I'll Be Quirky: Purdue

Stranger things have happened than Hofstra beating Purdue, right? (We could use a hand here, Eleven)

Hello darkness our old friend. The Flying Dutchmen waxed nostalgic in all the wrong ways last Wednesday night, when they squandered an 11-point first half lead and missed pivotal free throws at the end of regulation before falling to George Mason, 81-77, in overtime. The good news is the Dutchmen have an easy get-right spot tonight against no. 4 Purdue! Here’s a look back at the loss to the Patriots and a look ahead to the fighting Glenn Robinsons.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Aaron Estrada scored 31 points but missed a potential go-ahead free throw with under three seconds left in regulation and then suffered an ankle injury in overtime as the Dutchmen suffered a potentially doubly (or triply) costly loss to George Mason. Estrada had a pair of 3-pointers in a 16-4 run that gave the Dutchmen a 29-18 lead with 3:10 left in the first half, but George Mason responded with an 18-4 run that spanned the halves and put the Patriots ahead 36-33 a little more than three minutes into the second. Estrada then scored nine points in a 12-4 run before George Mason answered with a 21-9 run to take their biggest lead at 61-54 with 5:27 left. Estrada followed with five points in a 7-0 run, after which the teams were never separated by more than three points until the final seconds of overtime. Estrada was fouled while hitting a game-tying layup with under three seconds remaining in regulation, but after a Patriots timeout, he evoked memories of Antoine Agudio in 2008 by missing the free throw — the sixth miss for the Dutchmen in 16 second-half attempts from the line. Bright side: That spared us the agony of a buzzer-beating defeat! But overtime wasn’t a lot of fun either. The Dutchmen didn’t trail in the extra session until Devon Cooper hit a jumper with 58 seconds left. Estrada hurt his ankle while drawing a foul on a drive to the basket on the next possession and hit the two free throws while being hobbled. But Cooper put the Patriots ahead for good by hitting a pair of free throws on the next trip up the floor and began putting the game away with two more free throws after Estrada and Warren Williams missed jumpers. Estrada, who was helped off the floor by teammates, added five rebounds, two assists and one steal. Tyler Thomas had 14 points, four rebounds and two steals in 40 minutes while Williams finished with seven points, six rebounds and three blocks while playing 31 minutes, by far his most in a Hofstra uniform. Darlinstone Dubar hit an early 3-pointer but left with a potential concussion after just three minutes.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. George freaking Mason, 11/30)

3: Aaron Estrada

2: Tyler Thomas

1: Warren Williams

SEASON STANDINGS

Aaron Estrada 21

Tyler Thomas 10

Darlinstone Dubar 9

Nelson Boachie-Yiadom 5

Jaquan Carlos 5

Amar’e Marshall 3

Warren Williams 1

GET WELL SOON KVONN

Before we get into the mundane aspects of I’ll Be Quirky, we extend our best wishes to former Hofstra player Kvonn Cramer, who was hospitalized with an undisclosed illness in the intensive care unit of a Cincinnati hospital while Bryant was in Ohio for a pair of games last weekend. Here’s hoping he’s healthy soon.

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER NINE GAMES

With last Wednesday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 6-3. This ties the 2022-23 team for the 17th-best record in school history through seven games. Sixteen other teams began 6-3, most recently the 2020-21 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through nine games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 5-4

1976-77: 7-2

1999-2000: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

2000-01: 7-2

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 6-3

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

2004-05: 9-0 (most recent 9-0 start)

2005-06: 7-2

2006-07: 6-3

2015-16: 6-3 

2018-19: 6-3 (marked third win in the 16-game winning streak)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

1961-62: 8-1

1962-63: 7-2

1963-64: 8-1

Some other notable nine-game starts:

2021-22: 5-4 (most recent 5-4 start)

2014-15: 7-2 (most recent 7-2 start)

2013-14: 3-6 (most recent 3-6 start)

2008-09: 8-1 (most recent 8-1 start)

2007-08: 2-7 (most recent 2-7 start)

2003-04: 4-5 (most recent 4-5 start)

2002-03: 1-8 (most recent 1-8 start)

2001-02: 5-4 (over .500 for the last time)

1997-98: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

1994-95: 2-7 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-8 (VBK’s last team)

1960-61: 9-0

1959-60: 9-0

1958-59: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

1955-56: 9-0

1947-48: 9-0

1938-39: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

The Dutchmen have never opened 0-9.

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 FORTY-ONE

With last Wednesday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 27-14 (.659) as head coach. That’s the third-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 39 games at the helm.

Paul Lynner 41-8 (.805, 41st game was the 11th game of his second season in 1963-64)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 29-12 (.707, 41st game was the 15th game of his second season in 1956-57)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 27-14 (.659, 41st game was the ninth game of his second season in 2022-23)

Mo Cassara 24-17 (.585, 41st game was the eighth game of his second season in 2011-12)

Dick Berg 19-22 (.463, 41st game was the 14th game of his second season in 1981-82)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 19-22 (.463, 41st game was the 12th game of his second season in 1989-90)

Jay Wright 16-25 (.390, 41st game was the 13th game of his second season in 1995-96) 

Joe Mihalich 16-25 (.390, 41st game was the eighth game of his second season in 2013-14)

Tom Pecora 13-28 (.317, 41st game was the ninth game of his second season in 2002-03)

Roger Gaeckler 11-30 (.268, 41st game was the 17th game of his second season in 1973-74)

The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenures of Jack Smith (1943-46) and Frank Reilly (1947-55).

Three coaches had one-season tenures lasting fewer than 33 games at Hofstra. McDonald went 18-6 in the lone season of his second stint in 1946-47 while Joe Harrington went 14-14 in 1979-80 and Mike Farrelly went 13-10 in 2020-21.

(Hey how about Dick Berg and Butch van Breda Kolff II each having the Hofstra telephone prefix — 463 — as their winning percentage through 41 games? Am I the only one who would notice that? Am I the only one who would remember when we had phones with Hofstra prefixes in our room? I am so old)

OH NO, NOT AGAIN

The Dutchmen fell to 8-16 all-time against George Mason, including 2-11 since the Dutchmen’s 58-49 win over the Patriots in the 2006 CAA semifinals didn’t clinch that at-large bid. Well, I guess it did for someone. Anyway. The Dutchmen are actually 1-11 since the start of the 2007-08 season, when they fell to the Patriots, 85-78, in double overtime at the Arena on Jan. 17, 2008. You might remember that loss as the one where Antoine Agudio was fouled with the Dutchmen up 71-69 and 13 seconds left in the first overtime but hit only one free throw before John Vaughan forced another overtime with a 3-pointer. Agudio finished that season shooting 77.6 percent from the line. Estrada is at 78.0 percent through last Wednesday. ANYWAY.

DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH

The Dutchmen, who led by 11 points in the first half last Wednesday night, squandered a double-digit lead for the first time this season and the fourth time since Speedy Claxton became head coach last season.

OK MAYBE DON’T GET TO THE WORKIN’ OVERTIME PART

The Dutchmen played their first overtime game of the season last Wednesday and fell to 1-2 in overtime games under Speedy Claxton. Ironically, in that it’s just a coincidence, the Dutchmen’s first game against George Mason following Mason’s exit for the Atlantic 10 foes went to overtime just as the Dutchmen’s first game against VCU following VCU’s exit for the Atlantic 10 went to overtime on Nov. 24, 2018, when the Rams eked out a 69-67 win. The Dutchmen are 22-19 in overtime games during the CAA era (2001-present).

TEN ISN’T JUST THE NAME OF PEARL JAM’S FIRST ALBUM

Despite the loss last Wednesday, all 10 players who saw the court for the Dutchmen scored. It was the third time this season the Dutchmen have played at least 10 players and the first time at least 10 players have scored since 11 players scored in a 111-69 win over Division II New York Tech on Nov. 15, 2019. It was the first time the Dutchmen have had at least 10 players score against a Division I foe since Feb. 7, 2019, when 11 players scored in a 101-62 win over Elon.

A HANDFUL (PLUS ONE) FOR ESTRADA

After coming up just shy of another 30-point outing against Quinnipiac on Nov. 27 Aaron Estrada finished with 31 points against George Mason. It’s the second 30-point effort of the season for Estrada and his sixth in a Hofstra uniform — the sixth-most by a Hofstra player since the start of the 1991-92 season. 

Justin Wright-Foreman 23

Demetrius Dudley 12 

Charles Jenkins 12

Antoine Agudio 10

Speedy Claxton 8

Loren Stokes 7

AARON ESTRADA 6

WARREN’S WORKLOAD

Graduate student Warren Williams, playing in his fourth game for the Dutchmen, set season highs last Wednesday with seven points, six rebounds and three blocks while playing 31 minutes. The seven points were his most since he had eight points in Manhattan’s season-ending 79-67 loss to Rider in the MAAC Tournament on Mar. 8 while the six rebounds were his most since he pulled down six boards against Iona in a 74-72 win on Mar. 3. The 31 minutes were his most in almost exactly a year. He played 32 minutes against Siena in Manhattan’s 77-72 overtime win on Dec. 3, 2021. And the three blocks were Williams’ most since since he recorded three blocks against Fairfield on Mar. 4, 2021.

GERMAN’S WORKLOAD, TOO

Junior German Plotnikov set a career-high last Wednesday by playing 32 minutes off the bench. Plotnikov and Williams are the first set of teammates to play at least 30 minutes off the bench for the Dutchmen in the same game since Jalen Ray and Zach Cooks each played 34 minutes in a 78-72 loss to UNC Wilmington on Jan. 29.

STINGY WITH THE FREE THROWS

The Dutchmen didn’t shoot a free throw YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN AN AT-LARGE BID IN 2006 BIAS in the first half last Wednesday for the second time this season. The Dutchmen also didn’t hoist a free throw in the first half of the season-opening 83-77 win over Princeton on Nov. 7. 

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried on Big Ten Network Plus, which requires a subscription. It looks like a monthly pass to watch Purdue games cost $9.95. You should probably cancel that as soon as the game ends. Unless you find a friend who has a Big Ten Network Plus subscription and use his or her login, which you shouldn’t do because that’s stealing and Lisa Simpson wouldn’t approve. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Hofstra will also provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

HOFSTRA VS. TOP 25 TEAMS

Purdue is ranked no. 4 in both the AP poll and the coaches’ poll. This marks the 24th time the Dutchmen have faced a top 25 team in the DD Era. The Dutchmen are 3-20 in the previous 23 games but on a one-game winning streak after an 89-81 win over then-no. 24/19 Arkansas last Dec. 18. Two of the three wins have come in the last two Decembers. The Dutchmen beat Richmond, ranked 23rd in the coaches’ poll, 76-71 on Dec. 22, 2020. If these trends continue…

12/18/21: No. 24/19 Arkansas 89-81 W

11/19/21: no. 20 Maryland 69-67 L

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

PURDUE AND THE BIG 10 CONFERENCE

Purdue, under 18th-year head coach Matt Painter, is 8-0 this season and 1-0 in the Big 10. The Boilermakers opened Big 10 play by beating Minnesota, 89-70, on Sunday.

The Boilermakers — who have already beaten four top-50 KenPom.com teams and are, how should we put this, good — were 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.

Junior center Zach Edey, who stands 7-foot-4 and weighs 290 pounds, was named to the preseason all-Big 10 team. I suppose he’s lived up to expectations thus far by averaging 23.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. Per KenPom.com, he is the nation’s best player thus far, and not by a little bit. Gulp. Edey had 31 points and 22 rebounds — both career-highs — on Sunday, when he out-rebounded Minnesota by himself. Double gulp. Maybe he’ll decide to leave Purdue for a gap year in Europe by tonight?

Freshman guard Fletcher Loyer (12.4 points per game) is the only other Purdue player averaging in double figures. No other Purdue player is averaging more than five rebounds per game, because Edey pulls down all the rebounds. Junior guard Ethan Morton is averaging a team-high 4.1 assists per game.

At KenPom.com, Purdue is ranked first nationally in offensive efficiency (117.9 points per 100 possessions) — FIRST!!! — and 29th in defensive efficiency (92.3 points per 100 possessions) while ranking 257th in tempo (66.2 possessions per 40 minutes). That’s not daunting at all. You can read more about the Purdue-Hofstra matchup in the wire service preview I wrote! #SelfPromotionalSentence

The Dutchmen and Boilermakers have no common opponents. 

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 127th while Purdue is ranked fifth. KenPom.com predicts an 82-64 win for the Boilermakers. Doesn’t look great, but let’s not forget Saint Peter’s knocked off Purdue in the Sweet 16 last spring. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 17 1/2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 4-4-1 against the spread this season after pushing against George Mason last Wednesday.

This is the second meeting between Hofstra and Purdue in men’s basketball. The Boilermakers rolled to an 83-54 win on Nov. 11, 2012. Things did not get much better from there for the Dutchmen.

This marks the 16th all-time meeting between Hofstra and Purdue in all sports. The softball team is 3-2 all-time against Purdue while the baseball team went 1-3 in a four-game series in February 2020. Wrestling is 0-4 against Purdue while volleyball is 0-1. 

This is the third straight season in which the Dutchmen will face a Big 10 foe. The Dutchmen fell to Maryland (still an ACC school to me) 69-67 on Nov. 19, 2021 and fell to Rutgers (still an A-10 or Big East school to me) 70-56 on Nov. 29, 2020. 

The Dutchmen are 4-12 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 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.

ANOTHER PERFECT (FOR NOW?) FOE

The Dutchmen are facing an unbeaten opponent for the second time in 10 days. The Dutchmen beat Quinnipiac on Nov. 27, so watch out Purdue!

GRAD VS. GRAD

Like Speedy Claxton, Matt Painter is coaching an alma mater for whom he played. Painter played for the Boilermakers under the legendary Gene Keady from 1989-90 through 1992-93.

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

Big Dog bias! (Glenn Robinson was THE DUDE when we were all in college)

Drew Brees bias! (Everyone’s favorite undersized quarterback went to Purdue)

Your coach looks like a high school history teacher bias! (He really does)

Kevin Plawecki may or may not have stuck a sex toy in a teammate’s locker bias! (This one about the former Mets backup catcher is for a certain segment of my audience)

Millie Bobby Brown bias! (The actress who portrays Eleven on the great “Stranger Things” is currently attending Purdue)