The Flying Dutchmen’s hopes of earning a double bye in the CAA Tournament took another hit Thursday night, when they blew a 13-point first-half lead before a frantic last-minute comeback fell short in a 79-77 loss to Drexel. The Dutchmen, who had a four-game winning streak snapped, will look to bounce back this afternoon, when they host Northeastern in the opener of the final homestand of the season. Sniff. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Dragons and a look ahead to the Huskies.
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Tyler Thomas (34 points, six rebounds, six assists) racked up the single-game Triple Crown, but his technical foul for spiking the basketball sparked the decisive rally by Drexel. Thomas scored 18 points during a blistering first half, which he ended by sinking a 3-pointer to put the Dutchmen up 42-32 before blocking Yame Butler’s 3-pointer just before the buzzer. Drexel inched back and took the lead three times while opening the second half with a 25-15 run, after which Thomas mounted his own 7-2 surge to put the Dutchmen ahead 64-59 with 7:18 left. But Thomas was whistled for a technical foul when he slammed the basketball following a goaltending call on the Dutchmen, which began a 16-3 run by the Dragons that put them ahead 75-67 with 1:43 remaining. Darlinstone Dubar sank a 3-pointer and Amari Williams missed the front end of a one-and-one before Thomas hit three free throws. Drexel committed a turnover but Jacco Fritz had a potential game-tying layup blocked by Williams. Jamie Bergens then drained two free throws and Fritz and Mate Okros each split a pair of free throws before Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left. Thomas fouled Justin Moore, who hit the first free throw but missed the second. The Dutchmen, with no timeouts left, rushed up the court before Jaquan Carlos hurriedly dished to Thomas, who missed a 3-pointer as he was falling out of bounds as time expired. Fritz had 11 points and three blocks in just 22 minutes while Dubar’s 27-game streak of double-digit scoring efforts ended when he scored nine points on 3-of-9 shooting. Carlos added seven points and three assists while Bryce Washington scored five points after missing two games due to injury.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Drexel, 2/15)
3: Tyler Thomas
2: Jacco Fritz
1: Darlinstone Dubar
SEASON STANDINGS
Tyler Thomas 54
Darlinstone Dubar 47
Jaquan Carlos 25
Jacco Fritz 12
German Plotnikov 8
Bryce Washington 6
Silas Sunday 2
KiJan Robinson 2
THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWENTY-SIX GAMES
With Thursday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 15-11. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 30th-best record in school history through 25 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 15-11 since 2017-18 and just the fourth time overall in school history. The Dutchmen were also 14-10 after 24 games and 15-10 after 25 games for the fourth time overall and the first time since 2017-18. That’s pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 26 games:
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1975-76: 15-11 (win in 26th game marked third win of six-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)
1976-77: 20-6 (win in 26th game marked sixth win of nine-game winning streak that carried Dutchmen into the NCAAs)
1999-2000: 20-6 (the 67-64 win over Maine in 26th game locked up the no. 1 seed in the America East tournament, most recent 20-6 start)
2000-01: 22-4 (win in 26th game marked 14th win in program-record, single-season 18-game winning streak)
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 19-7 (most recent 19-7 start, win in 26th game was fifth win of eight-game winning streak)
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 18-8
2004-05: 19-7 (win in 26th game was fifth win of seven-game winning streak)
2005-06: 21-5 (most recent 21-5 start)
2006-07: 19-7
2015-16: 18-8
2018-19: 22-4 (most recent 22-4 start)
2022-23: 18-8 (most recent 18-8 start, win in 26th game marked sixth win of 12-game winning streak that continued into the CAA Tournament)
NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS
1958-59: 20-6 (win in 2nd round of NCAAs was final win of season)
1961-62: 23-3 (won Middle Atlantic Championship with win in 26th game, best 26-game record in school history)
1962-63: 20-6 (win in regular season finale was ninth win of 11-game winning streak)
1963-64: 21-5
Some other notable 26-game records:
2022-23: 17-9 (most recent 17-9 start)
2016-17: 12-14 (most recent 12-14 start)
2014-15: 16-10 (most recent 16-10 start)
2013-14: 8-18 (most recent 8-18 start, Joe Mihalich’s first team)
2012-13: 6-20 (most recent 6-20 start, tied for worst 26-game record in school history)
2009-10: 13-13 (most recent 13-13 start)
2007-08: 10-16 (most recent 10-16 start)
2002-03: 7-19 (only 7-19 start)
2001-02: 10-16 (loss in 26th game marked fifth loss of Tom Pecora-era record-tying eight-game losing streak)
1996-97: 12-14 (final win of season)
1995-96: 9-17 (most recent 9-17 start, final win of season)
1994-95: 9-17 (won regular season finale, Jay Wright’s first year)
1993-94: 6-20 (loss to ECC foe Northeastern Illinois in regular season finale, VBK’s last year)
1992-93: 9-17 (final win of season)
1991-92: 18-8 (win in 26th game was seventh in nine-game winning streak that ended in ECC title game)
1990-91: 14-12 (most recent 14-12 start, final win of season)
1987-88: 6-20 (lost regular season finale)
1986-87: 10-16 (final win of season)
1982-83: 18-8 (lost regular season finale)
1981-82: 11-15 (loss in regular season finale was final loss of eight-game losing streak)
1980-81: 12-14 (lost regular season finale)
1978-79: 8-18 (fourth loss of season-ending five-game losing streak)
1970-71: 18-8 (win in season finale completed season-ending five-game winning streak)
1969-70: 13-13 (won season finale)
1965-66: 16-10 (lost season finale)
1956-57: 11-15 (lost season finale)
1955-56: 22-4 (final win of season)
1954-55: 19-7 (lost known season finale)***
1950-51: 16-10 (fourth win of six-game winning streak)
1949-50: 17-9 (won known season finale)***
1948-49: 18-8 (lost known season finale)***
***records are incomplete for the 1948-59, 1949-50 and 1954-55 seasons
Hofstra has never been 26-0, 25-1, 24-2, 5-21, 4-22, 3-23, 2-24, 1-25 or 0-26 through 26 games.
Twenty-four seasons were completed in fewer than 26 games:
1936-37 (10-7)
1937-38 (10-4)
1938-39 (10-8)
1939-40 (12-9)
1940-41 (13-7)
1941-42 (15-6)
1942-43 (15-6)
1943-44 (7-12)
1944-45 (8-13)
1945-46 (12-7)
1947-48 (13-6)
1953-54 (15-9)
1957-58 (15-8)
1959-60 (23-1)
1960-61 (21-4)
1964-65 (11-14)
1966-67 (12-13)
1967-68 (13-12)
1968-69 (12-13)
1971-72 (11-14)
1972-73 (8-16)
1973-74 (8-16)
1974-75 (11-13)
2020-21 (13-10)
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-THREE
With Thursday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 61-32 (.656) as head coach. That’s tied for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 93 games at the helm.
Paul Lynner 62-31 (.663, 93rd game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 1965-66)
Butch van Breda Kolff I 61-32 (.652, 93rd game was the 18th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)
SPEEDY CLAXTON 61-32 (.656, 93rd game was the 26th game of his third season in 2023-24)
Frank Reilly 60-33 (.652, 93rd game was the 22nd game of his fourth season in 1950-51)
Joe Mihalich 48-45 (.511, 93rd game was the 26th game of his third season in 2015-16)
Dick Berg 47-46 (.511, 93rd game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)
Butch van Breda Kolff II 44-49 (.478, 93rd game was the eighth game of his fourth season in 1991-92)
Roger Gaeckler 38-55 (.402, 93rd game was the 21st game of his fourth season in 1975-76)
Jay Wright 37-56 (.402, 93rd game was the 11th game of his fourth season in 1997-98)
Tom Pecora 37-56 (.391, 93rd game was the third game of his fourth season in 2004-05)
Mo Cassara 37-56 (.402, 93rd game was the 28th game of his third season in 2012-13)
Paul Lynner moves back into sole possession of first place while Joe Mihalich moves into fifth place, which I believe is his highest spot yet. Roger Gaeckler moves into sole possession of eighth place for the first time while Jay Wright, Tom Pecora and Mo Cassara are now tied for ninth/last.
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.
DOUBLE DIGITS NOT ENOUGH
The Dutchmen, who led by 13 points in the first half Thursday, squandered a double-digit lead in a loss for the third time this season and the 10th time since Speedy Claxton became head coach for the 2021-22 season. The Dutchmen led Saint Louis by 11 points in the first half of a 71-68 loss on Dec. 9 and led Monmouth by 13 points in the first half of an 81-78 loss on Jan. 27.
ONLY HALFWAY THERE
The Dutchmen, who led Drexel by 10 points at the half Thursday, lost a game in which they had a double-digit lead at intermission for the second time this season. They squandered an 11-point halftime lead in the 81-78 loss to Monmouth on Jan. 27. The Dutchmen last lost two games in which they led by double digits at the half during the 2015-16 season, when led UNC Wilmington by 12 points at halftime of a 70-67 loss on Feb. 4 before leading James Madison by 12 points at halftime of a 98-95 overtime loss just three days later.
SO CLOSE
This stat was sparked by a Tweet from good friend Jonathan Wagner, who notes the Dutchmen have led with under seven minutes to go in all five of their CAA losses. Four of those defeats have been by three points or fewer and the Dutchmen either missed the potential game-tying or game-winning shot or failed to get a shot off in all four games. The four CAA losses by three points or fewer are the most for the Dutchmen since they joined the league in 2001-02. History, I guess?
NOT A SECOND-HALF TEAM THURSDAY
The Dutchmen scored 42 points in the first half Thursday and 35 points in the second half. It’s the first time the Dutchmen have scored fewer points after halftime than beforehand since Jan. 27, when they scored 50 points in the first half and 28 points in the second half of an 81-78 loss to Monmouth. The Dutchmen have scored fewer points in the second half than in the first half four time sin CAA play and just seven times overall in 26 games.
Even after Thursday’s quiet second half, the Dutchmen are averaging 39.9 points per second half (1,038 points overall) as opposed to averaging 34.1 points per first half (887 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)
DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP
Darlinstone Dubar’s streak of double-digit scoring efforts ended Thursday, but he still continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring by scoring nine points to increase his career total to 1,193 points and snap a tie with Rokas Gustys while leaping past two of Gustys’ teammates, Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green, into sole possession of 27th place. Dubar enters today 27 points shy of surpassing his former teammate Aaron Estrada for 26th place and 29 points away from moving past Demetrius Dudley and John Mills, who are tied for 24th place.
23.) Carlos Rivera 1,225
24t.) Demetrius Dudley 1,220
24t.) John Mills 1,220
26.) Aaron Estrada 1,219
27.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,193
28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186
28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186
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 34 points increased his career total to 1,157 points and lifted him past Mike Moore, Wandy Williams and Nathaniel Lester into 32nd place, Pretty good night at the office. Thomas enters today just three points shy of surpassing Ted Jackson for 31st place, 28 points away from moving past Rokas Gustys for 30th place and 30 points away from surging past Brian Bernardi and Juan’ya Green, who are tied for 28th place.
28t.) Brian Bernardi 1,186
28t.) Juan’ya Green 1,186
30.) Rokas Gustys 1,184
31.) Ted Jackson 1,159
32.) TYLER THOMAS 1,157
33.) Nathaniel Lester 1,139
34.) Wandy Williams 1,132
35.) Mike Moore 1,128
(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)
NO DOUBTING THOMAS
Tyler Thomas continued his resurgence by scoring 34 points Thursday while going 12-of-23 from the field, including 4-of-11 from 3-point land, Thomas is 23-of-51 from beyond the arc over his last six games after going just 15-of-63 from 3-point land in six games from Jan. 6-25. He has scored in double figures in 48 of his last 50 games and 56 times overall in the last two seasons.
THIRTY- AND TWENTY-SOMETHING THOMAS
The 34-point effort Thursday marked the fourth time Tyler Thomas has scored at least 30 points in a game this season. This marks the third straight season in which a Hofstra player has posted four 30-point games. Aaron Estrada did so in each of the previous two years. In addition, Thomas has scored at least 20 points 18 times in 26 games this season and 32 times overall in the last two seasons.
THIRTY-SOMETHING NOT ENOUGH
The Dutchmen lost Thursday night despite Tyler Thomas’ 34-point effort. The Dutchmen are now 2-2 this season when Thomas scores at least 30 points with wins over Wright State and High Point and losses to Northeastern and Drexel. Thomas is the first Hofstra player to score 30 points in two losses since 2018-19, when Justin Wright-Foreman reached the 30-point mark in losses to UNC Wilmington and James Madison.
THOMAS’ TRIPLE CROWN
Tyler Thomas led the Dutchmen with 34 points, six rebounds and six assists Thursday night. He is the first Hofstra player to finish with sole possession of the team lead in all three categories since Aaron Estrada had 21 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 76-73 win over Northeastern on Feb. 19, 2022.
THE 30/5/5 CLUB
Tyler Thomas joined a select club by finishing with 34 points, six rebounds and six assists Thursday night. It was the second time this season Thomas finished with at least 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. He had 40 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the 97-92 overtime win over High Point on Nov. 22. Thomas is just the fourth Hofstra player since 2010-11 — the start of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference — to post multiple 30/5/5 games. Justin Wright-Foreman had five such games while Charles Jenkins and Aaron Estrada did it twice apiece. The only other Hofstra players with a 30/5/5 game since 2010-11 are Juan’ya Green and Desure Buie.
PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ
Jacco Fritz had another solid game in limited duty Thursday night, when he scored 11 points while pulling down three rebounds and recording a team-high three blocks in just 22 minutes. The Dutchmen are now 3-1 when Fritz scores in double figures.
D-STONE NO LONGER STREAKING
The most impressive streak of the season ended Thursday, when Darlinstone Dubar scored nine points as his run of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts ended at 27 straight games — the final two games of last season and the first 25 games of this season. His 27-game streak of double-digit scoring efforts was 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.
D-STONE SLUMPING?
The end of Darlinstone Dubar’s streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts continued a quiet stretch for the swingman, who is averaging 12.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game over his last five games after averaging 18.9 points and 7.3 rebounds over the first 21 games of the season. Another way to look at it: Dubar has scored 16 points or fewer in each of the last five games after scoring at least 17 points 14 times in the first 21 games.
QUIET JAQUAN
A quiet stretch also continued Thursday for Jaquan Carlos, who finished with seven points, three assists and two rebounds. Carlos has scored in single digits in each of his last four games, his longest such streak since a five-game streak from Feb. 11-25, 2023. He also has 11 assists in the last four games after collecting 10 assists in the 72-71 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 1.
GERMAN FOR STARTERS
The Dutchmen fell to 7-2 with German Plotnikov in the starting lineup Thursday, when he finished with five points and one rebound in 15 minutes. It was the third tie in the last four games Plotnikov has scored five or fewer points and pulled down two rebounds or fewer. The 15 minutes were also his fewest since he became a starter and his fewest since he played 15 minutes in the 71-68 loss to Northeastern on Jan. 11.
BRYCE IS BACK
Bryce Washington returned from a two-game absence Thursday, when the Pennsylvania transfer returned to Philadelphia and finished with five points in 21 minutes. The Dutchmen are now 3-9 when Washington scores fewer than seven points and 10-2 when he scores at least seven points.
THE KHALIL & KIJAN SHOW
Redshirt freshman Khalil Farmer and true freshman KiJan Robinson continued establishing roles for themselves in the rotation Thursday night, when they each had three points and drained their shots from beyond the arc. Farmer has scored at least three points in each of the last four games after going scoreless or recording a DNP in the first nine games of the CAA season while Robinson has scored in consecutive games for the first time since Jan, 13-18, when he had 17 total points against Campbell and Hampton.
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
Silas Sunday had three rebounds in 13 minutes Thursday night. He has 16 rebounds in the last three games after recording just seven rebounds in the first nine games of the CAA season.
OVER THE AIR
This afternoon’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.
SCOUTING NORTHEASTERN
The Huskies, under 18th-year head coach Bill Coen, are 10-16 overall and 5-8 in the CAA after falling to Charleston 77-73 on Thursday night. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Northeastern.
The Dutchmen and Huskies had one common opponents in non-conference play. The Dutchmen lost to Princeton 74-67 on Nov. 10 while Northeastern fell to the Tigers, 80-66, on Nov. 25. Princeton played five CAA teams!
In CAA play, both teams have lost to Charleston. The Dutchmen swept Stony Brook, which swept Northeastern, and won their lone meeting against Towson, which split with the Huskies. Northeastern beat Campbell and split with Monmouth, each of whom defeated Hofstra in the lone meetings between the schools. The Dutchmen won their lone games against North Carolina A&T and William & Mary, both of whom won their lone games against Northeastern.
The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 140th at KenPom.com. The Huskies, who were picked to finish seventh, are ranked 233rd. The Dutchmen moved up one spot in the KenPom.com rankings following Thursday’s loss — the first time they’ve gained ground in consecutive games since moving up following the over South Florida and Iona on Nov. 30 and Dec. 6.
According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (108.2 points per 100 possessions) and third in defensive efficiency (102.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the eighth-most in the league. The Huskies rank 10th in the CAA in offensive efficiency (105.4 points per 100 possessions) and 10th in defensive efficiency (109.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.0 possessions per 40 minutes, the 10th-most in the league. That’s got to be the first time Hofstra or one of its opponents has ranked in the same spot in all three categories.
Graduate student Chris Doherty, who began his career at Notre Dame in 2018 (!!!) and was a preseason all-CAA honorable mention selection, leads the Huskies with 13.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Graduate student Luka Sakota, who played his first three seasons at Harvard, is averaging 11.5 points per game and is averaging 20.7 points and 6.0 assists per game over his last three games following a three-game absence due to injury. Sophomore guard Harold Woods ranks third on the Huskies with 10.7 points per game and is second with 4.4 rebounds per game. Northeastern will be without redshirt senior Joe Pridgen, the former Holy Cross and UNC Wilmington player who left the team after averaging 8.8 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17 games through Jan. 25.
KenPom.com predicts a 75-67 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 6-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 9-16 against the spread this season but covered the 3-point spread despite losing Thursday, when they improved to 3-10 against the spread in CAA play. Hard to cover and lose a game decided by two points!
ALL-TIME VS. NORTHEASTERN
Hofstra is 30-26 against Northeastern in a series that began during the 1949-50 season. All but three of the meetings have come in conference play since the 1994-95 season, when Hofstra joined the North Atlantic Conference. Northeastern is the only school the Dutchmen have played twice per regular season since 2005-06, the Huskies’ first season in the CAA.
The Huskies won the first meeting this season between the teams on Jan. 11, when they raced out to a 21-point first-half lead before holding off the Dutchmen for a 71-68 victory. Tyler Thomas had 32 points but missed two potential game-tying 3-pointers in the final six seconds for the Dutchmen, who held a pair of one-point leads in the second half, Northeastern is seeking its first regular season sweep since the 2020-21 campaign.
THE BARONE BOWL
The Barone Bowl was established by me and Northeastern graduate Mike Brodsky during the 2009-10 season, after Northeastern and Hofstra dropped football within two weeks of one another (Hofstra’s decision, of course, was reached after a multi-year study, wink wink nudge nudge).
The Barone Bowl pays homage to the episode of Everybody Loves Raymond in which a Hofstra kicker boots a 68-yard field goal against Northeastern but Frank Barone catches the ball and refuses to give it up. Apparently that wasn’t the type of publicity either school liked. Anyway.
Northeastern’s 71-68 win on Jan. 11 tied Barone Bowl series 16-16. The Dutchmen entered the season with the BArone Bowl lead for the first time sine they had a 3-2 edge at the end of the 2010-11 season. Northeastern won the next eight games between the schools and Hofstra has won 13 of the last 19 clashes. A win today would earn the Dutchmen a season split and allow them to retain the trophy, barring a rematch in the CAA Tournament. This, unfortunately, is a purely symbolic trophy, one which you will not find displayed by either school. But you can find me and Brodsky talking about it on Twitter! Along with Immaculate Grid, which he’s much better at than me.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Beanpot champs again bias! (Congrats to Northeastern’s men’s hockey team, which won the Beanpot for the fifth time in the last seven years with Monday’s overtime win over Boston University)
At least Adam Ottavino re-signed with the Mets bias! (The Northeastern alum is a terrific guy and excellent reliever, but when that’s your biggest move of the off-season…)
Tom Scholz bias! (The masterful Boston guitarist went to MIT)
Extreme finally has a record out during the Barone Bowl era bias! (It’s true!)
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