I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at UNC Wilmington

This UNCW grad is making twice as much this season as Shohei Ohtani, so this card must be worth a fortune!

Welcome to a historic I’ll Be Quirky! No, not a Leap Day edition (this is our second Leap Day IBQ, thanks quirkiness of the schedule placing Feb. 29 on a Saturday and a Thursday in consecutive Leap Years), but the first time two IBQs have followed a Keep It Perky. The boilerplate postgame material running well beyond 2,000 words by the time we get late into February is a reminder this is a pretty good idea shared by Loyal Readers Jaden, Jess and Stephen, Thanks guys! Anyway, the Keep It Perky from the win over Not Twitter Guy — unicorn score! — was posted last night and can be read here.

Today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Saturday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing the really big game tonight against UNC Wilmington. As always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all about Tyler Thomas’ surge into the front-runner’s seat for CAA Player of the Year, Hofstra's historic run of Player of the Week winners, the success of seniors on Senior Day/Night and much more before a look at the Seahawks!

POWERFUL AGAINST THE PHOENIX

The Dutchmen’s 87-64 win over Not Twitter Guy last Saturday marked the fifth time they’ve beaten the Phoenix by at least 20 points since 2014-15, when Not Twitter Guy joined the CAA. That’s the most 20-point wins for the Dutchmen against a league opponent in that span — a doubly impressive feat considering all five of those lopsided victories have happened in the last five seasons.

RUN RUNAWAY

The Dutchmen took control Saturday night with a 15-0 first half run that turned a 16-15 lead into a 31-15 lead. It was the second straight game in which the Dutchmen mounted a run of at least 15 straight points — a 16-0 run last Thursday turned a 43-41 deficit into a 57-43 lead in the 69-57 win over Drexel — and the fourth time they’ve done so this season. The Dutchmen mounted a 19-0 run in a 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20 and a 17-0 run in an 86-77 win over Hampton on Jan. 18.

DOUBLE-DIGIT STREAKING

The Dutchmen have won three straight games, all by double digits. That’s the longest such streak since they won five straight by at least 10 points from Feb, 8-16, 2023. Those wins came in the midst of the 12-game winning streak that ended against UNC Wilmington in the CAA Tournament semifinals *shudders*

NOT A SECOND-HALF TEAM (for at least one night)

With the win well in hand by halftime, the Dutchmen deviated from form Saturday by scoring more points in the first half (47) than in the second half (40). It was just the sixth time in CAA play and the ninth time overall this season the Dutchmen haven’t scored more points in the second half than in the first half. But the 40-point second half maintained the Dutchmen’s average of 39.8 points per second half (1,155 points overall) as opposed to their first-half average of 34.8 points per first half (1,008 points overall). (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)

SENIOR MOMENTS

Now here’s a truly Quirky stat: With his 25 points Saturday night, Tyler Thomas became the first Hofstra senior to score at least 20 points on his Senior Day/Night since…Tyler Thomas scored 23 points in an 84-52 win over Northeastern on Feb. 25, 2023. THAT has got to be a first, though it might not be the last in an era in which teams will honor academic seniors with remaining eligibility in case they exit.

A senior has scored at least 20 points on Senior Day/Night in each of the last five full seasons, though that streak comes with a bit of a quirky asterisk as well, Omar Silverio, a fourth-year player who had eligibility remaining (nice job there, NCAA), scored 20 points in an 83-67 win over William & Mary on his Senior Day on Feb. 26, 2022. However, the Dutchmen had one more home game two days later, when they played Charleston in the makeup of a game postponed due to a COVID outbreak within the Cougars’ program. Silverio had 19 points in that game, am 89-84 win.

The streak of seniors scoring at least 20 points on Senior Day/Night began Feb, 23, 2019, when Justin Wright-Foreman scored 33 points in a 104-99 overtime loss to James Madison. Eli Pemberton (35 points) and Desure Buie (26 points) each surged past the 20-point mark in a 97-81 win over James Madison on Feb. 29, 2020. Prior to Wright-Foreman, a Hofstra senior hadn’t scored at least 20 points on Senior Day/Night since Mike Moore (30 points) and Nathaniel Lester (20 points) did so in a 93-64 rout of UNC Wilmington on Feb. 25, 2012.

DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP

Darlinstone Dubar continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday night, when he scored 17 points to increase his career total to 1,247 points and move past Roberto Gittens for 22nd place. I’ve been thinking for months that Dubar was channeling his 2000-01 Roberto Gittens, so that’s kinda neat. Dubar enters tonight 40 points shy of surpassing Mike Tilley for 21st place.

21.) Mike Tilley 1,286

22.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,247

23.) Roberto Gittens 1,240

24.) Carlos Rivera 1,225

25t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220

25t.) John Mills 1,220

27.) Aaron Estrada 1,219

THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO

Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, also moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Saturday, when his 25 points increased his career total to 1,228 points and lifted him past four players — former teammate Aaron Estrada as well as Demetrius Dudley, John Mills and Carlos Rivera — and into 24th place. Thomas enters tonight 13 points away from moving past Roberto Gittens (this is a potentially rough week for Roberto) into 23rd place and 20 points away from leapfrogging teammate Darlinstone Dubar. Now THAT would be quirky! At the least, with Dubar needing 40 points tonight to move past Mike Tilley, there’s a pretty good chance the teammates will be next to each other on the all-time scoring list by the end of the evening.

22.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,247

23.) Roberto Gittens 1,240

24.) TYLER THOMAS 1,228

25.) Carlos Rivera 1,225

26t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220

26t.) John Mills 1,220

28.) Aaron Estrada 1,219

(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)

DIMES FOR JAQUAN

Jaquan Carlos remained in ninth place on the Hofstra all-time assist list Saturday night, when he collected nine assists to increase his career total to 376. Carlos enters tonight two assists shy of moving past Loren Stokes for eighth place. Pretty impressive considering Carlos had just 23 assists as a freshman two years ago.

7.) Juan’ya Green 463

8.) Loren Stokes 377

9.) JAQUAN CARLOS 376

10.) Woody Souffrant 362

11.) Carlos Rivera 351

GO FOURTH, YOUNG MEN

The Dutchmen had four players score in double figures Saturday, when Tyler Thomas led the way with 25 points and was followed by Darlinstone Dubar (17 points), Jacco Fritz (14 points) and German Plotnikov (11 points). The Dutchmen are 9-0 this season when at least four player score in double figures and have won 18 straight games with at least four double-digit scorers dating back to Dec. 31, 2022, when four players scored in double figures in the last-second 81-79 loss to North Carolina A&T.

HOW MANY PLAYERS SCORED FOR THE DUTCHMEN ON SATURDAY?

Niiiiiiine players. Everyone who saw the floor Saturday for the Dutchmen scored except Silas Sunday, who was scoreless in seven minutes. The Dutchmen are 4-2 this season when at least nine players score at least one point.

HONORS FOR THOMAS

Tyler Thomas, who scored 28 points against Drexel in last Thursday’s 69-57 win over Drexel before leading all scorers with 25 points on Saturday, was named the CAA’s Player of the Week on Monday. It’s the league-leading third time this season Thomas has been named the CAA’s Player of the Week and the fourth time he’s earned the honors in his career. Speaking of honors…

HOFSTRA HONORS

…the second Player of the Week honor for Tyler Thomas this month allowed me to finish my research regarding Hofstra’s impressive consistency in producing award-winning players. Hofstra’s had a whopping 26 players combine to earn 83 Player of the Week awards dating back to the school’s first season in the CAA in 2001-02. That’s the most players to earn a Player of the Week award and the most Player of the Week awards earned by any CAA school in that span. Delaware ranks second in both categories, but their 25 honorees have combined for 47 awards — barely half that of Hofstra. Devon Saddler is the most-honored Delaware player with six Player of the Week awards, a total matched or exceeded by five Dutchmen: Justin Wright-Foreman (12), Charles Jenkins (10), Loren Stokes (9), Aaron Estrada (8) and Juan’ya Green (6).

In addition, Hofstra has had at least one player earn Player of the Week honors in each of the last 21 seasons dating back to 2003-04, which is easily the longest active streak in the CAA. Another way to put that is that a Hofstra player has earned Player of the Week honors in every single season the school’s been in the CAA EXCEPT 2002-03. Another way to put that: Even the 2012-13 team had an honoree (alas, he is one of The Those Who Shall Not Be Named).

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence Saturday night, when he scored 25 points while going 9-of-21 from the field, including 5-of-14 from 3-point land, Thomas is 35-of-83 from beyond the arc over his last nine games after going just 27-of-97 from 3-point land in nine games from Dec. 21-Jan. 25. He has scored in double figures in 21 straight games, 51 of his last 53 games and 59 times overall in the last two seasons. Thomas also has scored at least 20 points in seven of the last eight games and 20 times overall this season.

THE 25/5 CLUB

Tyler Thomas did a little bit of everything Saturday night, when he had 25 points and seven rebounds. It was the fifth time he’s had at least 25 points and seven rebounds in a game this season and the seventh time he’s done so in two seasons with the Dutchmen. Just three players have more 25/5 games since 2010-11, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. Justin Wright-Foreman had 25 such games, followed by Eli Pemberton (14 games) ad Aaron Estrada (11 games).

THOMAS’ THEFTS

Tyler Thomas continued to impress on defense Saturday night, when he had a team-high three steals. Thomas has eight steals in the last two games, his most thefts over a two-game span in his collegiate career. He had six steals — three in each game — for Sacred Heart against Stony Brook and NJIT from Nov 22-30, 2021. 

PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ

Jacco Fritz chose a pretty good time for his first double-double with the Dutchmen on Saturday night, when the graduate student finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds on Senior Night. The 14 points and 10 rebounds were each were tied for the second-most in a game this season by Fritz, who had 15 points against Delaware in a 76-71 win on Jan. 6 and 14 points against Wright State in an 85-76 win on Nov. 21. He pulled down 11 rebounds in a 64-55 win over William & Mary on Jan. 25 and had 10 rebounds in a 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4.

D-STONE’S BACK

Darlinstone Dubar flirted with a double-double Saturday night, when he finished with 17 points and nine rebounds. It was the second straight game in which Dubar had at least 10 points and seven rebounds and the 13th time he’s done so this season. He did so just 12 times in his first two seasons at Hofstra combined. In addition, Dubar has scored 54 points in the last three games since his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts was snapped at 27 games when he was limited to nine points in a 79-77 loss to Drexel on Feb. 15.

PERFECT FROM TWO (TIMES TWO)

Darlinstone Dubar (6-for-6) and German Plotnikov (4-for-4) were each perfect from inside the 3-point line on Saturday night. Dubar and Plotnikov are the first Dutchmen teammates to enjoy perfect shooting nights from inside the arc (minimum four attempts) since Dec. 16, when Jacco Fritz and Bryce Washington were each 4-of-4 on their 2-point field goal attempts in a 74-58 win over Norfolk State.

CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP

Jaquan Carlos also flirted with a double-double Saturday, when he had eight points and nine assists. Carlos has 21 points, 22 rebounds and a whopping 33 assists in his last three games after collecting just 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in his previous four games.

GERMAN SHOPS AT THE FIVE-AND-DIME

German Plotnikov had a solid all-around game Saturday, when he scored 11 points and tied a career-high by collecting five assists as the Dutchmen improved to 10-2 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov also had five assists in an 81-78 loss to Monmouth on Jan. 27. He is averaging 9.8 points and 2.4 rebounds over 29 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.

TRIP THREES FOR WASHINGTON

One game after he posted a Club Trillion stat line over 16 minutes, Bryce Washington had three points, three rebounds and three assists in 16 minutes. Washington is the first Hofstra player to post that line since 2010-11, the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference. Quirky!

THE KHALIL AND KIJAN SHOW

Freshmen Khalil Farmer and KiJan Robinson, both of whom were scoreless in the previous two games, each scored three points while hitting a 3-pointer on Saturday night. Farmer and Robinson have finished with the same number of points in each of the last five games — both had five points against North Carolina A&T in an 81-49 win on Feb. 10 and three points against Drexel in a 79-77 loss on Feb. 15 before going scoreless against Northeastern and Drexel on Feb. 17-22 — and have finished with the same number of points in 10 of the 22 games in which they’ve both appeared this season.

JAYDEN OPENS THE BANK

Welcome to the all-time Hofstra scoring list, Jayden Henriquez! The freshman walk-on produced one of the coolest moments of the season with 2:02 left, when he banked a 3-pointer for his first points of the season and the first points this season by a walk-on. Henriquez is the third walk-on to score in the Speedy Claxton Era, joining Aidan Best and Petey Galgano, who combined for 16 points last season.

OVER THE AIR

Tonight's game will be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click here. Hofstra will also provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

SCOUTING UNC WILMINGTON

The Seahawks, under fourth-year head coach Takayo Siddle, are 20-8 overall and 11-5 in CAA play following a 105-100 double-overtime loss to Campbell in the CAA’s game of the year Monday night. Great! They won’t be mad or anything tonight! It was the second upset loss in a three-game span for UNC Wilmington, which fell to Not Twitter Guy 73-72 Feb. 17 on a buzzer-beating tip-in by Isaac Harrell.

The Dutchmen and Seahawks had no common opponents in non-conference play. In CAA play, both teams split with Drexel and won their lone games against Delaware, North Carolina A&T and William & Mary. The Dutchmen swept Northeastern and Hampton, each of whom UNC Wilmington beat in the lone meetings between the teams, and swept Stony Brook, which beat the Seahawks in the lone meeting between the teams. Hofstra won its lone game against Towson, which beat UNC Wilmington in the first meeting between the teams on Jan. 6, and lost its lone game against Monmouth, whom the Seahawks beat in the only game between the schools. The Dutchmen beat Elon, who split with UNC Wilmington, and lost their lone meeting to Campbell, which split with the Seahawks. Hofstra lost its first game of the season to Charleston, which was swept by UNC Wilmington.

The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 127th at KenPom.com. The Seahawks, who were picked to finish second, are ranked 107th. The Dutchmen moved up two spots in the KenPom.com rankings following Saturday’s win and have gained ground in a season-high five straight games. That immediately followed a stretch in which they lost ground following eight consecutive games. College basketball: The best way to drive yourself insane.

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (110.5 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (100.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.2 possessions per 40 minutes, the seventh-most in the league. The Seahawks rank second in the CAA in offensive efficiency (117.3 points per 100 possessions) and seventh in defensive efficiency (105.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 64.7 possessions per 40 minutes, 13th-most (or second-fewest) in the league.

Fourth-year junior Trazarien White, a preseason all-CAA first-team selection who began his career at Collin College, leads the Seahawks with 20.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, though he drew the dreaded DNP-CD against North Carolina A&T on Feb. 15 and came off the bench against Not Twitter Guy two nights later. Graduate student Shykeim Phillips, who has spent all five seasons at UNC Wilmington, is averaging 14.0 points per game and a team-high 3.8 assists per game. Graduate student KJ Jenkins, who played last season at New Mexico, is averaging 12.5 points per game while graduate student Maleeck Harden-Hayes, a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection who began his career with three seasons at North Dakota State, is averaging 10.2 points per game and

ranks second on the Seahawks with 4.2 rebounds per game despite missing seven games from Jan. 18-Feb. 8.

KenPom.com predicts a 75-70 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 6-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 12-16 against the spread this season but have covered four straight to improve to 6-10 against the spread in CAA play.

FIRST TIME TOOK A LONG TIME

Thanks to the dreadful unbalanced schedule, tonight marks the only time this season the Dutchmen play UNC Wilmington. This is the latest in a season the Dutchmen have played a CAA opponent for the first time since the 2011-12 season when they opposed William & Mary in the penultimate league game on Feb. 22 and fell to the Tribe, 75-71.

LEAP DAY

This marks the second straight Leap Day in which the Dutchmen have played a game but just the third Leap Day game in the school’s Division I era. The Dutchmen beat UMBC 103-87 on Feb. 29, 1992 and eased past James Madison 97-81 on Feb. 29, 2020.

THE CAA RACE

The Dutchmen have continued their February tradition of Godfathering us all by earning three straight wins to remain in control of their fate in the hunt for a double bye in the CAA Tournament and maintain their very slim hopes of winning the regular season championship. However, the range of outcomes tonight is VAST.

1.) Charleston 13-3

2.) UNC Wilmington 11-5 

3.) HOFSTRA 11-5

4.) Drexel 11-5

5.) Towson 10-6

6.) Delaware 9-7

7.) Monmouth 9-7

The Seahawks are the second seed at the moment by virtue of their sweep of Charleston, which beat the Dutchmen. Hofstra is the third seed at the moment by virtue of its win over Towson, which beat Drexel. 

The Dutchmen can clinch no worse than the third seed and move into second place with a win tonight, But a loss, coupled with a win by Drexel against Stony Brook, would drop the Dutchmen into fourth place and the last double bye, with a chance to slip as low as sixth with another loss on Saturday and wins by Delaware and Monmouth in their final two games. I think, anyway. This dreadful unbalanced schedule really makes figuring out tiebreakers a bear.

ALL-TIME VS. UNC WILMINGTON

Hofstra is 26-24 against UNC Wilmington in a series that began when the Dutchmen joined the CAA prior to the 2001-02 season. The teams split two games last season, when Tyler Thomas scored 28 points in a 70-46 victory at the Arena in the lone regular season meeting between the teams on Jan. 19, 2023. That started a 12-game winning streak for the Dutchmen, whose run was snapped when the Seahawks got their revenge — as they are wont to do — in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament on Mar. 6, when UNC Wilmington overcame a 12-point first-half deficit to earn a 79-73 overtime win. Bad things, very bad things. It was the fifth time the Dutchmen have been eliminated from the CAA Tournament by the Seahawks. Wonderful memories!

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

Takayo Siddle probably figured out a way to make 105-100 about Hofstra bias! (The master motivator had 70-46 plastered all around the locker room before last season’s semifinal clash)

Trask Coliseum is an absolute house of horrors for us bias! (I mean, it is, ask anyone even remotely connected to Hofstra)

Evan Phillips is making more this season than Shohei Ohtani bias! (The UNCW alum and incumbent Dodgers closer is incredibly making twice as much as Ohtani)

Benny Moss is back coaching — for now anyway — bias! (The former UNC Wilmington head coach who was whacked following a 93-54 loss to the Dutchmen on Jan. 27, 2010, is 5-15 at Coastal Carolina since taking over following the retirement of Cliff Ellis)

Keep It Perky: Elon postgame

The only Tesla we recognize around here (shout out Torrington HS Class of '91). Also: The double bye is all around us, yeaaaaah, the double bye, we're outside its door)

What was once a long-shot pursuit of a double bye in the CAA Tournament grew increasingly realistic over a 48-hour span for the Flying Dutchmen, who closed out a perfect final homestand of the season by cruising past Elon 87-64 on Saturday night before Campbell delivered a big present with Monday night’s 105-100, double-overtime upset of UNC Wilmington. Thanks, Fighting Camels! This mostly makes up for that not nice 69-68 loss at your joint a few weeks ago. The Dutchmen will have a chance to lock up a double bye and clinch the tiebreaker over UNC Wilmington when the two teams clash tomorrow night. Make sure to stop by in the morning for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over Elon and a look ahead to the Seahawks, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material (plus some bonus Senior Day/Night content) in the postgame Keep It Perky!

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Tyler Thomas (25 points, seven rebounds) continued his push for CAA Player of the Year honors for the Flying Dutchmen, who were never threatened after taking control with a 15-0 run around the midway point of the first half. Elon, a week removed from ruining UNC Wilmington’s homecoming, scored seven straight points following a game-opening layup by Jacco Fritz and led 9-5 at the under-16 media timeout. But the Dutchmen scored the next seven points once play resumed and outscored the Phoenix 15-6 prior to the next media stoppage, a stretch that ended with Fritz and German Plotnikov scoring on consecutive possessions to begin the decisive surge. The Dutchmen opened up a double-digit lead for good at 25-15 on Jaquan Carlos’ jumper with 9:20 left and led by as many as 23 before entering halftime with a 47-30 lead. The Phoenix kept the deficit within 20 points for most of the first six-plus minutes of the second half before Thomas hit consecutive 3-pointers to extend the lead to 64-41 with 12:30 left. The Dutchmen led by at least 20 the rest of the way and emptied the bench for Senior Night exits with 3:16 left. Thomas added four assists and three steals in another impressive all-around performance. Fritz (14 points, 10 rebounds) posted a double-double while Carlos (eight points, nine rebounds) and Darlinstone Dubar (17 points, nine rebounds) each flirted with a double-double. Plotnikov had 11 points and a career-high five assists. Four reserves — senior Bryce Washington along with freshmen KiJan Robinson, Khalil Farmer and Jayden Henriquez — hit a 3-pointer apiece, with Henriquez’s banked trey providing the first points of the season by a walk-on. That’ll never not be cool.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Elon, 2/24)

3: Tyler Thomas

2: Jacco Fritz

1: Darlinstone Dubar

SEASON STANDINGS

Tyler Thomas 60

Darlinstone Dubar 50

Jaquan Carlos 30

Jacco Fritz 14

German Plotnikov 10

Bryce Washington 6

Silas Sunday 2

KiJan Robinson 2

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

YES! Whoohoo! And in an especially quirky twist, the closest the Dutchmen had come to an 87-64 victory prior to Saturday was an 86-63 win over…Elon on Jan. 30, 2020. Appreciate both teams making an extra free throw last Saturday! This is the Dutchmen’s seventh victory score of the season. 

11/6/23: 101-48 over St. Joseph’s (NY)

11/20/23: 102-68 over Buffalo

11/22/23: 97-92 (OT) over High Point

11/30/23: 82-63 over South Florida

2/1/24: 72-71 over Stony Brook

2/3/24: 59-56 over Towson

2/24/24: 87-64 over Elon

The Dutchmen recorded 12 unicorn score victories last season after recording 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, 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?

Darlinstone Dubar snapped a tie atop the season standings with Tyler Thomas by hitting the tie-breaking layup to put the Dutchmen ahead 14-12 with 12:18 left in the first half. It’s the fourth straight victory in which Dubar or Thomas has recorded the Keith Hernandez.

Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead layup vs. St. Joseph’s (NY), 11/6/23 (14:30 left 1H)

Jaquan Carlos tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23 (19:33 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking free throw vs. Wright State, 11/21/23 (4:16 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking jumper vs. High Point, 11/22/23 (4:47 left OT)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. South Florida, 11/30/23 (19:42 left 1H)

Jacco Fritz tie-breaking jumper vs. Iona, 12/6/23 (12:37 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)

Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)

Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)

Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Drexel, 2/22/24 (9:43 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Elon, 2/24/24 (12:18 left 1H)

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 7

Tyler Thomas 6

Jacco Fritz 2

Silas Sunday 1

Bryce Washington 1

Jaquan Carlos 1

ALL-TIME STANDINGS (or at least since last season)

Tyler Thomas 16

Darlinstone Dubar 12

Aaron Estrada 4

Warren Williams 3

Jacco Fritz 2

Jaquan Carlos 2

German Plotnikov 2

Silas Sunday 1

Bryce Washington 1

The Keith Hernandez is bestowed upon the player who scores the points that put the Dutchmen ahead for good in a victory. The stat pays homage to Hernandez, the World Series-winning Cardinals and Mets first baseman who had a record 129 game-winning RBIs when the stat was inexplicably discontinued after the 1988 season.

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-NINE GAMES

With Saturday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 18-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 19th-best record in school history through 28 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 18-11 since 2017-18 and the sixth time overall in school history, which makes 18-11 the most common 29-game record. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games, 16-11 after 27 games and 17-11 after 28 games for the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 29 games:

NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 18-11 (win in 29th game came in ECC Tournament championship game, marked sixth win of six-game winning streak and sent the Dutchmen to the NCAAs for the first time as a D-I program)

1976-77: 22-7 (win in 29th game came in ECC Tournament championship game, marked ninth win of nine-game winning streak and sent to the Dutchmen to the NCAAs for the second straight season)

1999-2000: 23-6 (win in 29th game came in America East tournament semifinals) 

2000-01: 25-4 (win in 29th game came in America East tournament semifinals and marked 17th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak, only 25-4 start in school history)

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 22-7 (most recent 22-7 start, win in 29th game clinched tie for the CAA regular season title and was eighth win of eight-game winning streak)

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 21-8 (win in 29th game came in America East quarterfinals, was final win of season)

2004-05: 21-8 (loss in 29th game came in CAA semifinals)

2005-06: 24-5 (win in 29th game came in the CAA semifinals — THE TONY SKINN GAME — and locked up at least an at-large bid for the Dutchmen, or so we thought THANKS TOC, only 24-5 start in school history)

2006-07: 21-8

2015-16: 21-8 

2018-19: 23-6 (most recent 23-6 start, loss in 29th game came in home finale to James Madison, final regular season loss)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1962-63: 23-6 (loss in first round of NCAAs was final loss of season)

1963-64: 23-6 (season ended with first-round loss in NCAAs)

The 1958-59 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 27 games (20-7), while the 1961-62 team, Hofstra’s second to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 28 games (24-4). 

Some other notable 29-game records:

2021-22: 19-10 (most recent 19-10 start)

2016-17: 13-16 (only 13-16 start)

2013-14: 8-21 (most recent 8-21 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2012-13: 7-22 (only 7-22 start, win in 29th game was final win for Mo Cassara, worst 29-game record in school history)

2011-12: 9-20 (most recent 9-20 start)

2009-10: 16-13 (only 16-13 start, win in 29th game marked fourth win of seven-game winning streak)

2007-08: 12-17 (only 12-17 start, win in 29th game was final win of season)

2003-04: 14-15 (most recent 14-15 start, season ended w/loss to Old Dominion in CAA quarterfinals)

2002-03: 8-21 (season ended w/loss to UNC Wilmington in CAA quarterfinals)

2001-02: 10-19 (only 10-19 start, loss in 29th game ended regular season and marked eighth loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)

1997-98: 18-11 (won regular season finale)

1993-94: 9-20 (ECC champs! Beat Northeastern Illinois in 2 OTs to win ECC title in VBK’s final game)

1991-92: 20-9 (season ended w/loss to Towson State in ECC championship and ended nine-game winning streak, only 20-9 start)

1988-89: 14-15 (season ended w/loss in ECC semifinals)

1985-86: 17-12 (only 17-12 start, win in ECC semifinals was final win of season)

1984-85: 14-15 (season ended w/loss in ECC semifinals)

1951-52: 26-3 (won known season finale, best 29-game record in school history)

1950-51: 18-11 (lost season finale)

Hofstra has never been 29-0, 28-1, 27-2, 15-14, 11-18, 6-23, 5-24, 4-25, 3-26, 2-27, 1-28 or 0-29 through 29 games.

Fifty-one seasons were completed in fewer than 29 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)

1946-47 (18-6)

1947-48 (13-6)

1948-49 (18-8)

1949-50 (17-9)

1952-53 (20-7)

1953-54 (15-9)

1954-55 (19-7)

1955-56 (22-4)

1956-57 (11-15)

1957-58 (15-8)

1958-59 (20-7)

1959-60 (23-1)

1960-61 (21-4)

1961-62 (14-14)

1964-65 (11-14)

1965-66 (16-10)

1966-67 (12-13)

1967-68 (13-12)

1968-69 (12-13)

1969-70 (13-13)

1970-71 (18-8)

1971-72 (11-14)

1972-73 (8-16)

1973-74 (8-16)

1974-75 (11-13)

1977-78 (8-19)

1978-79 (8-19)

1979-80 (14-14)

1980-81 (12-15)

1981-82 (12-16)

1982-83 (18-9)

1983-84 (14-14)

1986-87 (10-18)

1987-88 (6-21)

1989-90 (13-15)

1990-91 (14-14)

1992-93 (9-18)

1994-95 (10-18)

1995-96 (9-18)

1996-97 (12-15)

2020-21 (13-10)

More than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.

Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.

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 NINETY-SIX

With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 64-32 (.667) as head coach. That’s tied for the best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 96 games at the helm.

Paul Lynner 64-32 (.667, 96th game was the 12th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 64-32 (.667, 96th game was the 21st game of his fourth season in 1958-59)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 64-32 (.667, 96th game was the 29th game of his third season in 2023-24)

Frank Reilly 63-33 (.656, 96th game was the 25th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)

Joe Mihalich 51-45 (.531, 96th game was the 29th game of his third season in 2015-16)

Dick Berg 48-48 (.500, 96th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 46-50 (.479, 96th game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)

Roger Gaeckler 40-56 (.417, 96th game was the 24th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)

Tom Pecora 40-56 (.417, 96th game was the sixth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)

Jay Wright 39-57 (.406, 96th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1997-98) 

Mo Cassara 38-58 (.396, 96th game was the 31st game of his third season in 2012-13)

The top four remains the same for a third straight game as Paul Lynner, Butch van Breda Kolff I and Speedy Claxton all win their 96th games to stay tied for first and Frank Reilly wins his 96th game to remain a game behind. Roger Gaeckler and Tm Pecora both win game no. 96 as Pecora moves out of the bottom two for the first time. He’s one win ahead of that Jay Wright guy, whom I’m sure never amounted to anything!

The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!

Smith finished 27-32 in his three seasons. Three coaches had one-season tenures lasting 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.

SENSATIONAL ON SENIOR DAY (or Night)

The resounding victory last Saturday continued the Dutchmen’s tradition of thriving on Senior Day (or Night). The Dutchmen have won on Senior Day in each of the last three years to improve to 25-5 in home finales in the Defiantly Dutch era (1994-present), with losses absorbed in 1994 (Army won 87-76), 2002 (Towson won 61-60), 2013 (Delaware won 57-56), 2017 (UNC Wilmington won 83-76) and 2019 (James Madison won 104-99 in overtime). However, there were no seniors on the roster in 2002, which means the Dutchmen didn’t TECHNICALLY lose on Senior Day that year.

Not surprisingly, teams with Speedy Claxton either playing on the court or strolling the sideline have fared well on Senior Day. Claxton’s teams are now 12-2 on Senior Day — 4-0 when he was in uniform from 1997 through 2000, 8-2 since he joined the coaching staff for the 2013-14 season and 3-0 during his tenure as head coach.

I'll Be Quirky: Elon at Hofstra

Which team will deliver the booting tonight?

Welcome to the third edition of the slightly tweaked I’ll Be Quirky! Why am I alternating routine I’ll Be Quirkys with tweaked ones on the final weekend of February? Because adult ADHD is a real thing! Anyway, I posted Keep It Perky (once again, an inside joke rebranding) last night, which included a recap of the nice 69-57 win over Drexel as well as the usual post-victory boilerplate work — the 3 Stars of the Game, unicorn score and Keith Hernandez along with how the Flying Dutchmen are historically faring through this point in the season and Speedy Claxton’s standing with previous coaches through however many games — as well as a bit on how the Flying Dutchmen ONCE AGAIN won the ECC this year. Read that here.

Today’s IBQ will look at the team-related quirkiness from Thursday’s win as well as some of the individual news and notes before previewing Elon. Speaking of that, sorta, as always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all about the Dutchmen’s success when scoring under 70 points, Tyler Thomas’ red-hot run and much more before a look at the Phoenix!

ONE POSSESSION OBSESSION

Hall & Oates reference! The Dutchmen didn’t come as close to leading wire-to-wire Thursday night as they did in last Saturday’s 82-62 win over Northeastern, when they only trailed 2-0. But the Dutchmen never trailed by more than one possession Thursday, when they were down by between one point and three points for 2:01 in the first half and down 43-41 for 33 seconds in the second half. This is the first time the Dutchmen have played two straight games in which they didn’t trail by more than a possession since Nov. 30-Dec. 6, when they led wire-to-wire in an 82-63 win over South Florida and a 62-57 victory over Iona.

RUN RUNAWAY

The Dutchmen took control Thursday night with a 16-0 second half run that turned a 43-41 deficit into a 57-43 lead. The run was the third-longest of the season for the Dutchmen behind a 17-0 run in an 86-77 win over Hampton on Jan. 18 and a 19-0 run in a 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20.

WINNING AT (OR JUST ABOVE) THE SPEED LIMIT

With Thursday night’s 69-57 win, the Dutchmen have won their last four games in which they’ve scored fewer than 70 points. The Dutchmen beat William & Mary 64-55 on Jan. 25 before edging Towson 59-56 on Feb. 3 and outlasting Hampton 63-59 on Feb. 8. This is the first time the Dutchmen have won at least four straight games in which they scored fewer than 70 points since they won five straight such games from Nov. 24-Dec. 13, 2008. All five of those victories occurred within an eight-game winning streak.

THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST

As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen won while surrendering fewer than 60 points Thursday night. The Dutchmen are 8-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 55 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.

A SECOND-HALF TEAM

After scoring 41 points in both halves of last Saturday’s 82-62 win over Northeastern, the Dutchmen reverted to form — albeit barely — and scored more points in the second half (36 points) than the first half (33 points). The Dutchmen are averaging 39.8 points per second half (1,115 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.3 points per first half (961 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. Overall, the Dutchmen have scored more points in the first half than in the second half just eight times this season. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)

DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP

Darlinstone Dubar resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday night, when he scored 13 points to increase his career total to 1,230 points and leapfrogged four players — former teammate Aaron Estrada as well as John Mills, Demetrius Dudley and Carlos Rivera — to move into 23rd place. Dubar enters tonight 11 points away from moving past Roberto Gittens for 22nd place.

21.) Mike Tilley 1,286

22.) Roberto Gittens 1,240

23.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,230

24.) Carlos Rivera 1,225

25t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220

25t.) John Mills 1,220

27.) Aaron Estrada 1,219

THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO

Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, also moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 28 points increased his career total to 1,203 points and lifted him past a trio of Joe Mihalich-era players — Rokas Gustys, Juan’ya Green and Brian Bernardi — into 28th place. Thomas enters tonight 17 points away from surpassing former teammate Aaron Estrada for 27th place, 18 points away from moving past Demetrius Dudley and John Mills for 25th place and 23 points away from surging past Carlos Rivera for 24th place.

24.) Carlos Rivera 1,225

25t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220

25t.) John Mills 1,220

27.) Aaron Estrada 1,219

28.) TYLER THOMAS 1,203

29t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186

29t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186

31.) Rokas Gustys 1,184

(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)

DIMES FOR JAQUAN

We’re a little tardy on this one, but with his record-setting 19-assist performance last Saturday, Jaquan Carlos moved into the top 10 on the Hofstra all-time assist list. Carlos gained a half-spot on the list Thursday, when he had five assists to snap a tie with Woody Souffrant for 10th place. Pretty impressive considering Carlos had just 23 assists as a freshman two years ago. Carlos enters tonight 11 assists shy of moving past Loren Stokes for eighth place.

7.) Juan’ya Green 463

8.) Loren Stokes 377

9.) JAQUAN CARLOS 367

10.) Woody Souffrant 362

11.) Carlos Rivera 351

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence Thursday night, when he scored 28 points while going 9-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-10 from 3-point land, Thomas is 30-of-69 from beyond the arc over his last eight games after going just 24-of-86 from 3-point land in eight games from Dec. 30-Jan. 25. He has scored in double figures in 20 straight games, 50 of his last 52 games and 58 times overall in the last two seasons. Thomas also has at least 20 points in six of the last eight games and 19 times overall this season.

THOMAS’ THEFTS

Tyler Thomas keyed an impressive defensive game by the Dutchmen Thursday night, when he collected a career-high five steals. Thomas had more than two steals in a game just once in his first 62 games at Hofstra. He recorded three steals in a 68-47 loss to Towson on Jan. 16, 2023. Thomas had four steals for Sacred Heart in a 65-48 win over Central Connecticut on Jan. 14, 2021.

JAQUAN THE STAT-STUFFER

Jaquan Carlos, as Tom Pecora used to say about Loren Stokes, stuffed the stat sheet Thursday night, when he finished with eight points as well as a team-high 10 rebounds and five assists. It marked the seventh time this season Carlos has finished with at least five points, five rebounds and five assists in a game and the 12th time he has done so in the last two seasons. Only two Hofstra players — Juan’ya Green (23 and Aaron Estrada (19) — have more such games since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. 

DOUBLE-DIGIT BOARDS

The 10 rebounds were also a season-high and tied a career-high for Jaquan Carlos, who had also had 10 rebounds against Stony Brook on Feb. 4, 2023 and 10 rebounds against Hampton on Feb. 16, 2023.

CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP

The solid all-around game Thursday was the second straight for Jaquan Carlos, who has 13 points, 18 rebounds and a whopping 24 assists in the last two games after collecting just 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in his previous four games.

HANDS AND BOARDS

Jaquan Carlos led the Dutchmen with 10 rebounds and five assists Thursday. It was the second straight game in which Carlos led Hofstra in assists and rebounds but not scoring. Carlos is the first player to lead the Dutchmen in assists and rebounds but not scoring in consecutive games since…Jaquan Carlos did so from Feb. 8-11, 2023, when he had nine rebounds and nine assists in a 72-53 win over Northeastern before racking up eight rebounds and seven assists in an 86-57 victory over Monmouth.

D-STONE’S BACK

Darlinstone Dubar recovered from a slow start Thursday to score 13 points and record seven rebounds. It was the 12th time this season Dubar has finished with at least 10 points and seven rebounds. He did so just 12 times in his first two seasons at Hofstra combined.

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

Silas Sunday continued his emergence Thursday, when he tied a career-high with eight points while setting a career-high with three blocks and adding four rebounds. Sunday, who previously scored eight points in the season-opening 101-48 win over Division III St. Joseph’s (NY), was 4-of-4 from the field in the first perfect shooting night by a Hofstra player (minimum four attempts) since Jacco Fritz scored nine points while going 4-of-4 from the field in a 69-68 loss to Campbell on Jan. 13. The three blocks broke Sunday’s previous single-game best of two blocks, set against Towson on Feb. 3 and matched against Hampton five days later. Sunday has 16 points and 26 rebounds in the last five games after recording just two points seven rebounds in the first 10 games of the CAA season.

PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ

Jacco Fritz, who had his briefest stint of the CAA season when he played 12 minutes in last Saturday’s 82-62 win over Northeastern, scored eight points Thursday while playing 25 minutes — his most since he played 25 minutes in a 59-56 over Towson on Feb. 3. Fritz has scored at least six points in five straight games and 11 times in 15 CAA games overall.

SWEET SIXTEEN

The Dutchmen got their most offensive production from their big men in almost exactly a year Thursday night, when Jacco Fritz and Silas Sunday combined to score 16 points. A center duo hadn’t scored at least 16 points for the Dutchmen since last Feb. 25, when Warren Williams (19 points) and Nelson Boachie-Yiadom (four points) combined for 23 points in an 84-52 win over Northeastern.

GERMAN FOR STARTERS

German Plotnikov had four points in 27 minutes Thursday, when the Dutchmen improved to 9-2 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov is averaging 9.6 points and 2.5 rebounds over 29 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.

CLUB TRILLION FOR WASHINGTON

Bryce Washington produced one of the quirkiest boxscores in memory Thursday, when he didn’t attempt a field goal and didn’t record any statistic in 16 minutes. Per the Play Index at College Basketball Reference, he is just the third Division I player this season to play at least 10 minutes without recording a statistic. Jaren Marshall did so in 27 minutes for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi against Long Island University on Nov. 24 before Eoin Nelson did so in 30 minutes for North Alabama against Lipscomb on Jan. 20.

Washington is the first Hofstra player to play at least 10 minutes without recording a statistic since at least the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference. Jamall Robinson was the most recent player to come closest to such a line on Feb 18, 2017, when he had one steal and one foul in 10 minutes of an 83-76 loss to UNC Wilmington.

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried live in the metro New York area on MSG, which is channel 72 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. You can also catch it on the MSG app if you have an Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords subscription or somehow paid one billion dollars (approx) for the app. It will also be carried live on Flo Hoops. For subscription options, click here. Hofstra will also provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

SENIOR DAY (err, Night)

File this under things we no longer take for granted in the pandemic era — and things that are different in the NIL/instant transfer era. The Dutchmen will honor their five seniors — graduate students Jacco Fritz, Tyler Thomas and Bryce Washington as well as fourth-year players Darlinstone Dubar and Myles Wilmoth, each of whom have the option to play one more year (hopefully here!) due to the extra year awarded to those who played in the pandemic-wracked 2020-21 campaign — in a ceremony scheduled to begin at 6:40 PM. It will be the second Senior Day for Thomas, who was also honored last year, when he was a fourth-year player. THAT has got to be a first. 

This will mark the third straight Senior Day after the scheduled home finale was canceled due to, well, you know, in February 2021. The Dutchmen’s final home game of that season turned out to be a 79-74 win over Drexel on Feb. 7, 2021. The 2022 Senior Day was held prior to the penultimate home game of the season on Saturday, Feb. 26, two days before a makeup game against Charleston.

While Senior Day is a bittersweet afternoon for players and coaches, the game itself has traditionally been a happy occasion for the Flying Dutchmen. The Dutchmen are 24-5 in home finales in the DD Era (1994-present) with losses absorbed in 1994 (Army won 87-76), 2002 (Towson won 61-60), 2013 (Delaware won 57-56), 2017 (UNC Wilmington won 83-76) and 2019 (James Madison won 104-99 in overtime). However, there were no seniors on the roster in 2002, which means the Dutchmen didn’t TECHNICALLY lose on Senior Day that year.

Not surprisingly, teams with Speedy Claxton either playing on the court or strolling the sideline have fared well on Senior Day. Claxton’s teams are 11-2 on Senior Day — 4-0 when he was in uniform from 1997 through 2000 and 7-2 since he joined the coaching staff for the 2013-14 season.

This will be the earliest Senior Day (err, Night) for Hofstra since 2019, when the Dutchmen fell to James Madison, 104-99, in overtime in the home finale for Justin Wright-Foreman. 

Also, apropos of nothing, all Saturday games should be at night. Senior Day and otherwise. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

SCOUTING ELON

The Phoenix, under second-year head coach Billy Taylor, are 12-16 overall and 5-10 in CAA play following a 61-58 loss to Northeastern on Thursday night. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Elon, which shocked UNC Wilmington 73-72 last Saturday on Isaac Harrell’s buzzer-beating tip-in.

The Dutchmen and Phoenix had no common opponents in non-conference play. In CAA play, both teams won their lone game against Delaware and lost their lone game against Charleston. The Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Elon beat in the lone matchup between the schools, and beat North Carolina A&T, whom the Phoenix swept. The Dutchmen won their lone games against William & Mary and Towson, each of whom beat the Phoenix in the only meeting between the teams, and swept Stony Brook, which beat Elon. Hofstra lost its matchup against Campbell, which swept Elon. The Dutchmen split with Northeastern, which swept the Phoenix, as well as with Drexel, which beat Elon. 

The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 129th at KenPom.com. The Phoenix, who were picked to finish 10th, are ranked 313th. The Dutchmen moved up seven spots in the KenPom.com rankings following Thursday’s win and have gained ground in a season-high four straight games. That immediately followed a stretch in which they lost ground following eight consecutive games. College basketball: The best way to drive yourself insane.

According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (109.3 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (101.3 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.1 possessions per 40 minutes, the seventh-most in the league. The Phoenix rank 11th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (103.7 points per 100 possessions) and 13th in defensive efficiency (112.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.0 possessions per 40 minutes, eighth-most in the league. Hey! That’s right behind the Dutchmen!

Sophomore Max MacKinnon, who won the CAA Rookie of the Year last season and who was selected to the preseason all-CAA second team, leads the Phoenix with 12.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Sophomore TK Simpkins, who began his career by playing under former Hofstra assistant coach Steve DeMeo at Northwest Florida State College, ranks second on the Phoenix with 12.3 points and is averaging 3.0 assists per game, which is tied for the team lead. Fifth-year senior Rob Higgins, who played his first four seasons at St. Francis (NY) before the school dropped sports, is averaging 10.9 points per game and 3.0 assists per game. Junior Sam Sherry ranks second on Elon with 4.5 rebounds per game.

KenPom.com predicts a 79-66 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 13 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 11-16 against the spread this season but have covered three straight to improve to 5-10 against the spread in CAA play.

THE CAA RACE

The Dutchmen continued their February tradition of Godfathering us all by beating Drexel to remain in control of their fate in the hunt for a double bye in the CAA Tournament and maintain their slim hopes of winning the regular season championship and the automatic bid to the NIT. Hold on, I am being told something.

1.) Charleston 12-3

2.) UNC Wilmington 11-4

3.) HOFSTRA 10-5

4.) Towson 10-5

5.) Drexel 10-5

6.) Delaware 9-6

7.) Monmouth 8-7

The Dutchmen are the third seed at the moment by virtue of their 2-1 record against Drexel and Towson. Towson is the fourth seed by virtue of its head-to-head win over the Dragons.

The Dutchmen can clinch no worse than the sixth seed today with a win and a loss by Monmouth, which is slated to host North Carolina A&T. Those results, plus a Delaware loss to Drexel on Monday, would ensure the Dutchmen no worse than the fifth seed. A win today will also, I think, keep the Dutchmen in the race for the no. 1 seed, though the tiebreakers get complicated with the dreadful unbalanced schedule.

ALL-TIME VS. ELON

Hofstra is 12-5 against Elon, which joined the CAA prior to the 2014-15 season. The Dutchmen won the lone meeting between the teams last season, when Aaron Estrada scored 40 points in an 82-65 victory in North Carolina on Jan. 26, 2023. It was the second straight season in which a Hofstra player victimized the Phoenix for a 40-point game. Omar Silverio scored 40 points off the bench in a 97-64 win on Feb. 15, 2022.

Hofstra and Elon 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.

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

It’s not your fault there’s a complete idiot with the same name as your school bias! (Sadly, this one is a repeat from last year…please sell Twitter, you dummy)

Zac Ervin is your Andrey Semenov bias! (The graduate student began his career with the Phoenix in 2019-20, way back in the before times)

Joe West didn’t make the Baseball Hall of Fame bias! (And thank goodness for that)

Bart Simpson might have tricked Max MacKinnon into accepting a $900 collect call bias! (Probably not, but MacKinnon IS from Australia)