The Dutchmen just recorded their first 77-55 win since beating Drexel in a 1961 postseason tournament. That's good! It was also their last win of the season. (C'mon, frogurt, don't be cursed)
For the first time in nearly three months, the Flying Dutchmen have a winning streak — and at the most opportune time possible. The 11th-seeded Dutchmen opened CAA Tournament play with a rare stress-free win this afternoon, when they raced out to an early 10-point lead and were never seriously threatened in a 77-55 wire-to-wire win over 14th-seeded North Carolina A&T.
The win extended the Dutchmen’s season for at least one more night and earned them a second-round date at 8:30 PM Saturday night with sixth-seeded Monmouth — a taller task, but certainly better than the alternative.
In the meantime, we’re now 19-for-19 in CAA games presenting the postgame boilerplate material in Keep It Perky form. I’m just as surprised as you are. The individual news and news from Friday’s win and the Monmouth preview will be posted overnight. Enjoy!
THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH
Cruz Davis staked the Flying Dutchmen to an insurmountable lead by scoring all but one of his 19 points in the first half before German Plotnikov (who set career-highs with 23 points, seven 3-pointers and 10 rebounds) capped off his best game with a big second half that finished off the Aggies. Davis scored the first eight points in a game-opening 12-2 run for the Dutchmen, though the surge took more than nine minutes because the teams combined to go 6-for-31 with seven turnovers. The Dutchmen missed 10 straight shots after Davis began the game with a 3-pointer (spoiler alert!). North Carolina A&T crept within 17-13 NICE FOOTBALL SCORE by Jalal McKie with 6:38 left, but Plotnikov answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to begin a half-ending 22-6 run in which the Dutchmen scored on eight straight possessions and nine of their final 10 overall. The lead never slipped below 20 points in the second half for the Dutchmen, who led by as many as 32 before emptying the bench. Plotnikov capped his first career double-double by scoring 15 second-half points (on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point land) and collecting four rebounds over the final 20 minutes. He also had three steals, one assist and one block in 33 minutes. Davis led the Dutchmen with eight assists while TJ Gadsden, playing for the first time since Feb. 20, had his best game in weeks with eight points and five rebounds, all in 13 second-half minutes. Michael Graham had six points and six rebounds in 22 minutes while Jean Aranguren finished with six points and five assists in 23 minutes before exiting with an ankle injury. He was on the bench for the end of the game, which may bode well for his availability Saturday.
3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. North Carolina A&T, 3/7)
3: German Plotnikov
2: Cruz Davis
1: TJ Gadsden
SEASON STANDINGS
Jean Aranguren 56
Cruz Davis 46
Michael Graham 23
German Plotnikov 15
Jaquan Sanders 15
KiJan Robinson 9
TJ Gadsden 8
Khalil Farmer 7
Silas Sunday 6
Eric Parnell 4
Joshua DeCady 3
WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?
No! But it’s the first 77-55 win since way back on Mar. 3, 1961, when the Dutchmen beat Drexel by that score in the Middle Atlantic Conference tournament. My parents weren’t even teenagers yet! I’m going to take it as a good sign that this is the first 77-55 win for the Dutchmen since a victory over Drexel and do my best to ignore the fact that…the Dutchmen’s season ended the next day with a one-point loss to Albright. La la la I can’t hear you.
The Dutchmen have recorded seven unicorn score victories this season and 60 unicorn score victories since the start of the 2018-19 season, when we first started tracking unicorn scores.
2024-25: Seven unicorn scores
2023-24: Seven unicorn scores
2022-23: 12 unicorn scores
2021-22: 11 unicorn scores
2020-21: Zero unicorn scores (really)
2019-20: 13 unicorn scores
2018-19: 10 unicorn scores
Of the Dutchmen’s eight non-unicorn score wins this season, three were repeats by which Hofstra hadn’t won since the pre-Division I days. The 78-65 win over Delaware on Jan. 23 was the Dutchmen’s first 78-65 win since Dec. 8, 1962 while the 49-48 victory over Seton Hall on Nov. 13 was, of course, the Dutchmen’s first by a 49-48 score since the 1945-46 season. Quirky!
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?
Cruz Davis wasted no time putting the Dutchmen ahead for good this afternoon, when his 3-pointer with 19:36 left in the first half snapped a scoreless tie and, err, put the Dutchmen ahead for good. It’s the earliest Keith Hernandez of the season and the earliest Keith Hernandez since Jan. 25, 2024, when Darlinstone Dubar opened the scoring with a layup to give the Dutchmen a lead they’d never relinquish in a 64-55 victory over William & Mary. Davis is the third player this season with at least three Keith Hernandezes and the eighth in history (or at least since the 2022-23 season).
Jean Aranguren tie-breaking layup vs. Old Westbury, 11/4/24 (19:47 left 2H)
Silas Sunday go-ahead layup vs. Iona, 11/8/24 (17:49 left 1H)
Jean Aranguren go-ahead layup vs. Seton Hall, 11/13/24 (2:19 left 2H)
Jean Aranguren tie-breaking free throw vs. UMass, 11/16/24 (4:58 left OT)
Cruz Davis tie-breaking layup vs. Rice, 11/29/24 (:59 left OT)
Michael Graham tie-breaking layup vs. Arkansas State, 12/1/24 (:00 left 2H)
Jean Aranguren tie-breaking layup vs. St. Joseph’s, 12/6/24 (19:30 left 1H)
KiJan Robinson go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/9/24 (10:33 left 1H)
Michael Graham tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 1/4/25 (19:14 left 2H)
Jean Aranguren go-ahead nostalgic 3-point play vs. UNC Wilmington, 1/11/25 (:31.1 left 2H)
German Plotnikov tie-breaking layup vs. Delaware, 1/23/25 (15:21 left 1H)
Cruz Davis go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Not Twitter Guy, 1/30/25 (15:20 left 1H)
Michael Graham tie-breaking layup vs. Delaware, 2/22/25 (18:39 left 1H)
Eric Parnell go-ahead 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 3/1/25 (5:25 left 1H)
Cruz Davis tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 3/7/25 (19:36 left 1H)
SEASON STANDINGS
Jean Aranguren 5
Cruz Davis 3
Michael Graham 3
Eric Parnell 1
German Plotnikov 1
KiJan Robinson 1
Silas Sunday 1
ALL-TIME STANDINGS (or at least since the 2022-23 season)
Tyler Thomas 16
Darlinstone Dubar 14
Jean Aranguren 5
Aaron Estrada 4
Cruz Davis 3
Michael Graham 3
German Plotnikov 3
Warren Williams 3
Silas Sunday 2
Jacco Fritz 2
Jaquan Carlos 2
Eric Parnell 1
KiJan Robinson 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 THIRTY-TWO GAMES
With this afternoon’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 15-17 this season. This ties the 2024-25 team for the 14th-best record in school history through 32 games…or tied for the fifth-worst record in school history through 32 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 15-17 since 2016-17 and just the second time overall in school history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 32 games:
NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS
2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 24-8 (most recent 24-8 start, beat Drexel in the CAA quarterfinals)
The 1975-76 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 30 games (18-12), as did the 1976-77 team (23-7). The 1999-2000 NCAA Tournament team completed its season in 31 games (24-7), as did the 2000-01 team (26-5).
All four Hofstra teams to reach the NCAA Tournament at the Division II level completed their seasons in 30 games or fewer. The 1958-59 team finished 20-7 while the 1961-62 team ended up 24-4, the 1962-63 team finished 23-7 and the 1963-64 team went 23-6.
NIT TEAMS
1998-99: 22-10 (season ended with a loss to Rutgers in the first round of the NIT)
2005-06: 26-6 (beat Saint Joseph’s, 77-75, in the second round of the NIT)
2006-07: 22-10 (season ended with a loss to DePaul in the first round of the NIT)
2015-16: 24-8 (beat William & Mary in the CAA semifinals, final win of season)
2018-19: 26-6 (most recent 26-6 start, beat James Madison in the CAA quarterfinals)
2022-23: 24-8 (most recent 24-8 start, win in 32nd game marked final win of 12-game winning streak that ended in the CAA Tournament semifinals)
The 2004-05 NIT team completed its season at 21-9.
Some other notable 32-game records — in fact, all of them!
2021-22: 21-11 (season ended with a loss to Charleston in the CAA quarterfinals)
2016-17: 15-17 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA first round)
2014-15: 20-12 (beat James Madison in CAA quarterfinals, final win of season)
2013-14: 10-22 (beat UNC Wilmington in CAA first round, final win of season)
2012-13: 7-25 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA quarterfinals, worst 32-game record in school history)
2011-12: 10-22 (season ended with loss to Georgia State in CAA first round)
2010-11: 21-11 (lost to Old Dominion in CAA semifinals, final win of season)
2009-10: 19-13 (beat Georgia State in CAA first round, final win of season)
2008-09: 21-11 (season ended with loss to Old Dominion in CAA quarterfinals)
2001-02: 12-20 (season ended with loss to VCU in CAA semifinals)
Hofstra has never been (deep breath) 32-0, 31-1, 30-2, 29-3, 28-4, 27-5, 25-7, 23-9, 18-14, 17-15, 16-16, 14-18, 13-19, 11-21, 9-23, 8-24, 6-26, 5-27, 4-28, 3-29, 2-30, 1-31 or 0-32 through 32 games.
Seventy-one seasons were completed in fewer than 32 games:
1936-37 (7-10)
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)
1950-51 (18-11)
1951-52 (26-3)
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 (24-4)
1962-63 (23-7)
1963-64 (23-6)
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)
1975-76 (18-12)
1976-77 (23-7)
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)
1984-85 (14-15)
1985-86 (17-13)
1986-87 (10-18)
1987-88 (6-21)
1988-89 (14-15)
1989-90 (13-15)
1990-91 (14-14)
1991-92 (20-9)
1992-93 (9-18)
1993-94 (9-20)
1994-95 (10-18)
1995-96 (9-18)
1996-97 (12-15)
1997-98 (19-12)
1998-99 (22-9)
1999-2000 (24-7)
2000-01 (26-5)
2002-03 (8-21)
2003-04 (14-15)
2004-05 (21-9)
2007-08 (12-18)
2017-18 (19-12)
2020-21 (13-10)
(Well) 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 ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO
With Saturday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 81-51 (.614) as head coach. That’s the fourth-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 132 games at the helm.
Butch van Breda Kolff I 97-35 (.735, 132nd game was the sixth game of his sixth season in 1960-61)
Frank Reilly 95-37 (.720, 132nd game was the third game of his sixth season in 1952-53)
Paul Lynner 83-49 (.629, 132nd game was the 22nd game of his fifth season in 1966-67)
SPEEDY CLAXTON 81-51 (.614, 132nd game was the 32nd game of his fourth season in 2024-25)
Joe Mihalich 69-63 (.523, 132nd game was the 31st game of his fourth season in 2016-17)
Roger Gaeckler 68-64 (.515, 132nd game was the 30th and final game of his fifth season in 1976-77)
Dick Berg 67-65 (.508, 132nd game was the 22nd game of his fifth season in 1984-85)
Butch van Breda Kolff II 65-67 (.492, 132nd game was the 18th game of his fifth season in 1992-93)
Tom Pecora 65-67 (.492, 132nd game was the 12th game of his sixth season in 2005-06)
Jay Wright 63-69 (.477, 132nd game was the 19th game of his fifth season in 1998-99)
Game no. 132 is a bittersweet one as a Roger Gaeckler-coached team falls in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year via the Flying Dutchmen’s 90-83 loss to Notre Dame. I’m sure the Dutchmen will return to the NCAA Tournament before the 21st century and before I’m in my late 20s! Speaking of my 20s and the 21st century, further down below, Tom Pecora wins his 132nd game at the helm and climbs out of the bottom two for the first time by tying Butch van Breda Kolff, who lost his 132nd game at the helm in his second stint, for eighth place. Pecora and VBK II are two games ahead of Pecora’s fellow perpetual slacker Jay Wright, who also wins his 132nd game Perpetual slackers!
The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46).
Smith finished 27-32 in his three seasons while Mo Cassara finished 38-59 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.
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