Shoutout to the days when private equity firms didn't get off on destroying journalism.
Welcome to the second edition of the slightly tweaked I’ll Be Quirky! I posted Keep It Perky (an inside joke postgame rebranding) last night, which included a recap of the 63-59 win over Hampton 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. Read that here and last week’s first postgame I’ll Be Quirky/Keep It Perky, which further explains why I’m tinkering with two versions of the IBQ, 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 North Carolina A&T. As always, please drop me a line on Twitter with any feedback on the new formats. In the meantime, read on to learn all the Dutchmen’s record streak of closely contested games, Tyler Thomas’ terrific surge #NearAlliteration and much more before a look at the Aggies!
FIT TO BE TIED
The Dutchmen were tied at the half for the second straight game Thursday, when they were knotted 27-27 with Hampton. The Dutchmen and Towson were tied 28-28 last Saturday, At this rate, assuming the Dutchmen win the CAA Tournament and make the Final Four, they will duel an opponent to a scoreless tie at the half at some point in December!
Anyway, this marks the first time the Dutchmen have been tied at the half in consecutive games since Dec. 11-19, 2022, when they fell to Massachusetts 71-56 and lost to South Florida 77-70. However, with wins over Towson and Hampton, the Dutchmen have improved to 14-10 in games in which they were tied at the half dating back to the 2002-03 season.
WINNING BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT
With Thursday night’s 63-59 win, the Dutchmen have traveled back in time by winning consecutive games in which they scored fewer than 70 points. The Dutchmen edged Towson 59-56 last Saturday. Prior to these back-to-back wins, the Dutchmen hadn’t earned consecutive victories in which they scored fewer than 70 points since way back on Jan. 19-22, 2011, when they beat UNC Wilmington 66-57 and defeated William & Mary 67-64. Long time ago!
THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST
As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen also recorded a second straight win in which they surrendered fewer than 60 points. That’s the first such back-to-back stretch for the Dutchmen since last Feb. 25-Mar. 5, when they ended the regular season by beating Northeastern 84-52 and opened the CAA Tournament with a 94-46 win over William & Mary. The Dutchmen are 5-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 49 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53. Hey! That’s 10 years ago today! Let’s not celebrate it or anything.
TEAM BARBASOL
Thanks to loyal reader EvanJ for asking about this truly quirky — and now truly historical — stat: The close shaves continued Thursday for the Dutchmen, when they played their 10th straight game decided by fewer than 10 points. That’s the longest streak of such games in school history, breaking the previous mark of nine straight games decided by fewer than 10 points to conclude the 1985-86 season.
It is also the longest such active streak in the country…because Stony Brook’s 11-game streak was ended Thursday, when the Seawolves beat Elon 79-64. Thanks for making this stat really hum, Stony Brook!
Per my research, only six other teams are in the midst of streaks of seven or more consecutive games decided by fewer than 10 points — including our pals at Monmouth! Here’s the list:
HOFSTRA 10 (through Thursday)
Baylor 9 (through Tuesday)
Purdue Fort Wayne 9 (through Wednesday)
East Tennessee State 8 (through Wednesday)
North Alabama 8 (through Thursday)
Monmouth 7 (through Thursday)
Southern Illinois 7 (through Wednesday)
Will this streak continue today? Tune in to find out!
A SECOND-HALF TEAM
The Dutchmen continued their first half/second half discrepancy Thursday, when they followed up a 27-point first half with a 36-point second half. The Dutchmen are averaging 39.8 points per second half (956 points overall) as opposed to averaging 33.8 points per first half (811 points overall). I’d have to imagine that’s one of the biggest discrepancies in Division I. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)
OPENING WITH ONE
The Dutchmen barely shoot free throws anymore — they rank next-to-last in the nation in free throw rate at KenPom.com after ranking last in free throw rate last season — so it’s doubly noteworthy Jacco Fritz opened the game with a pair of free throws Thursday. Even more noteworthy, it was the the third time this season the Dutchmen have scored their first point via a free throw. Darlinstone Dubar hit a free throw for the Dutchmen’s first point in an 85-76 win over Wright State on Nov. 21 before he scored the game’s first point with a free throw against Campbell in a 69-68 loss on Jan. 13.
DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP
Darlinstone Dubar resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when he finished with 16 points to increase his 1,171 points and move past Ted Jackson for 30th place. Dubar is 14 points away from surpassing Rokas Gustys for 29th place and 16 points shy of leapfrogging duo of former teammates Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green.
28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186
28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186
29.) Rokas Gustys 1,184
30.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,171
31.) Ted Jackson 1,159
32.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139
THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO
Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, moved up the all-time Hofstra scoring list Thursday, when his 28 points increased his career total to 1,104 points and lifted him past Ameen Tanksley into 36th place. Thomas is four points away from surpassing Richie Swartz for 35th place, 25 points away from moving past fellow Connecticut native Mike Moore for 34th place and 29 points away from leapfrogging Wandy Williams for 33rd place.
33.) Wandy Williams 1,132
34.) Mike Moore 1,128
35.) Richie Swartz 1,107
36.) TYLER THOMAS 1,104
37.) Ameen Tanksley 1,090
38.) Derrick Flowers 1,069
39.) Darius Burton 1,060
40.) Percy Johnson 1,045
41.) James Shaffer 1,022
42.) John Irving 1,018
THE TYLER THOMAS SHOW
Tyler Thomas scored 28 points Thursday night, when he finished with 44.4 percent of the Dutchmen’s 63 points (I know, I told you there’d be no math). That’s the highest percentage of the Dutchmen’s points collected by one player since way back on Jan. 11, when Thomas had 32 of the Dutchmen’s 68 points (47.1 percent) in a 71-68 loss to Northeastern.
NO DOUBTING THOMAS
Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 28 points Thursday while going 11-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-9 from 3-point land, Thomas is 16-of-35 from beyond the arc over his last four games after going just 5-of-33 from 3-point land in four games from Jan. 13-25. He has scored in double figures in 47 of his last 49 games and 52 times overall in the last two seasons. The 28-point effort Thursday marked the 17th time this season Thomas has scored at least 20 points and the 29th time he’s done so at Hofstra.
D-STONE DEALING
Darlinstone Dubar extended a pair of impressive streaks Thursday, when he finished with 16 points. Dubar has scored in double figures in all 24 games this season — which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts — and in 26 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. The latter streak is the longest by a Hofstra player since Justin Wright-Foreman ended his career by scoring in double figures in a school-record 87 straight games. Dubar is one of eight Division I players to score in double figures in at least 24 games this season.
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
Silas Sunday made the most of his 14 minutes Thursday, when he scored four points — including the game-winning basket with 3:46 left — and tied career-highs with seven rebounds and two blocks. The four points were the most for Sunday since he had four points against St. John’s in an 84-79 loss on Dec. 30. Sunday previously pulled down seven rebounds for the Dutchmen in the season-opening 101-48 win over Division III St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6 as well as for Iona against Rider last Mar. 3. He had two blocks for the second straight game after never recording more than one block in any of his first 49 games.
PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ
Jacco Fritz got most of the time at the five Thursday, when he finished with nine points and eight rebounds in 24 minutes. The Dutchmen are 4-2 this season when Fritz has at least nine points and five rebounds.
SEVEN WISHES
Jaquan Carlos had a quiet game offensively with two points and four assists Thursday, but he once again played a big role on the boards for the Dutchmen by pulling down seven rebounds. It was the third straight game and the fourth time in the last five games he’s finished with at least seven rebounds, a span in which the Dutchmen are 4-1. Dating back to last season, the Dutchmen are 10-2 when Carlos has at least seven rebounds.
GERMAN FOR STARTERS
German Plotnikov posted a rare triple zeroes line — no points, rebounds or assists as a starter — Thursday night but the Dutchmen still improved to 6-1 since he joined the lineup. Plotnikov, who played 28 minutes Thursday, is the first Hofstra starter to finish with no points, rebounds or assists since Stafford Trueheart did so over 10 minutes in a 90-84 win over William & Mary on Feb. 15, 2018. Plotnikov’s 28 minutes are by far the most of the seven players who have posted a triple zeroes line as a starter for the Dutchmen since 2010-11, the first season of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference.
FARMER AID FOR THE DUTCHMEN
Khalil Farmer continued establishing a role for himself Thursday, when he scored four points in 13 minutes. It was the second straight four-point game for Farmer, who previously hadn’t scored more than three points since he finished with five points in a 62-57 win over Iona on Dec. 6. Farmer’s 13 minutes accounted for his most playing time since he played 14 minutes in the 73-61 loss to Charleston on Jan. 4. He played just 10 total minutes in the next eight games.
WITHOUT WASHINGTON
Bryce Washington, who has established himself as a glue guy off the bench since swapping spots with German Plotnikov, didn’t play due to injury Thursday. It was the first DNP for Washington since Jan. 19, 2023, when he sat out the Dutchmen’s 70-46 win over UNC Wilmington.
OVER THE AIR
Today’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 NORTH CAROLINA A&T
The Aggies, under first-year head coach Monté Ross (hey that name sounds familiar!), are 7-17 overall and 5-6 in the CAA following Thursday night’s 80-58 loss to Charleston.
The Dutchmen and Aggies had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat High Point 97-92 in overtime in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Nov 22 while North Carolina A&T fell to the Panthers 75-62 on Dec. 8. In CAA play, both teams have swept Hampton and beaten Northeastern and William & Mary while losing to Charleston. The Dutchmen beat Delaware, which defeated North Carolina A&T, and fell to Campbell, which lost to the Aggies.
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 149th at KenPom.com. The Aggies, who were picked to finish 14th and last, are ranked 339th. The Dutchmen have not moved up in the KenPom.com rankings between games since they climbed two spots to no. 117 following a 76-71 win over Delaware on Jan. 6.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank seventh in the CAA in offensive efficiency (105.6 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (103.1 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the sixth-most in the league. So close to an IRON MAIDEN BIAS! The Aggies rank last in the CAA in offensive efficiency (99.7 points per 100 possessions) and eighth in defensive efficiency (106.8 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.3 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league.
North Carolina A&T is the fifth-youngest team in the country, per KenPom.com, following the dismissal of interim coach Phillip Shumpert and the subsequent exit of nine players.
Sophomore Landon Glasper, who began his career at Coffeyville College in Kansas, leads North Carolina A&T with 21.3 points per game but has missed the last four games. Sophomore Camian Shell, who also played with Glasper last season at Coffeyville College, ranks second on the Aggies with 12.2 points per game and leads the team with 4.5 assists per game. Junior Jason Murphy, who opened his career at NJIT before spending last season at Division II Frostburg State, leads the Aggies with 6.2 rebounds per game.
KenPom.com predicts a 76-67 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 11-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 7-16 against the spread this season, including a whopping 1-10 in CAA play. Good thing nobody keeps track of standings that way!
ALL-TIME VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T
Hofstra is 1-1 against North Carolina A&T, which evened this lengthy historical series in dramatic fashion in the first clash between the schools as CAA rivals on Dec. 31, 2022, when Tyrese Elliott’s tip-in a split-second before the buzzer capped a 13-point second-half comeback and gave the Aggies an 81-79 win. The Dutchmen earned a 92-72 win at the Arena on Nov. 14, 2018, when Justin Wright-Foreman scored 22 points to lead five players in double figures.
A FAMILIAR FACE
Former Delaware head coach Monté Ross was named North Carolina A&T’s head coach last Apr. 10. Ross is the first person to serve as the head coach of two CAA schools, though, of course, North Carolina A&T was not in the league during Ross’ 10 seasons as the Blue Hens’ head coach from 2006-07 through 2015-16, a span in which he directed Delaware to a 132-184 record and the 2014 CAA Tournament title. The Dutchmen went 12-10 against Ross’ Delaware teams, including 0-2 in CAA tournament play.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Where did that old bald guy go bias! (Duncan Powell, who was somehow only a redshirt freshman last season despite a hairline that would have made Samme Givens blush, transferred to Sacramento State)
Ricky Moore was on the cover of Sports Illustrated bias! (Moore forced Trajan Langdon into a turnover with under six seconds left and then helped collapse on Langdon, who lost the ball as time ran out in the Huskies’ glorious 77-74 win over Duke in the 1999 title game, yeesh, we’re all very old)
Elvin Bethea bias! (The former Oilers defensive end and Pro Football Hall of Famer played football at North Carolina A&T)
Christopher Belcher! (The world-class sprinter, a native of Sayville, graduated from North Carolina A&T)
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