high 29 minutes while Abayomi Iyiola had six points and six rebounds in just 21 minutes. Darlinstone Dubar had just five points on 2-of-10 shooting while picking up four fouls and committing three turnovers.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Towson, 2/3)
3: Aaron Estrada
2: Jalen Ray
1: Caleb Burgess
SEASON STANDINGS
Aaron Estrada 41
Darlinstone Dubar 27
Jalen Ray 22
Zach Cooks 17
Abayomi Iyiola 12
Omar Silverio 8
Kvonn Cramer 4
Caleb Burgess 1
The season debut for Burgess, who finished fourth in our very scientific player evaluation last year before falling out of the rotation and then climbing back into it this year.
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-TWO GAMES
With Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 13-9, which is tied for the 30th-best start in program history. It’s the second straight time the Dutchmen have opened 13-9 and the third tie they’ve done so in the last five years but just the fourth time overall in program history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams (including the first one to open 13-9!) have fared through 22 games.
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 12-10 (ended a season-long pattern of never being more than one game over or under .500)
1976-77: 16-6 (win in 22nd game marked second win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)
1999-2000: 17-5 (most recent 17-5 start, win in 22nd game marked final win of 10-game winning streak)
2000-01: 18-4 (win in 22nd game marked 10th win in program-record 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 15-7 (most recent 15-7 start)
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 15-7
2004-05: 15-7
2005-06: 18-4 (most recent 18-4 start)
2006-07: 16-6
2015-16: 16-6 (most recent 16-6 start)
2018-19: 19-3 (most recent 19-3 start, win in 22nd game marked final win in the 16-game winning streak)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 17-5
1961-62: 19-3
1962-63: 16-6 (fifth win of 11-game winning streak)
1963-64: 18-4
Some other notable 22-game records:
2020-21: 13-9 (win over Delaware in the CAA quarterfinals was the final win of the season)
2016-17: 10-12 (most recent 10-12 start)
2014-15: 14-8 (most recent 14-8 start)
2013-14: 7-15 (most recent 7-15 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 5-17 (most recent 5-17 start, tied for worst 22-game record in school history)
1995-96: 7-15 (loss in 22nd game marked eighth loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)
1994-95: 7-15 (Jay Wright’s first year)
1993-94: 5-17 (wins in games 21-22 were the first back-to-back wins all season; VBK’s last year)
1992-93: 6-16 (most recent 6-16 start)
1991-92: 14-8 (win in 22nd game was third in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)
1990-91: 12-10 (most recent 12-10 start)
1988-89: 9-13 (most recent 9-13 start)
1987-88: 5-17 (win in 22nd game snapped program-record 12-game losing streak)
1986-87: 8-14 (most recent 8-14 start)
1985-86: 13-9 (first and only other 13-9 start)
1984-85: 11-11 (most recent 11-11 start)
1981-82: 11-11 (at .500 for the last time, fourth loss of eight-game losing streak)
1978-79: 8-14 (last win of season and last win of Roger Gaeckler’s tenure)
1974-75: 8-13 (last loss of season)
1973-74: 6-16 (last win of season)
1972-73: 8-13 (last win of season)
1971-72: 11-11 (at .500 for the last time, first loss of season-ending four-game losing streak)
1970-71: 14-8 (first win of season-ending five-game winning streak)
1959-60: 21-1 (only 21-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 22nd game was 11th win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)
1955-56: 20-2 (only 20-2 start)
1946-47: 16-6 (last loss of season)
Hofstra has never been 22-0, 4-18, 3-19, 2-20, 1-21 or 0-22 through 22 games.
Eleven seasons were completed in fewer than 22 games:
1936-37: 10-7
1937-38: 10-4
1938-39: 10-8
1939-40: 12-9
1940-41: 13-7
1941-42: 15-6
1942-43: 15-6
1943-44: 7-12
1944-45: 8-13
1945-46: 12-7
1947-48: 13-6
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 TWENTY-TWO
With Thursday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 13-9 as head coach. He is the second coach to open 13-9 at Hofstra, following in the footsteps of Mike Farrelly, and the eighth to post a .500 record or better through 22 games in his first season (or the first season of a second stints). Jack McDonald steered the Dutchmen to a 16-6 start in the first (and only) season of his second stint while Butch van Breda Kolff began 21-1 in his first stint (1955-56). Paul Lynner opened 16-6 in 1962-63, Joe Harrington started 12-10 in his lone season in 1979-80 and Dick Berg began 11-11 in 1980-81 before Mo Cassara opened 14-7 in 2010-11. (Frank Reilly’s first team finished 13-6 in 1947-48)
SPEEDY STREAK SNAPPED
This one requires a little bit of finesse, but hey, we’re all about finessing quirky stats here. The loss Thursday night marked the first loss at the Arena — often dubbed “The House Speedy Built” — for Speedy Claxton as a player or head coach. (Again, this requires overlooking his eight seasons as an assistant coach, which did include 35 losses at home). Not only that, it was Claxton’s first loss at home in any arena — the Arena or the Physical Fitness Center — as a head coach or player in EXACTLY 24 YEARS, a stretch of 33 games dating back to a 92-77 loss to Delaware on Feb. 3, 1998. Now that’s the good stuff! Well, except for the losing part. Here are some of the vital information about American life back then:
—No. 1 song: “Together Again,” Janet Jackson
—No. 1 album: “Titanic” soundtrack
—No. 1 movie: “Titanic” (ugh)
—No. 1 TV show (week ending Feb. 1): “Seinfeld”
—price of a gallon of unleaded gas: approximately $1.05
—Super Bowl champion: Denver Broncos (31-24 winners over the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII just IX days earlier)
DUAL DOUBLE-DIGIT LOSSES
The 78-68 loss to Towson was not only remarkably (and unfortunately) similar to the final score in the 78-66 loss to the Tigers on Jan. 11, it marked the first time the Dutchmen have been swept by a CAA opponent and lost both games by double digits since the 2016-17 season, when Elon earned a 96-80 win in North Carolina and an 84-70 victory at the Arena.
FREE THROW DISCREPANCY
Per Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov’s game notes, the Dutchmen have been the nation’s most successful free throw shooting team since the start of the 2018-19 season. The Dutchmen are shooting 77.9 percent, edging North Dakota State (77.4 percent) and Pepperdine (77.1 percent) for the top spot. Yet Thursday — when the Dutchmen were 6-of-6 from the free throw line — marked the 11th time this season they have attempted 10 free throws or fewer in a game. The Dutchmen had 10 or fewer free throw attempts just 22 times in the 319 games over the previous 11 seasons.
THE PERFECT 10 (or less)
Along those lines, Thursday marked the third time this season the Dutchmen have been perfect from the line while taking 10 or fewer attempts. The Dutchmen had just four such games over the previous 11 seasons.
TEN TIMES THE COMBO
Aaron Estrada led the Dutchmen with 22 points and seven assists Thursday. It marked the 10th time this season he’s held at least a share of the team lead in scoring and assists in the same game, the most such instances since Desure Buie held at least a share of the team lead in scoring and assists 16 times in 2019-20.
RAY OF LIGHT
Jalen Ray continued snapping out of his slump Thursday, when he went 5-of-12 from 3-point land while scoring 17 points. The five 3-pointers were one more than Ray had in his previous four games combined while the 17 points were one more than he had in his previous three games combined.
BUDDING BURGESS
Caleb Burgess made his sixth consecutive start Thursday, when he set season highs with eight points and two steals in 29 minutes. The eight points, two steals and 29 minutes played were all the most for Burgess since he had 16 points and two steals in 37 minutes in the 76-58 loss to Elon in the CAA semifinals last Mar. 8.
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.
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
The Dukes, in the midst of their final season in the CAA — as we wrote last night, the divorce isn’t a friendly one! — under second-year head coach Mark Byington, are 13-7 this season and 4-5 in CAA play after beating Northeastern, 76-71, on Thursday night.
The Dutchmen and Dukes had no common opponents in non-league play. In the CAA, both teams have beaten Charleston and Northeastern, with James Madison sweeping the Huskies. Both have teams lost to to UNC Wilmington while the Dutchmen have beaten Drexel and Delaware, both of whom beat James Madison, and lost to William & Mary, which fell to the Dukes.
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fifth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 117th at KenPom.com. The Dukes, who were picked to finish fourth, are ranked 220th.
According to KenPom.com. the Dutchmen rank sixth in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (104.7) and fourth in defensive efficiency (103.0). The loss Thursday wasn’t good to those numbers. The Dukes rank first in conference-only offensive efficiency (112.0) and last in defensive efficiency (115.1).
The Dukes just absorbed a pair of big losses with the announcements that guard Takal Molson, a graduate transfer from Seton Hall who was an honorable mention preseason all-CAA selection, and redshirt freshman Terell Strickland will each miss the rest of the season due to injuries. Molson, who suffered a knee injury, ranked second on the Dukes in both scoring (12.3 points per game) and was tied for second in rebounding (5.2 rebounds per game). Strickland, who underwent surgery, was averaging 5.1 points per game.
Junior guard Vado Morse, who was named to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Dukes with 15.6 points per game while graduate student guard Charles Falden, a transfer from Winthrop, is averaging 10.6 points per game. Redshirt freshman Justin Amadi is averaging 9.8 points per game and a team-high 5.7 rebounds per game.
KenPom.com predicts an 82-72 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 7-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 9-11 against the spread this season.
ONE MORE GET TO THE WORKIN’ OVERTIME PART?
Hofstra and James Madison aren’t going to play one another as conference foes after today, so why not go to overtime one more time? The Dutchmen and Dukes have gone to overtime a remarkable seven times, which is two more times than Hofstra’s gone to overtime with any other current conference rival (five times with Drexel). The overtime clashes include the first triple-overtime game in Hofstra history — a 95-88 win on Feb. 9, 2005 — as well as a double-overtime game, a 99-96 victory on Feb. 18, 2009.
2/9/05: Hofstra 95-88 (3 OT)
2/18/09: Hofstra 99-96 (2 OT)
1/24/11: Hofstra 92-90
1/16/16: James Madison 86-82
2/7/16: James Madison 98-95
1/5/18: Hofstra 87-81
2/23/19: James Madison 104-99
IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE…
Outside of softball — in which the two schools played in the CAA championship series five times, including three times in four years from 2015 through 2018 before James Madison succeeded Hofstra as the dominant program in the league — Hofstra and James Madison didn’t often compete for titles at the same time.
The men’s basketball teams finished .500 or better in the same season just five times and met in the conference tournament just once (a 74-57 win for the Dutchmen in 2015, one game before the double-overtime loss to William & Mary). The lone time each school has won the CAA since 2001 came in the midst of a miserable season for the other. Hofstra went 4-14 and was the last seed in the tournament when James Madison won it all in 2013 while the Dukes were 2-16 and the last seed when the Dutchmen won the title in 2020. And in football, James Madison was 0-9 in the league and 2-9 overall in 2001, when Hofstra shared the A-10 football title in its first year in the league and made what ended up being the program’s final NCAA Tournament appearance.
THE BEST OF THE HOFSTRA-JAMES MADISON RIVALRY
But that doesn't mean there weren't memorable games between the schools! Here's five (or six):
5.) FB on 10/3/09: Hofstra 24, James Madison 17: The upset of the no. 7 Dukes was the last signature win for the Hofstra football program.
4.) MBB on 2/18/09: Hofstra 99, James Madison 96 (2 OT): It didn't go three overtimes, but this was an even better instant classic. In a battle of undermanned teams, Charles Jenkins willed the Dutchmen to victory with one of the best games of his iconic career (32 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds, four steals). Zygis Sestakos, who’d been mothballed most of the season, scored a career-high 19 points and hit three 3-pointers in the second overtime. Andrey Semenov did not play for James Madison, possibly because he'd used up his eligibility in 1972.
3.) SB on 5/8/15: Hofstra 2, James Madison 1: The Dutchwomen made a pair of early runs stand up in winning the CAA championship game over top-seeded James Madison in Harrisonburg. Morgan Lashley tossed 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the save and preserve the win for Taylor Pirone.
2.) MBB on 1/24/11: Hofstra 92, James Madison 90 (OT): It didn’t go two or three overtimes, but this was an even BETTER instant classic. Charles Jenkins (him again) had 35 points, five assists and three blocks to lead a comeback from a 15-point second-half deficit before leading a team-wide dive into the student section after the overtime buzzer. The win kept Hofstra tied atop the CAA with VCU at 8-1. “I wanted to embrace them — if my arms were big enough, I could give them all (hugs),” Jenkins said. Who was better than Charles Jenkins? No one.
1.) WBB on 2/27/11: Hofstra 75, James Madison 73: The Flying Dutchwomen stormed back from a 23-point second-half deficit to stun the perennial powerhouse Dukes. Candace Bond drained the tie-breaking free throws with two seconds left in what had to be a satisfying victory for Krista Kilburn-Steveskey, who was an assistant at James Madison for four seasons prior to taking the head job at Hofstra.
Dishonorable mention: WBB on 3/15/15: James Madison 62, Hofstra 56: The Flying Dutchmen’s first trip to the CAA championship game and pursuit of the first NCAA bid in program history was interrupted by a 15-minute power outage with 9:48 left and the Dutchwomen trailing by one. The Dutchwomen briefly took the lead after play resumed before falling short. Let’s just say the conspiracy theorists (James Madison was in the midst of a three-peat) might have had a field day with this one. Not me though!
ALL-TIME VS. JAMES MADISON
Hofstra is 22-16 against James Madison in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The Dutchmen won the first game between the teams this season in Harrisonburg on Jan. 9, when Aaron Estrada had 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in an 87-80 victory. The Dutchmen are looking to sweep the season series for the seventh time.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Power outage in 2015 our asses bias! (OK we’re still not over it)
You’re gonna miss us when you’re gone bias! (Any fans of rock radio in the weeks before Nirvana here? Anyone?)
ECC reunion bias! (Among James Madison's new Sun Belt rivals: One-time ECC regular season champion Troy no longer a State)
Andrey Semenov still must have some eligibility bias! (Ending the James Madison series with the best of the classic bits)
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