Why should this school change its name? It's not the one who sucks.
Folks, college basketball is not meant to be figured out. The Flying Dutchmen followed up their most discouraging performance of the season with their most encouraging one last Thursday night, when they never trailed in a 70-46 win over UNC Wilmington. After an open date (IT'S NOT A BYE) last Saturday, the Dutchmen will return to action with a pivotal two-game southern swing beginning tonight against Elon, who will from this point forward be dubbed Not Twitter Guy. Here’s a look back at the win over the Seahawks and a look ahead to the Phoenix.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Tyler Thomas scored a season-high 28 points and Aaron Estrada bounced back from a nightmarish game against Towson by collecting 17 points, but the story for the Dutchmen was a defense that limited UNC Wilmington to 16 second-half points — the fewest points surrendered in a half by the Dutchmen in almost 17 years. Thomas scored the first seven points for the Dutchmen and had nine points in a game-opening 13-4 run before the Seahawks inched back and got within a basket five times prior to finally tying the game at 30-30 at the half on Victor Enoah’s layup with 26 seconds left. After the Thomases — Tyler and UNC Wilmington’s Jamarii — traded two points to start the second half, Estrada scored the first eight points in a 9-0 run by the Dutchmen. Shykeim Phillips scored four straight points for the Seahawks before Tyler Thomas hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 13-2 run that put the Dutchmen up 54-38 with 9:27 left. UNC Wilmington was just 3-of-9 with three turnovers the rest of the way and finished the second half 6-of-19 from the field and 3-of-11 from the free throw line. Tyler Thomas and Estrada shared the team lead with seven rebounds while Estrada added four assists and four steals. Jaquan Carlos had three points but added five assists, four rebounds and one steal while not turning the ball over. Warren Williams had eight points and one rebound.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. UNC Wilmington, 1/19)
3: Tyler Thomas
2: Aaron Estrada
1: Jaquan Carlos
SEASON STANDINGS
Aaron Estrada 39
Tyler Thomas 27
Darlinstone Dubar 22
Jaquan Carlos 14
Warren Williams 10
Nelson Boachie-Yiadom 7
Amar’e Marshall 6
Griffin Barrouk 1
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
No! But in a neat and likely unprecedented twist, the Dutchmen’s previous 70-46 win was over their next opponent! The Dutchmen beat Elon— I mean, Not Twitter Guy — 70-46 on Nov. 23, 2009, back when everyone could say Elon without cringing and the school wasn’t in the CAA. That game was part of the preseason NIT and was played at the Arena.
The Dutchmen have recorded five unicorn score victories this season after recording 11 unicorn score victories last season, no unicorn scores in 2020-21, 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. You may also know it as a “Scorigami,” a term popularized in the NFL.
WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?
Yet another win, yet another history-making Keith Hernandez! Aaron Estrada’s jumper with 19:02 left in the second half put the Dutchmen ahead for good at 34-32 and began the decisive 9-0 run. It’s the earliest in the second half a Keith Hernandez has been recorded in the history of this award (November 2022-pres) as well as Estrada’s fourth Keith Hernandez, tying him with Tyler Thomas for the most this season and the most all-time.
Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Princeton, 11/7/22 (1:11 left 2H)
Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Iona, 11/11/22 (:35.2 left 2H)
Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. George Washington, 11/14/22 (5:09 left 2H)
German Plotnikov go-ahead 3-pointer vs. San Jose State. 11/17/22 (6:32 left 2H)
Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. UNC Greensboro, 11/26/22 (14:56 left 1H)
Aaron Estrada go-ahead jumper vs. Quinnipiac, 11/27/22 (17:28 left 1H)
Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Old Westbury, 12/22/22 (19:02 left 1H)
Tyler Thomas tie-breaking jumper vs. Delaware, 12/29/22 (19:42 left 1H)
Aaron Estrada tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/5/23 (19:27 left 1H)
Aaron Estrada tie-breaking jumper vs. William & Mary, 1/7/23 (8:37 left 1H)
German Plotnikov tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Monmouth, 1/11/23 (7:50 left 1H)
Warren Williams tie-breaking nostalgic 3-pointer vs. Delaware 1/14/23 (14:28 left 1H)
Aaron Estrada tie-breaking jumper vs. UNC Wilmington, 1/19/23 (19:02 left 2H)
Aaron Estrada 4
Tyler Thomas 4
German Plotnikov 2
Warren Williams 1
Jaquan Carlos 1
Darlinstone Dubar 1
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-ONE GAMES
With last Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 13-8. This ties the 2022-23 team for the 28th-best record in school history through 21 games. Hey that’s the same place the Dutchmen were in after 20 games! This is the second straight 13-8 start for the Dutchmen and the seventh 13-8 start in program history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 21 games:
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 11-10 (over .500 for good)
1976-77: 15-6 (win in 21st game marked first win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)
1999-2000: 16-5 (win in 21st game marked ninth win of 10-game winning streak)
2000-01: 17-4 (win in 21st game marked ninth win in program-record 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 14-7 (most recent 14-7 start)
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 14-7
2004-05: 14-7
2005-06: 17-4 (most recent 17-4 start)
2006-07: 16-5 (most recent 16-5 start)
2015-16: 15-6 (most recent 15-6 start)
2018-19: 18-3 (most recent 18-3 start, win in 21st game marked 15th win in the 16-game winning streak)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 16-5
1961-62: 18-3 (only other 18-3 start)
1962-63: 15-6 (fourth win of 11-game winning streak)
1963-64: 17-4
Some other notable 21-game records:
2020-21: 12-9 (most recent 12-9 start, loss in 21st game marked the unplanned and unexpected regular season finale because of, well, you know)
2016-17: 10-11 (most recent 10-11 start; win in 21st game snapped Mihalich-era record six-game losing streak)
2013-14: 7-14 (most recent 7-14 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 5-16 (most recent 5-16 start)
2009-10: 9-12 (most recent 9-12 start, season-low three games under .500)
1988-89: 8-13 (most recent 8-13 start)
2001-02: 10-11 (last time within one win of .500, Tom Pecora’s first team)
1996-97: 10-11 (under .500 for good)
1995-96: 7-14 (loss in 21st game marked seventh loss of Jay Wright-era record nine-game losing streak)
1994-95: 6-15 (most recent 6-15 start, Jay Wright’s first year)
1993-94: 4-17 (most recent 4-17 start, VBK’s last year)
1991-92: 13-8 (win in 21st game was second in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)
1987-88: 4-17 (loss in 21st game was 11th loss of program-record 12-game losing streak)
1984-95: 11-10 (most recent 11-10 start)
1974-75: 8-13 (last loss of season)
1972-73: 8-13 (last win of season)
1971-72: 11-10 (over .500 for the last time, last win of season)
1970-71: 13-8 (last loss of season)
1960-61: 19-2 (only 19-2 start)
1959-60: 20-1 (most recent 20-1 start & Hofstra’s winningest team, percentage-wise; win in 21st game was 10th win of season-ending 13-game winning streak)
1955-56: 20-1 (first 20-1 start)
1944-45: 8-13 (lost season finale)
1939-40: 12-9 (won season finale)
Hofstra has never been 21-0, 3-18, 2-19, 1-20 or 0-21 through 21 games.
Seven seasons were completed in fewer than 21 games:
1936-37: 10-7
1937-38: 10-4
1938-39: 10-8
1940-41: 13-7
1943-44: 7-12
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.
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 FIFTY-THREE
With last Thursday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 34-19 (.642) as head coach. That’s tied with Butch van Breda Kolff for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 53 games at the helm. Still a tie!
Paul Lynner 42-11 (.792, 53rd game was the 23rd game of his second season in 1963-64)
Butch van Breda Kolff I 34-19 (.642, 53rd game was the first game of his third season in 1957-58)
SPEEDY CLAXTON 34-19 (.642, 53rd game was the 21st game of his second season in 2022-23)
Mo Cassara 28-25 (.528, 53rd game was the 20th game of his second season in 2011-12)
Butch van Breda Kolff II 25-28 (.472, 53rd game was the 24th game of his second season in 1989-90)
Joe Mihalich 24-29 (.453, 53rd game was the 20th game of his second season in 2014-15)
Dick Berg 23-30 (.434, 53rd game was the 26th game of his second season in 1981-82)
Roger Gaeckler 18-35 (.340, 53rd game was the fifth game of his third season in 1974-75)
Jay Wright 18-35 (.340, 53rd game was the 25th game of his second season in 1995-96)
Tom Pecora 17-36 (.321, 53rd game was the 21st game of his second season in 2002-03)
Ties remain intact for second and eighth place, but Joe Mihalich breaks a tie with Dick Berg and climbs to sixth place. I suspect that climb will continue. And Tom Pecora remains in last, probably never to emerge.
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.
WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN
The Dutchmen never trailed last Thursday. It was their fourth wire-to-wire win of the season. All four wins have happened in CAA play. The Dutchmen earned an 87-73 win over Delaware on Dec. 29 before leading wire-to-wire in a 67-51 win over Hampton on Jan. 5 and an 86-62 win over Delaware on Jan. 14.
WIRE-TO-WIRE WINS
The four wire-to-wire wins this season are the most for the Dutchmen since they had four wire-to-wire wins during the 2019-20 season. Maybe they should just stop there and then win the CAA title. Then again…anyway, the Dutchmen last had more than four wire-to-wire wins in a season in 2018-19, when they had five.
FIT TO BE TIED (in a wire-to-wire win)
The Dutchmen were tied twice in the second half last Thursday — at 30-30 as play resumed and at 32-32 following a pair of free throws by Jamarii Thomas with 19:25 left. That’s the latest the Dutchmen have been tied in a game in which they never trailed since Mar. 10, 2019, when James Madison tied the score at 49-49 with 11:43 left in the Dutchmen’s 76-67 win in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals.
FIT TO BE TIED (at the half)
The Dutchmen were tied at the half for the third time this season last Thursday, when they headed into the locker room knotted at 30-30. The Dutchmen were also tied 30-30 with Massachusetts at halftime of a 71-56 loss on Dec. 11 and tied 39-39 with South Florida at halftime of a 77-70 loss in their next game on Dec. 19. The win last Thursday is the Dutchmen’s first in which they were tied at the half since Feb. 10, 2022, when they beat Drexel, 83-73, in a game that was tied 36-36 at intermission. The three games with tied scores at the half is the most for the Dutchmen since at least the 2002-03 season, which is as far back as I have full box scores at home. The Dutchmen were tied at halftime of a game twice each during the 2004-05, 2006-07, 2011-12, 2015-16 and 2021-22 seasons.
FIT TO BE UNTIED (after the half)
The win last Thursday improved the Dutchmen to 12-10 in games in which they were tied at the half dating back to the 2002-03 season. Not surprisingly, the 24-point margin of victory is the Dutchmen’s largest in that span for a game in which they were tied at the half. The Dutchmen’s previous most lopsided victory in a game in which the score was tied at the half was a 96-82 win over William & Mary on Feb. 23, 2017, when the teams were tied 41-41 at intermission. The Dutchmen have three other double-digit wins in games in which they were tied at the half — a 78-68 win over St. John’s (no wonder they keep ducking us) on Dec. 11, 2004 (tied 33-33 at the half), an 81-69 win over Siena on Feb. 18, 2012 (tied 37-37 at the half) and the 83-73 win over Drexel on Feb. 10, 2022.
THE DEFENSE DIDN’T REST (part one)
As you may have gathered by now, the Dutchmen allowed just 46 points last Thursday night. That’s the fewest points they’ve surrendered since a 61-43 win over Drexel in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals on Mar. 8, 2020. The Dutchmen have won their last 11 games in which they’ve allowed fewer than 50 points dating back to a 48-47 loss to William & Mary on Jan. 2, 2010. That stat might stand for a while!
THE DEFENSE DIDN’T REST (part two)
The Dutchmen were particularly stingy in the second half, when UNC Wilmington scored just 16 points. That’s the fewest points allowed by the Dutchmen in any half since way back on Mar. 5, 2006, when they limited George Mason to 16 points in the second half of a 58-49 win in the CAA Tournament semifinals. That was 537 games ago! AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?
FORTY-SOMETHING SQUARED
The Dutchmen allowed just 46 points last Thursday just three days after suffering a 68-47 loss to Towson. It’s the first time the Dutchmen have scored fewer than 50 points and allowed fewer than 50 points — in that order — since, I am not kidding you here, Feb. 5-7, 1958, when they fell to Moravian 50-46 and beat Kings Point 61-41. My parents were in elementary school! However, the Dutchmen did allow fewer than 50 points and score fewer than 50 points in consecutive games much more recently — from Feb. 1-4, 2012, when they beat Towson 74-49 and fell to Georgia State 59-43. But what’s the fun in using that criteria?
TEAM BARBASOL NO MORE
Remember when all the Dutchmen did was play close games? Well, now all they do is play lopsided games! Last Thursday’s 24-point win over UNC Wilmington marked the fourth straight game the Dutchmen have played that was decided by at least 20 points following a 77-57 win over Monmouth on Jan. 11, an 86-62 win over Delaware on Jan. 14 and a 68-47 loss to Towson on Jan. 16. The Dutchmen last played at least four straight games decided by at least 20 points from Dec. 9, 1995 through Jan. 6, 1996, when they went 1-4 during five consecutive games decided by at least 20 points. That was my second senior year of college and Jay Wright’s second season as head coach! Back then, the Dutchmen lost to Vermont 103-83, fell to Manhattan 74-51, lost to Villanova 91-57 (not a nice way to treat your future coach), beat Army 82-58 and got waxed by Malik Rose & Drexel 100-71.
LOSE BIG, WIN BIG
Last Thursday marked the first time the Dutchmen won a game by at least 20 points immediately after losing a game by at least 20 points for the first time since Jan, 2-4, 2020, when they lost to William & Mary 88-61 and beat Not Twitter 102-75. That’s a net points of zero!
TORRID THOMAS
Tyler Thomas scored the first seven points for the Dutchmen last Thursday. It was the longest streak of points by one Hofstra player to open a game since…way back on Dec. 31, when Thomas scored the Dutchmen’s first nine points. Spanning two years!
TYLER THOMAS FROM THREE
Tyler Thomas scored a season-high 28 points last Thursday while shooting 11-of-18 from the field, including 3-of-6 from 3-point land. The three 3-pointers are the most by a Hofstra player in a single game since Jaquan Carlos hit four 3-pointers in a 77-57 win over Monmouth on Jan. 11.
NO DOUBTING THOMAS
The 28 points for Tyler Thomas marked his fourth 20-point effort of the season and the most points he’s scored in a game since he had 30 points for Sacred Heart in a 72-62 loss to Rhode Island on Dec. 7, 2021.
ON THE REBOUND
Tyler Thomas had seven rebounds last Thursday, tying him with Aaron Estrada for the team lead. It’s the second time this season Thomas has held at least a share of the team lead in rebounding in a single game. He led the way with five rebounds in an 85-66 loss to Purdue on Dec. 7.
ESTRADA’S SLUMP BUSTER
Aaron Estrada bounced back from the roughest game of his career last Thursday by scoring 17 points. Estrada mostly relied on his mid-range game, going 7-for-11 from inside the arc and just 1-of-7 from 3-point land, but he sank his final 3-pointer with 3:38 left in the game to snap his streak of missed 3-point attempts at 16 dating back to the start of his 0-for-10 performance against Towson on Jan. 16.
ESTRADA’S DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAK
With his 17 points last Thursday, Aaron Estrada extended his streak of double-digit scoring efforts to 11 games. Estrada, who has missed three games during his current streak, has scored in double figures in 17 of 18 games this season and in 44 of 50 games since debuting for Hofstra last season. He scored in double figures in 13 of the 37 games in which he played for Saint Peter’s and Oregon from 2019 through 2021.
FIVE DIMES FOR CARLOS
Jaquan Carlos had five assists last Thursday. It was the third straight game in which he recorded at least five assists and the 10th time this season he’s finished with at least five assists. Carlos had just one five-assist game — against Division II Molloy — as a freshman last season.
WILLIAMS LIKES THE OCHO
Warren Williams, who had two points and three rebounds in 17 minutes against Towson on Jan. 16, also bounced back last Thursday by collecting eight points and finishing with one rebound and one block in 22 minutes last Thursday. Williams has scored at least eight points in eight of his last nine games and in 10 of the 16 games in which he’s played since returning from injury on Nov. 25.
DUBAR’S SLUMP
Darlinstone Dubar remained in a funk last Thursday night, when he scored four points while going 1-of-4 from the field in 19 minutes. Dubar has scored in single figures in each of the last four games after opening the season with double-digit efforts in 12 of his first 17 games. The four straight games with fewer than 10 points is the longest such stretch for Dubar since he debuted for Hofstra last season.
WALKING ON
With the victory well in hand, walk-ons Aidan Best and Petey Galgano played the final 1:47 last Thursday. Best and Galgano also played the final 52 seconds of an 86-62 win over Delaware on Jan 14. Their two appearances in a three-game span are the most for a walk-on since Connor Klementowicz appeared in a back-to-back games against William & Mary and Elon from Jan. 2-4, 2020.
OVER THE AIR
Today’s game is slated to 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 NOT TWITTER GUY
The Phoenix, under first-year head coach Billy Taylor, are 2-18 this season and 0-7 in CAA play following a 66-62 loss to Towson last Saturday. The Phoenix has lost 10 straight games and is winless this season against Division I foes.
The Dutchmen and Seahawks had no common opponents in non-conference play. Both teams have lost to North Carolina A&T and Towson in CAA play. The Dutchmen swept Delaware, which beat the Phoenix, and beat UNC Wilmington, which swept the Phoenix.
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish second in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 110th at KenPom.com. So in the last 10 days they’ve gone from 111th (prior to the Towson loss) to 127th (prior to the UNC Wilmington win) to 110th. Who likes rollercoasters? The Phoenix, who were picked to finish 12th, are ranked 342nd.
Due to the CAA’s expansion and the unbalanced schedule, tonight marks the only scheduled regular season game between Hofstra and Not Twitter Guy. The Dutchmen are also slated to face William & Mary, North Carolina A&T, Charleston, UNC Wilmington and Drexel just once apiece. Again…Drexel? Only once? Really? Outside of the pandemic-wracked 2020-21 season, when Hofstra and Not Twitter Guy didn’t play in the regular season, this marks the first time since Not Twitter Guy joined the CAA for the 2014-15 season that the two schools haven’t played each other twice.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank second in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (109.6 points per 100 possessions) and third in conference-only defensive efficiency (93.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 67.1 possessions per 40 minutes, the sixth-most in the league. The Phoenix rank 12th in in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (90.9 points per 100 possessions) and ninth in defensive efficiency (106.4 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.3 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league.
The Phoenix were decimated by transfers and graduations following the departure of Mike Schrage, who led the school to the CAA championship game for the first time in 2021 before he returned to Duke to serve as an assistant in April. Graduate student guard Sean Halloran, a transfer from Division II Belmont Abbey, leads the Phoenix with 12.6 points and 4.3 assists per game. Senior guard Zac Ervin, one of just six returnees from last season, ranks second with 11.4 points per game while freshman guard Max Mackinnon, a native of Australia, is averaging 10.8 points per game with a team-high 5.3 rebounds per game.
KenPom.com predicts a 76-65 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 12-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 9-9-2 against the spread this season.
ALL-TIME VS. NOT TWITTER GUY
Hofstra is 11-5 against Not Twitter Guy, which joined the CAA prior to the 2014-15 season. The teams split the season series last year, with Hofstra riding a record-setting 40-point performance off th bench from Omar Silverio to a 97-64 win in North Carolina on Feb. 15 before the Phoenix returned the favor with an 81-55 victory at the Arena on Feb. 24. That result snapped the Dutchmen’s six-game regular season winning streak against the Phoenix, though Not Twitter Guy ended the Dutchmen’s hopes of repeating as CAA champs with a 76-58 win in the CAA semifinals on Mar. 8, 2021. Hofstra and Not Twitter Guy first opposed each other on Nov. 23, 2009, when the Dutchmen cruised past the Phoenix, 70-46, in a preseason NIT game at the Arena. You might have read about that earlier!
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
You shouldn’t have to change your name because that guy sucks bias! (Duh)
Not that Billy Taylor bias! (The Phoenix head coach is not the former Athletics closer who flamed out with the Mets in 1999)
Former Lehigh head coach bias! (This one’s for our friend @LFN, who rooted for Taylor from 2002-03 through 2006-07 and led the school to the NCAA Tournament in 2004)
Galaga is still the best video game of all-time bias! (A regular oldie but goodie)
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