After deciding on the plastic surgery she will or won't get, Janet and Dr. Jamison will stream the Hofstra-UMass game.
After opening their season with three games within a 2,124-foot radius of campus (‘sup Jeremy Kniffin!), the Flying Dutchmen begin the road warrior portion of their schedule tonight by visiting Massachusetts. The Dutchmen won’t play again at home until Dec. 6 and have just two more games at the Arena until the CAA schedule starts. Ahh, the life of a mid-major whom nobody wants to play.
As was the case following the win over Iona — and as will hopefully be the case all season — I ran down the boilerplate postgame material from Wednesday’s 49-48 upset of Seton Hall in Friday’s Keep It Perky. Today will be about the individual news and notes from that victory (lots of quirkiness!) as well as a preview of the Minutemen. Enjoy!
THRICE AS NICE
The Dutchmen are 3-0 for the first time since 2022-23, when they opened 4-0, and the 20th time in program history.
IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part one)
As you can imagine, a victory in which the Dutchmen scored fewer than 50 points is going to unearth quite a few nuggets. Such as this one! The Dutchmen’s win Wednesday was their first in which they scored fewer than 50 points since way back on Dec. 9, 2009, when they edged Manhattan 44-39. That’s 481 games ago! So long ago that a.) I was still writing wordy recaps of every game because Molly was almost three years from being born and b.) Speedy Claxton was with the Atlanta Hawks, though he’d already played his last game due to the knee injuries he battled throughout his career.
FIRST FORTY-SOMETHINGS
The Dutchmen are the first Division I team this season to win a game in which they scored fewer than 50 points and the first to do so since Virginia (of course) beat Wake Forest, 49-47, on Feb. 17. Just seven teams won a game last season in which they scored fewer than 50 points.
SHOT CLOCK? WHAT SHOT CLOCK?
The win Wednesday marked just the fifth time in the shot clock era (1986-pres) that the Dutchmen won a game in which they scored fewer than 50 points.
49-48 Seton Hall, 11/13/24
44-39 Manhattan, 12/9/09
48-46 Yale, 12/8/92
48-34 Rider, 1/18/89
WINNING IN THE ‘40S (mostly in the ’30s and ‘40s)
The win Wednesday marked the 60th time the Dutchmen have won a game in which they scored fewer than 50 points. But 53 of those wins came in the program’s first 10 seasons from 1936-37 through 1945-46, when I presume they took aim at peach baskets and there were jump balls after every bucket.
Remarkably, the nearly 15-year gap between wins in which the Dutchmen scored fewer than 50 points is not even close to the longest such stretch in program history. Despite a lack of a shot clock most of the time, the Dutchmen went 27 seasons between a 43-36 win over Albright in 1961-62 and a 48-34 win over Rider on Jan. 18, 1989. The best and quirkiest part? Butch van Breda Kolff was the Hofstra coach in both games!
WINNING EVERY WHICH WAY
The Dutchmen, who beat Iona 90-76 on Nov. 8, are the first team to score at least 90 points and fewer than 50 points in consecutive wins since our old friends VCU on Feb. 9-16, when the Rams edged Dayton 49-47 before beating Saint Louis 95-85. The previous team to score at least 90 points and fewer than 50 points IN THAT ORDER in consecutive wins was Akron from Jan. 20-22, 2022 when the Zips (what a great nickname) defeated Bowling Green 91-66 before outlasting Eastern Michigan 46-44.
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THIS RACE
As you have no doubt gathered by now, points were at a premium Wednesday. Here is a list of when the Dutchmen reached the 10-, 20-, 30- and 40-point marks Wednesday, along with the last time it took them this long to get to those, err, points.
10 points: 8:55 left 1H via KiJan Robinson 3-pointer (7:54 left 1H vs. Middle Tennessee State, 11/25/22)
20 points: :50 left 1H via KiJan Robinson 3-pointer (19:13 left 2H vs. Saint Mary’s, 11/19/22)
30 points: 11:13 left 2H via Jaquan Sanders 3-pointer (9:33 left 2H vs. Saint Mary’s, 11/19/22)
40 points: 4:30 left 2H via Cruz Davis dunk (3:30 left 2H vs. SMU, 1/19/14)
The Dutchmen lost all three of those games, which makes Wednesday’s win all the more impressive.
TWENTY IN TWENTY (barely)
The Dutchmen trailed 24-22 at the half Wednesday. The 22 first-half points were the fewest for the Dutchmen since Jan. 16, 2023, when they were limited to 20 first-half points in a 68-47 loss to Towson.
A SMALL LEAD IS BIG ENOUGH
The Dutchmen took their biggest lead at 49-45 Wednesday when Jaquan Sanders hit a 3-pointer with 1:45 left. The four-point lead is the smallest biggest (is that redundant?) lead the Dutchmen have held in a win since Feb. 1, when they built a four-point first-half lead in a 71-70 win over Stony Brook. Suckas, you won’t get a chance at revenge for that one!
IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part two)
The win Wednesday over Seton Hall marked the first time the Dutchmen beat a Big East team since Dec. 29, 2006, when they defeated St. John’s 63-51. The Dutchmen played just five games against Big East schools in the interim — two against St. John’s and one each against Connecticut, Villanova and DePaul, the latter of whom eliminated the Dutchmen in the 2007 NIT.
DAVID TOPPLES GOLIATH AGAIN
With Wednesday’s win, the Dutchmen have recorded at least one win against a power conference foe or a high mid-major conference foe in each of the last six seasons. The Dutchmen are the lone CAA team with such a streak. Did I possibly invent the term high mid-major conference foe just to include the Atlantic 10 and the American and thus make this blurb possible? Possibly!
11/21/19: 88-78 over UCLA
12/22/20: 76-71 over Richmond
12/18/21: 89-81 over Arkansas
11/14/22: 85-80 over George Washington
3/14/23: 88-86 (OT) over Rutgers***
11/30/23: 82-63 over South Florida
11/13/24: 49-48 over Seton Hall
***NIT
IT’S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME (part three)
The win Wednesday marked the first time the Dutchmen have won at Nassau Coliseum since way back on Dec. 16, 2000, when they edged St. John's 86-80. The Dutchmen are now 4-10 all-time at Nassau Coliseum dating back to 1972.
THE NEW 1-2 PUNCH?
About 1,400 words later, we’re into the individual news and notes! Jean Aranguren (13 points) and Jaquan Sanders (12 pointes) were the only Dutchmen to get into double figures Wednesday night. Aranguren and Sanders have both scored in double figures in each of their first three games with the Dutchmen. They are the first pair of teammates to open their Hofstra careers by scoring at least 10 points in their first three games since Zach Cooks and Aaron Estrada each scored in double figures in their first four games in 2021-22.
JEAN FITS
As you may have surmised by now, Jean Aranguren has scored in double figures in each of the last three games. That's a career-long streak for Aranguren, who scored at least 10 points in back-to-back games three times last season for Iona.
DIMES FOR ARANGUREN
Jean Aranguren, who set a career-high with nine assists while nearly collecting a triple-double in the 90-76 win over Iona on Nov. 8, finished with a team-high six assists Wednesday. He had four assists in a game four times last season for Iona.
SHARP-SHOOTING SANDERS
Why Can’t Seton Hall Get Guys Like Jaquan Sanders made his 3-pointers count Wednesday, when his first trey pulled the Dutchmen within 34-32 with 11:13 left before he hit what proved to be the decisive 3-pointer to provide the Dutchmen's final points with 1:45 remaining. Sanders already has 12 3-pointers this season, just seven shy of his total in 35 games last season.
CRUZ-IN
Cruz Davis continued his solid start to his Hofstra career Wednesday, when he had nine points, two assists and a team-high three steals. Cruz’s 43 points thus far are his most in a three-game span. In addition, the three steals tied a career-high set previously Jan. 15, 2023, when he had three thefts for Iona against Rider.
UP-AND-DOWN GADSDEN
TJ Gadsden continued struggling from the field but finding other ways to contribute Wednesday, when he had three points while going 1-of-8 from the field with three turnovers but pulled down a team-high seven rebounds while adding two steals. Gadsden has eight points this season on 3-of-13 shooting (including 1-of-8 from 3-point land) to go along with 12 rebounds and four assists.
TWO AT THE FIVE
Freshman Joshua DeCady didn't play Wednesday, which allowed Michael Graham and Silas Sunday to form a familiar two-headed monster at center. The duo combined for six points (all by Graham), seven rebounds, two assists (both by Sunday) and five blocks in 40 minutes.
GRAHAM CRACKIN’
Michael Graham scored six points in 22 minutes Wednesday and has 26 points in three games this season — his most in a three-game span since he was playing for Elon from Feb. 24-Mar. 6, 2022, when he had 31 points in a stretch that began with a 12-point effort in an 81-55 win over Hofstra.
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY
Silas Sunday had another solid game Wednesday, when he had three blocks in 18 minutes. The three blocks are a career-high for Sunday, who had two blocks in consecutive games against Towson and Hampton from Feb. 3-8.
HERE’S TO YOU MR. ROBINSON
KiJan Robinson bounced back from a scoreless effort against Iona by scoring six points via a pair of key first-half 3-pointers Wednesday. The six points accounted for all the bench scoring by the Dutchmen. Robinson’s two 3-pointers were his most since he was 3-of-4 from beyond the arc in an 81-78 loss to Monmouth on Jan. 27.
GERMAN'S QUIET START
German Plotnikov, the lone returning player who made a start last season for the Dutchmen, remained scoreless this season when he missed his lone shot over nine minutes Wednesday. The three-game scoreless streak is the longest of Plotnikov’s three-season career.
WHY CAN’T SETON HALL GET GUYS LIKE…
Jaquan Sanders finished with 12 points and hit the biggest shot of the night Wednesday, when his transition 3-pointer with 1:45 left provided the Dutchmen’s final points in the win over Sanders’ former team. Sanders is the fourth Hofstra player to oppose a former team this season, following in the footsteps of former Iona players Jean Aranguren, Cruz Davis and Silas Sunday, and the ninth to do so since 2011-12. This total is sure to increase in the portal/instant transfer era. The next candidate to join the list is Michael Graham, who spent two seasons with Not Twitter Guy, who is slated to host Hofstra on Jan. 30.
Stevie Mejia 3 pts/2 assists/1 rebound/1 steal vs. Rhode Island, 11/25/11
Dion Nesmith 10 pts/5 assists/2 rebounds vs. Monmouth, 11/8/13
Kenny Wormley 0 pts/3 assists vs. Siena, 11/25/17
Tareq Coburn 4 pts/4 rebounds vs. St. Bonaventure, 12/7/19
Tareq Coburn 9 pts/2 rebounds/2 assists vs. St. Bonaventure, 12/19/20
Abayomi Iyiola 18 pts/14 rebounds/1 assist vs. Arkansas, 12/18/21
Silas Sunday 2 pts/2 rebounds vs. Iona, 12/6/23
Jean Aranguren 18 pts/9 rebounds/9 assists vs. Iona, 11/8/24
Cruz Davis 15 pts/5 rebounds/5 assists vs. Iona, 11/8/24
Silas Sunday 14 points/4 rebounds vs. Iona, 11/8/24
Jaquan Sanders 12 points/4 rebounds vs. Seton Hall, 11/13/24
GO FOURTH, YOUNG MEN
The Dutchmen are looking to start 3-0 for the first time since 2022-23, when they began 4-0, and the 13th time in program history.
OVER THE AIR
Tonight’s game is slated to be carried live on ESPNPlus, which you have if you have the Disney Bundle, which you have if you have a child under 18. (Alas mine mostly watches Max and Netflix, sigh) Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.
MASSACHUSETTS AND THE ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE
Massachusetts (also dubbed UMass), under third-year head coach Frank Martin, is 1-2 this season after falling Wednesday to Louisiana Tech, 76-66, in the opening game of the Icons of the Game doubleheader at Nassau Coliseum. So this is sorta like an early-season tournament, but not?
UMass was picked to finish ninth in the 15-team Atlantic 10. The Minutemen wil no longer have to deal with mathematically impossible conference alignments next season, when they move to the geographically impossible Mid-American Conference in pursuit of college football playoff glory. Sigh.
Anyway, the Minutemen's top thee scorers all played for the team last season, which qualifies as noteworthy these days. Senior Rashool Diggins, a preseason all-A10 third team selection who opened his career at UConn and in his third season at UMass, leads the Minutemen with 17.0 points per game. Sophomore Jaylen Curry ranks second on UMass with 12.0 points per game and has a team-high 8.3 assists per game. Junior Daniel Hankins-Sanford, who opened his career at South Carolina and in his second season at UMass, is averaging 10,3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Senior Daniel Rivera, who played last season at Bryant, is averaging 9.3 points per game and leads the team with 7.0 rebounds per game.
The Dutchmen and Minutemen have three common opponents this season. Hofstra visits Florida State on Tuesday in the Seminoles last game before they oppose UMass in the second game of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun next Sunday. UMass opens the Hall of Fame Tip-Off next Saturday by facing Temple, whom the Dutchmen are slated to host on Dec. 15. The Minutemen also host the CAA’s Northeastern on Dec. 18 while the Dutchmen will visit the Huskies Jan.. 4 before hosting them Feb. 6.
Hofstra is 1-3 all-time against UMass. The Minutemen won the most recent meeting between the teams on Dec. 11, 2022, when UMass pulled away in the second half of a 71-56 win over the Aaron Estrada-less Dutchmen. German Plotnikov, who had three points in 10 minutes, is the lone remaining Hofstra player from that team.
Hofstra is 39-111 all-time against current Atlantic 10 schools, a membership that includes former conference foes George Mason as well as La Salle (ECC) and VCU (CAA). This marks the 12th straight season in which Hofstra has faced at least one A-10 school.
At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 151st while UMass is ranked 122nd. KenPom.com predicts a 76-70 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 5 1/2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 2-0 against the spread this season.
THINGS YOU CAN SHOUT ON TWITTER IF CALLS GO DO NOT GO HOFSTRA’S WAY
Curry Hicks Sage bias! (The #SearchSZN czar is a UMass alum and fan, even if he ducked me at Nassau Coliseum this week)
Vacated Final Four bias! (Weird how that always happened to John Calipari before he got to SEC schools)
Bill Pullman is a great character actor bias! (Pullman got his MFA at UMass)
You wouldn’t have won the I-AA national title without us in 1998 bias! (Debatable, but UMass beat the Dutchmen 41-35 and then Hofstra didn't make the tournament so…)
Seriously why are you going to the MAC bias! (Beats us)
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