I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Duke

Hee hee hee. 

I believe it was Guns ’n Roses who sang “Nothing lasts forever, not even Hofstra winning streaks that began in the cold November rain.” (Note to self: Look up what the weather was in Florida for the win over Buffalo in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Showcase on Nov. 20) The Dutchmen’s winning streak ended at five games Saturday, when they squandered an 11-point first half lead and committed a series of mistakes down the stretch in a 71-68 loss to Saint Louis. The Dutchmen will look to start another winning streak in the most resounding way possible tonight, when they visit no. 21 Duke in the game that this former North Carolina fan and pretty much constant Duke loather has been waiting 30 years to see. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Billikens and a look ahead to the big bad Blue Devils.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Tyler Thomas (a game-high 29 points) resumed his volume scoring ways but struggled along with his teammates in the final minutes as the Dutchmen missed a chance to post another road upset. Thomas scored 11 points in a game-opening 27-16 run, but Saint Louis responded with a 13-2 run before Thomas sank a pair of free throws to give the Dutchmen a 31-29 halftime lead. The Dutchmen held a quartet of five-point leads and never trailed by more in the second but couldn’t finish off Saint Louis over the final 6:05, when the teams combined for eight lead changes. Thomas’ jumper with 1:22 left gave the Dutchmen their final lead at 68-67. Terrance Hargrove Jr.’s dunk with 47 seconds left put Saint Louis ahead for good and Thomas missed two shots on the next possession before Jaquan Carlos committed two turnovers, including one as the Dutchmen were trying to set up the tying or go-ahead shot with under a second left. Double-double machine Darlinstone Dubar (13 points, 11 rebounds) scored all his points in the second half while Carlos had 11 points and eight assists but committed five turnovers. Bryce Washington finished with five points and five rebounds and Jacco Fritz was limited to 13 minutes by foul trouble.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Saint Louis, 12/9)

3: Tyler Thomas

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: Jaquan Carlos

SEASON STANDINGS

Tyler Thomas 19

Darlinstone Dubar 17

Jaquan Carlos 9

Jacco Fritz 6

Bryce Washington 2

KiJan Robinson 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER NINE GAMES

With Saturday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 6-3. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 17th-best record in school history through seven games. This is the second straight season in which the Dutchmen have opened 6-3 and the 18th time overall in school history. The Dutchmen have had the same record this year as last year following each of the last four games. Quirky! Let’s try to snap that tonight though. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through nine games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 5-4

1976-77: 7-2

1999-2000: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

2000-01: 7-2

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 6-3

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

2004-05: 9-0 (most recent 9-0 start)

2005-06: 7-2

2006-07: 6-3

2015-16: 6-3 

2018-19: 6-3 (marked third win in the 16-game winning streak)

2022-23: 6-3

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

1961-62: 8-1

1962-63: 7-2

1963-64: 8-1

Some other notable nine-game starts:

2021-22: 5-4 (most recent 5-4 start)

2014-15: 7-2 (most recent 7-2 start)

2013-14: 3-6 (most recent 3-6 start)

2008-09: 8-1 (most recent 8-1 start)

2007-08: 2-7 (most recent 2-7 start)

2003-04: 4-5 (most recent 4-5 start)

2002-03: 1-8 (most recent 1-8 start)

2001-02: 5-4 (over .500 for the last time)

1997-98: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

1994-95: 2-7 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-8 (VBK’s last team)

1960-61: 9-0

1959-60: 9-0

1958-59: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

1955-56: 9-0

1947-48: 9-0

1938-39: 5-4 (over .500 for good)

The Dutchmen have never opened 0-9.

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 SEVENTY-SIX

With Saturday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 52-24 (.684) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 76 games at the helm. The last 22 games mark the highest Claxton has been in the all-time game-to-game standings since he became head coach in 2021-22.

Paul Lynner 55-21 (.724, 76th game was the 17th game of his third season in 1964-65)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 52-24 (.684, 76th game was the ninth game of his third season in 2023-24)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 48-28 (.632, 76th game was the first game of his fourth season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 39-37 (.513, 76th game was the 21st game of his third season in 1982-83)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 37-39 (.487, 76th game was the 19th game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 36-40 (.474, 76th game was the ninth game of his third season in 2015-16)

Mo Cassara 34-42 (.447, 76th game was the 11th game of his third season in 2012-13)

Roger Gaeckler 29-47 (.382, 76th game was the fourth game of his fourth season in 1975-76)

Jay Wright 29-47 (.382, 76th game was the 21st game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Tom Pecora 26-50 (.342, 76th game was the 15th game of his third season in 2003-04)

The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenures of Jack Smith (1943-46) and Frank Reilly (1947-55).

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 squandered a double-digit lead in a loss for the first time this season and the eighth time since Speedy Claxton became head coach for the 2021-22 season. The squandered double-digit lead was the first for the Dutchmen since UNC Wilmington (of course) overcame a 12-point first-half deficit in the CAA Tournament semifinals (of course) on Mar. 6.

A NARROW LOSS

The Dutchmen never trailed by more than four points in Saturday’s loss. That’s the smallest biggest #Opposites lead an opponent has had in a win over the Dutchmen since North Carolina A&T took its biggest lead on a buzzer-beating tip-in by Tyrese Elliott in the Aggies’ 81-79 victory on Dec. 31. 

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas, whose streak of consecutive double-digit scoring performances ended at 22 games when he was limited to eight points in last Wednesday’s 62-57 win over Iona, may have started a new streak Saturday, when he scored a game-high 29 points. Thomas has scored in double figures in 32 of his last 34 games and 37 times in 44 games overall since joining the Dutchmen last season.

TOUGH FROM THREE

However, Tyler Thomas had a second straight rough game from 3-point land Saturday, when he was 3-of-12 from beyond the arc. Thomas is shooting 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from 3-point land in his last two games after shooting 48.9 percent (17-of-35) from beyond the arc in his previous three games.

D-STONE’S DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE CLUB

Seriously, can somebody get Darlinstone Dubar an NIL deal with Dubble Bubble (ask your parents)? Dubar posted his third straight double-double Saturday afternoon, when he had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Dubar is the first Hofstra player with at least three straight double-doubles since Isaac Kante recorded four consecutive double-doubles from Dec. 19, 2020 through Jan. 3, 2021. Wow! Spanning two years! Dubar now has more double-doubles in the last three games (three, obvs) as he did in his first 73 games (two) at Hofstra. 

D-STONE DEALING

Darlinstone Dubar extended the longest active streak of double-digit scoring performances by a Hofstra player after he finished with 13 points Saturday afternoon. Dubar has scored in double figures in all nine games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 11 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. 

D-STONE DOING SECOND HALF WORK

Darlinstone Dubar scored all 13 of his points in the second half Saturday. It was the second time this season Dubar has followed up a scoreless first half by scoring in double figures in the second half. He scored all 18 of his points after halftime in a 74-67 loss to Princeton on Nov. 10. 

CARLOS SHOPS AT 7/11

Jaquan Carlos had a second straight up-and-down game Saturday afternoon, when he committed a five turnovers but also had 11 points and eight assists. It was the fourth straight game in which he had at least 11 points and seven assists, the fifth time he reached those very specific figures this season and the seventh time he’s done so in his career.

TURN IT OVER AND OVER

Jaquan Carlos has committed 11 turnovers in the last two games. That’s a career-high for Carlos over a two-game span and the most turnovers a Hofstra player has committed in consecutive games since Aaron Estrada committed a combined 11 turnovers from Mar. 6-14 against UNC Wilmington (six) and Rutgers (five).

BRYCE THE GLUE GUY

Bryce Washington continued his solid season Saturday afternoon, when he scored five points and had five rebounds. Washington has finished with at least five points and five rebounds five times this season after doing so just twice in 28 games last season and nine times in his first four seasons as a collegian dating back to his freshman season way back in 2018-19. 

ALL OR NOTHING FOR FRITZ

Jacco Fritz was limited to two points before fouling out in just 13 minutes Saturday afternoon. Fritz has fouled out four times in nine games this season, including three times in 13 minutes or fewer. He drew five fouls in 27 minutes against Princeton on Nov. 10, was whistled for five fouls in just eight minutes against George Washington on Nov. 14 and picked up five fouls in 10 minutes against High Point on Nov. 22. Not coincidentally the Dutchmen are 1-3 in those games and 5-0 when Fritz doesn’t foul out. 

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

With Jacco Fritz battling foul trouble, backup center Silas Sunday played a career-high 27 minutes Saturday, when he finished with two points, five rebounds and one block. Sunday’s previous career-high for minutes was established in the season opener against Division III St. Joseph’s (NY), when he played 17 minutes. He also played 16 minutes against High Point on Nov. 22.

SPREADING THE SCORING

All nine players who saw the floor against Saint Louis on Saturday afternoon scored for th Dutchmen, who had five players — starting center Jacco Fritz and reserves Griffin Barrouk, Khalil Farmer, KiJan Robinson and Silas Sunday — score two points each. It was the second straight game in which all nine Dutchmen who played scored. The Dutchmen last had every player who saw the floor score in consecutive games from Nov. 14-17, 2022, when seven players apiece scored in wins over George Washington and San Jose State.

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried live on ESPN2, which is channel 35 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

DUKE AND THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

Duke, under second-year head coach Jon Scheyer, is also 6-3 this season (as well as 0-1 in the ACC) following Saturday’s 80-56 win over Charlotte.

Duke was picked to finish first in the 15-team ACC. That seems like an overstuffed conference, but I’m sure they’re not going to add any more schools soon — especially schools west of the eastern time zone! Sophomore center Kyle Filipowski, who was named the preseason ACC player of the year, leads the Blue Devils with 17.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. Senior guard Jeremy Roach (A senior? At Duke? In this economy?) ranks second in scoring at 14.3 ppg while sophomore forward Mark Mitchell ranks third in scoring at 11.1 ppg and second in rebounding at 4.8 rpg. Sophomore guard Tyrese Proctor, who was named to the preseason all-ACC second team, is averaging 10.3 ppg and a team-high 4.5 assists per game.

The Dutchmen and Blue Devils have no common opponents this season.

At KenPom.com, Duke is ranked 15th nationally in offensive efficiency (117.5 points per 100 possessions) and 31st in defensive efficiency (96.0 points per 100 minutes) while ranking 182nd in tempo (68.9 possessions per 40 minutes).

This is the first meeting between Hofstra and Duke in men’s basketball and the 19th meeting in any sport. The teams are tied 9-9 in the all-time any sports series.

The Flying Dutchmen lacrosse team is 6-0 against Duke, though they have played the Blue Devils since 2003, three seasons before John Danowski was nudged out the door and went to Duke because the Dutchmen didn’t win NCAA Tournament games. Now the Dutchmen don’t even make the NCAA Tournament and Danowski is a three-time national champion with Duke. Thanks again, Stu! 

The men’s wrestling team is 1-1 against Duke while the Flying Dutchwomen soccer team is 1-0 (with a 2-1 win on Sept. 12, 2014) and the volleyball team is 1-4. The women’s lacrosse team (0-3), women’s basketball team (0-2) and men’s soccer team (0-1) are all winless against Duke. 

Hofstra is 5-29 all-time against current ACC schools. The Dutchmen last faced an ACC opponent on Mar. 19, 2019, when they fell to North Carolina State 82-74 in the first round of the NIT. The Dutchmen last beat an ACC opponent on Nov 20, 2015, when they edged Florida State 82-77 in the opener of the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 101st while Duke is ranked 17th. KenPom.com predicts an 80-66 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 15 1/2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 4-4 against the spread this season.

I previewed tonight’s game for Field Level Media. Give this a click!

HOFSTRA VS. TOP 25 TEAMS

Duke is ranked no. 21 in the AP poll and no. 19 in the coaches’ poll. This marks the 26th time the Dutchmen have faced a team ranked in the top 25 in at least one of the polls in the DD Era. The Dutchmen are 4-21 in the previous 25 games but 2-1 in the last three games following an 85-81 win over then-no. 18/18 Charleston on Jan. 28. If these trends continue… This is the second straight season in which the Dutchmen are playing at least one regular season league game against a team ranked in both polls as well as the fourth straight season they are playing a ranked opponent. 

1/28/23: No. 18/18 Charleston 85-81

12/7/22: No. 4/4 Purdue 85-66 L

12/18/21: No. 24/19 Arkansas 89-81 W

11/19/21: no. 20 Maryland 69-67 L

11/9/21: no. 15 Houston 83-75 L (OT)

12/22/20: no. 23 Richmond 76-71 W

11/29/20: no. 24 Rutgers 70-56 L

12/22/17: no. 1 Villanova 95-71 L

12/11/16: no. 6 Kentucky 96-73 L

11/12/13: no. 3 Louisville 97-69 L 

11/18/10: no. 8 North Carolina 107-63 L

11/13/09 no. 1 Kansas 101-65 L

11/17/09 no. 12 UConn 76-67 L

12/22/06 no. 23 Syracuse 85-60 L

2/23/06 no. 25 George Mason 77-68 W

12/30/04 no. 7 Syracuse 80-75 L

11/22/02 no. 21 Gonzaga 69-61 L

12/4/01 no. 9 Syracuse 91-65 L

3/15/01 no. 15 UCLA 61-48 L***

3/17/00 no. 14 Oklahoma State 86-66 L***

11/20/98 no. 6 Maryland 89-59 L

12/2/98 no. 25 St. John’s 70-49 L

11/27/97 no. 19 Louisville 75-66 L

12/14/96 no. 19 Xavier 79-43 L

12/28/95 no. 8 Villanova 91-57 L 

***NCAA Tournament

GRAD VS. GRAD

Like Speedy Claxton, Jon Scheyer is coaching an alma mater for whom he played. Scheyer played for the Blue Devils under the ever-popular Mike Krzyzewski from 2006-07 through 2009-10 and capped his career by winning the national title. One pixel away for Butler, sigh. 

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

Coach K is a big phony and awfully sanctimonious bias! (Remember when he wouldn’t retire a player’s number unless he graduated? I do!) 

John Danowski wins for you bias! (Duh)

Mike Schrage bias! (The former Not Twitter Guy head coach returned to Duke, where he served as an assistant from 1999 through 2008, following the 2021-22 season)

Everyone really hated Christian Laettner bias! (Stupid foot stomper…though he was awfully likable in the 30 for 30 doc)

North Carolina has always been better than you bias! (This one goes out to Jaden Daly and also acknowledges my original college basketball fandom)

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Saint Louis

I really wanted to post a picture of the scary-ass mascot, but when the opportunity to post a Pat Leahy football card I surely had as a six-year-old presents itself, well, sorry scary-ass Billikens.

Tyler Thomas got the Stephon Curry treatment? No problem Wednesday night for the Flying Dutchmen, who managed to grind it out with a balanced scoring attack and stave off pesky Iona in a wire-to-wire 62-57 win. The Dutchmen will look to extend their winning streak this afternoon, when they visit the Atlantic 10’s Saint Louis. Here’s a look back at the win over the Gaels and a look ahead to the Billikens and their scary-ass mascot.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Tyler Thomas’ streak of double-digit scoring efforts was snapped as he was limited to eight points — including none in the second half, when Thomas still came up with a trio of key assists to help the Dutchmen close out the win in the clash of local rivals. Thomas actually scored the Dutchmen’s first six points with a pair of 3-pointers (albeit during a stretch in which the Dutchmen were 2-of-13 from the field with a turnover) and scored his final bucket to end a game-opening 22-12 run. The Dutchmen opened up another 10-point lead at 28-18 before Iona ended the half by scoring the final eight points, a span in which the Dutchmen missed three shots and committed two turnovers. Darlinstone Dubar and Bryce Washington combined to score all the Dutchmen’s points in a 15-6 run that extended the lead to 45-34 with 11:33 left. Iona responded with a 9-3 run, but Thomas had assists on the Dutchmen’s final two 3-pointers — by Jacco Fritz (!!!) and Jaquan Carlos — and Carlos and KiJan Robinson combined to go 3-of-4 from the line in the final half-minute, when the Gaels twice pulled within four points. Dubar (12 points, 10 rebounds) had another double-double while Fritz had nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Carlos (11 points, seven assists) also flirted with a double-double, though he committed six turnovers. Thomas also nearly posted a double-double by finishing with eight rebounds. Washington scored 11 points in just 19 minutes.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Iona, 12/6)

3: Jacco Fritz

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: Bryce Washington

SEASON STANDINGS

Tyler Thomas 16

Darlinstone Dubar 15

Jaquan Carlos 8

Jacco Fritz 6

Bryce Washington 2

KiJan Robinson 1

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! Not too surprising, considering how low-scoring games used to be. But somewhat surprisingly, this is only the second 62-57 win in program history. The Dutchmen edged New Hampshire on Dec, 27, 2008 in a game in which Tom Pecora exited during the first half due to illness. 

The Dutchmen have earned four unicorn score victories this season after recording 12 unicorn score victories last season, 11 unicorn score victories in 2021-22, no unicorn score victories in 2020-21, 13 unicorn score victories in 2019-20 and 10 unicorn score victories 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?

Jacco Fritz joined the all-time Keith Hernandez club by hitting the tie-breaking jumper to put the Dutchmen up 10-8 with 12:37 left in the first half. Fritz is the first newcomer to the Keith Hernandez club since Warren Williams had the tie-breaking nostalgic 3-pointer against Delaware on Jan. 14.

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)

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 3

Jacco Fritz

Tyler Thomas 1

Jaquan Carlos 1

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

Tyler Thomas 11

Darlinstone Dubar 8

Aaron Estrada 4

Warren Williams 3

Jaquan Carlos 2

German Plotnikov 2

Jacco Fritz 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 EIGHT GAMES

With Wednesday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 6-2. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 12th-best record in school history through eight games. This is the second straight season in which the Dutchmen have opened 6-2 and the 13th time overall in school history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through eight games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 4-4

1976-77: 6-2

1999-2000: 4-4

2000-01: 6-2

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 5-3

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 4-4

2004-05: 8-0 (most recent 8-0 start)

2005-06: 6-2

2006-07: 5-3

2015-16: 6-2 

2018-19: 5-3 (marked second win in the 16-game winning streak)

2022-23: 6-2

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 4-4

1961-62: 7-1

1962-63: 6-2

1963-64: 7-1

Some other notable eight-game starts:

2021-22: 4-4 (most recent 4-4 start)

2020-21: 5-3 (most recent 5-3 start)

2013-14: 2-6 (most recent 2-6 start)

2012-13: 3-5 (most recent 3-5 start)

2008-09: 7-1 (most recent 7-1 start)

2002-03: 1-7 (most recent 1-7 start)

1994-95: 2-6 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-7 (VBK’s last team)

1960-61: 8-0

1959-60: 8-0

1955-56: 8-0

1951-52: 8-0

1947-48: 8-0

The Dutchmen have never opened 0-8.

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 SEVENTY-FIVE

With Wednesday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 52-23 (.693) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 75 games at the helm. The last 21 games mark the highest Claxton has been in the all-time game-to-game standings since he became head coach in 2021-22.

Paul Lynner 55-20 (.733, 75th game was the 16th game of his third season in 1964-65)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 52-23 (.693, 75th game was the eighth game of his third season in 2023-24)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 48-27 (.640, 75th game was the 23rd and final game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 38-37 (.507, 75th game was the 20th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 36-39 (.480, 75th game was the 18th game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 36-39 (.480, 75th game was the eighth game of his third season in 2015-16)

Mo Cassara 34-41 (.453, 75th game was the 10th game of his third season in 2012-13)

Roger Gaeckler 29-46 (.387, 75th game was the third game of his fourth season in 1975-76)

Jay Wright 29-46 (.387, 75th game was the 20th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Tom Pecora 26-49 (.347, 75th game was the 14th game of his third season in 2003-04)

The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenures of Jack Smith (1943-46) and Frank Reilly (1947-55).

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.

WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN

The Dutchmen never trailed Wednesday night, It was their second straight wire-to-wire win and their third of the season overall, The Dutchmen last earned at least two straight wire-to-wire wins from Feb. 4-11, when they never trailed in three consecutive wins over Stony Brook, Northeastern and Monmouth. The Dutchmen had nine wire-to-wire wins last season — their most since at least the 2005-06 season, which is as far back as play-by-play logs go at the Hofstra site.

A NARROW WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN

The Dutchmen, as you no doubt have noticed by now, won Wednesday's game 62-57. That’s their smallest margin of victory in a game in which they never trailed since Jan. 17, 2021, when the Dutchmen edged Delaware 68-67 when Ebby Asamoah’s potential game-winning 3-pointer was hoisted just after the buzzer. Phew to that.

GRIND IT OUT

The Dutchmen made a quirky bit of history Wednesday, when they scored their fewest points in a victory in the Speedy Claxton Era. Prior to Wednesday, the Dutchmen had scored fewer than 70 points in a win under Claxton just four times. The 62 points the Dutchmen scored Wednesday were their fewest in a victory since Jan. 2, 2021, when the Dutchmen edged William & Mary 61-56. Pretty close to 62-57!

D-STONE’S DOZEN IS ENOUGH

And here’s an even quirkier bit of history: Darlinstone Dubar led the Dutchmen with 12 points Wednesday night. That’s the fewest points the leading scorer has scored in victory for the Dutchmen since way back on Nov. 26, 2011, when Dwan McMillan and Stephen Nwaukoni each scored 12 points in a 63-53 win over Cleveland State. That was 220 wins ago!

THE DEFENSE DIDN’T REST

The Dutchmen allowed fewer than 60 points for the first time this season and have now won 45 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points. The Dutchmen last lost when giving up fewer than 60 points on Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.

FANTASTIC FIVE

It didn’t take long for the Dutchmen to ensure they would remain in a pretty cool club this season. The win on Wednesday was the fifth straight for the Dutchmen, who have now won at least five straight games in each of the last six seasons dating back to 2018-19 — a span that, of course, includes the 2020-21 season, which was drastically shortened by a pandemic. Through Friday, the Dutchmen are one of just 16 Division I teams with a winning streak of five games or longer in each of the last six seasons. Some pretty good company here!

HOFSTRA

Arizona

Auburn

Baylor

Belmont

Clemson

Creighton

Gonzaga

Houston

Liberty

Louisiana Tech

San Diego State

Santa Clara

UC Irvine

Utah State

Wisconsin

Twenty-seven other teams entered the season with at least one five-game winning streak in each of the previous five seasons — including Saint Louis! Quirky! The only team with a chance at extending its membership in this club today is Kansas, whose game against Missouri is slated to tip off at 5:15 PM EST, which should be shortly after the Hofstra-Saint Louis game concludes.

D-STONE’S DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLE CLUB

Somebody get Darlinstone Dubar some Dubble Bubble (ask your parents). Dubar posted his second straight double-double Wednesday night, when he had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Dubar, who had 24 points and 11 rebounds in the 82-63 win over South Florida on Nov. 30, is the first Hofstra player with double-doubles in consecutive games since Abayomi Iyiola did so against John Jay and Arkansas from Dec. 12-18, 2021 and the first to do so against Division I foes since Isaac Kante had back-to-back double-doubles against William & Mary on Jan. 2-3, 2021.  Dubar now has as many double-doubles in the last two games as he did in his first 73 games at Hofstra. 

D-STONE DEALING

Darlinstone Dubar now has the longest active streak of double-digit scoring performances after he finished with a team-high 12 points Wednesday night. Dubar has scored in double figures in all eight games this season, which is his longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts, and in 10 straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. 

THOMAS TAMED

A constant stream of double-teams ended Tyler Thomas’ streak of double-digit scoring performances at 22 games on Wednesday night, when he was limited to eight points. Thomas previously scored in single digits on Jan. 16, when he was limited to five points in a 68-47 loss to Towson. He has scored in double figures in 31 of his last 33 games and 36 times in 43 games overall since joining the Dutchmen last season.

CRAZY EIGHTS

Tyler Thomas had an atypically quiet offensive game Wednesday night but still finished with four assists and eight rebounds. The eight rebounds tied a season-high for Thomas, who also had eight boards against George Washington on Nov. 14 and against High Point on Nov. 22.

PUTTING ON THE FRITZ

Jacco Fritz, returning to a familiar locale, had perhaps his best game of the season Wednesday night, when he had nine points, nine rebounds and three blocks. The three blocks set a season-high and tied a career-high for Fritz, who had three blocks for Canisius against Niagara on Mar. 6, 2020 and against Saint Peter’s on Jan. 1, 2021. The nine rebounds tied a season-high (set previously against Wright State on Nov. 21) while the nine points were his second-most this year behind a 14-point effort against Wright State. 

GETTING IT DONE IN NEW ROCHELLE

Jacco Fritz continued thriving in road games against Iona on Wednesday night, when he came up just shy of a third straight double-double in New Rochelle. Fritz had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Canisius in the Golden Griffins’ 72-65 loss at Iona on Feb. 25, 2022 before he had 10 points and 13 rebounds in a 90-60 loss on Dec. 4, 2022. Someone might be hoping for a CBI rematch in New Rochelle! (Please, no, not that)

THE BIG GUY FROM DOWNTOWN

Jacco Fritz almost surely made some quirky history Wednesday night, when the 6-foot-10 center sank a long 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:27 left to extend the Dutchmen’s lead to 51-43. It was not only the first 3-pointer of the season for Fritz but the first 3-pointer by someone 6-foot-10 or taller in the Defiantly Dutch Era (1993-pres)! And given how few 3-pointers were shot by anyone, never mind 6-foot-10 players, in the first seven years of the 3-point shot, I think we can safely assume Fritz is the tallest player to ever hit a 3-pointer for the Dutchmen, Now that’s quirky! I believe the only 6-foot-10 or taller players to even attempt a 3-pointer for the Dutchmen are Greg Washington, whose very last shot as a collegian was an errant 3-pointer just before the buzzer in the CBI game against Evansville on Mar. 15, 2011, and Lars Grubler, who has a missed 3-pointer on his ledger at College Basketball Reference. We report on the truly weird stuff here, folks.

CARLOS SHOPS AT 7/11

Jaquan Carlos had an up-and-down game Wednesday night, when he committed a career-high six turnovers but also had 11 points and seven assists. It was the third straight game in which he had at least 11 points and seven assists, the fourth time he reached those very specific figures this season and the sixth time he’s done so in his career.

BRYCE THE GLUE GUY

Bryce Washington continued his solid season Wednesday night, when he scored 11 points, including eight during the Dutchmen’s key second half surge. It was the third double-digit scoring effort of the season for Washington, his most in a season since his freshman season with Pennsylvania way back in 2018-19, when he scored in double figures eight times in 30 games. A LOT has happened since then.

FAMILIAR FACES

Silas Sunday, who played last season at Iona, had two points and two rebounds in in six minutes Wednesday night. Sunday is the first Hofstra player to oppose a former school since Abayomi Iyiola racked up a double-double (18 points, 14 rebounds) in the 89-81 upset over nationally ranked Arkansas on Dec. 18, 2021.

MAKING IT COUNT

Griffin Barrouk sank his only shot Wednesday night, a 3-pointer late in the first half. He’s the first player to go 1-for-1 from the field with a 3-pointer since…Griffin Barrouk did it against Saint Mary’s on Nov. 19, 2022.

SPREADING THE SCORING

KiJan Robinson closed out the scoring for the Dutchmen by splitting a pair of free throws in the waning seconds Wednesday night, With Robinson’s point, all nine players who saw the floor against Iona scored for the Dutchmen. It’s the first time every player who saw the floor for the Dutchmen scored since all eight players got into the scoring column in the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14.

OVER THE AIR

This afternoon's game will be carried on ESPNPlus, which you have if you have the Disney Bundle, which you have if you have a child under the age of 18. Hofstra will also provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

SAINT LOUIS AND THE ATLANTIC 10

Saint Louis, under eighth-year head coach Travis Ford, is 5-5 this season after suffering its third straight loss Wednesday, when the scary-ass Billikens fell to Drake, 75-69.

Saint Louis was picked to finish sixth in the 15-team Atlantic 10 (math is really hard). Senior guard Gibson Jimerson, who was named to the preseason all-Atlantic 10 first team, leads the Billikens with 15.8 points per game, though junior guard Sincere Parker was averaging 17.3 points over four games before suffering an ankle injury that has him sidelined indefinitely. Senior guard Terrence Hargrove is averaging 13.7 points per game and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game. Senior forward Tim Dalger, who spent the previous two seasons at Tulsa, is averaging 10.8 ppg and 4.7 rpg.

At KenPom.com, Saint Louis is ranked 155th nationally in offensive efficiency (105.5 points per 100 possessions) and 267th in defensive efficiency (108.4 points per 100 minutes) while ranking 68th in tempo (71.4 possessions per 40 minutes).

The Dutchmen and Billikens have one common opponent this season. George Washington which beat Hofstra 71-60 on Nov. 14, is slated to visit Saint Louis on Feb. 24.

This is the first meeting between Hofstra and Saint Louis in men’s basketball and just the fourth meeting in any sport. The Flying Dutchwomen field hockey team earned a 3-2 win in the St. Louis Invitational during the 1997 season while the softball team beat Saint Louis twice during the 2016 Florida Gulf Coast University Invitational, when the Dutchmen earned a 9-1 win on Feb. 19 and 10-2 in a game shortened to five innings on Feb. 20. I sure hope all my yammering about settling the family business doesn’t come back to haunt me today! 

Hofstra is 39-110 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 11th straight season in which Hofstra has faced at least one A-10 school.

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 95th while Saint Louis is ranked 205th. KenPom.com predicts a 78-75 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 3 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 4-3 against the spread this season.

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

Your mascot is freaky as hell bias! (Seriously what is that thing)

Pat Leahy bias! (The long-, Long- LONGTIME kicker for the Jets played soccer at Saint Louis)

Andy Benes bias! (The longtime pitcher went to Saint Louis but after his big league career ended)

Larry Hughes bias! (Hughes played one yaer at Saint Louis before spending 15 years in the NBA)

John Stamos is a fan of yours bias! (Per Wikipedia, which is never wrong)

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at Iona

A nifty card, but not the 1986 Fleer that's gonna put your kids through college.

The Flying Dutchmen followed up their stirring championship run in the Gulf Coast Showcase with an even more impressive win last Thursday, when they never trailed South Florida in an 82-63 victory. The Dutchmen will look to continue their winning streak tonight, when they trek to New Ro to see our friends at Iona. Here’s a look back at the win over the Bulls and a look ahead to the Gaels.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The big three of Darlinstone Dubar, Tyler Thomas and Jaquan Carlos all had big games for the Dutchmen, who opened up a double-digit lead for good by the first media timeout and cruised from there to the most lopsided win a CAA team has ever authored against a team from the American (more quirkiness to come on that one!). Dubar, Thomas and Carlos combined for 10 points in a 12-4 run that removed any suspense and put the Dutchmen ahead 27-11 midway through the first half. The Dutchmen opened up their first 20-point lead with 7:54 left, led 44-23 at the half and led by as many as 32 before South Florida made it semi-respectable over the final 10 minutes of garbage time. Dubar (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Carlos (11 points, 10 assists) each posted double-doubles while Thomas had a ho-hum 25 points while going  7-of-13 from 3-point land. Glue guy Bryce Washington (10 points, four rebounds) flirted with a Woolworth’s (ask your parents) while Silas Sunday added seven first-half points.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. South Florida, 11/30)

3: Darlinstone Dubar

2: Tyler Thomas

1: Jaquan Carlos

SEASON STANDINGS

Tyler Thomas 16

Darlinstone Dubar 13

Jaquan Carlos 8

Jacco Fritz 3

KiJan Robinson 1

Bryce Washington 1

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

Yes! The Dutchmen beat Towson State (don’t look at me, that was the school name back then) 83-63 on Jan. 23, 1996, beat Maryland State 83-62 during the 1952-53 season and have earned three 82-62 wins, most recently over Binghamton on Dec. 17, 2011. But they’d never wedged an 82-63 win in there before last Thursday. Neat!

This is the Dutchmen’s fourth unicorn score victory of the season. 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.

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

WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?

Darlinstone Dubar, already the only player this season with multiple Keith Hernandezes, became the first player with back-to-back Keith Hernandezes when he gave the Dutchmen the lead for good by hitting a layup 18 seconds into the game. That’s a whopping 39:55 earlier than his tie-breaking basket against High Point 13 seconds into overtime on Nov. 22 as well as the earliest Keith Hernandez since Tyler Thomas sank a 3-pointer 28 seconds into the CAA tournament quarterfinal against William & Mary on Mar. 5. 

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)

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 3

Tyler Thomas 1

Jaquan Carlos 1

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

Tyler Thomas 11

Darlinstone Dubar 8

Aaron Estrada 4

Warren Williams 3

Jaquan Carlos 2

German Plotnikov 2

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 SEVEN GAMES

With last Thursday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 5-2. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 15th-best record in school history through seven games. This is the second straight season in which the Dutchmen have opened 5-2 and the 15th time overall in school history. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through seven games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 3-4

1976-77: 6-1

1999-2000: 3-4

2000-01: 5-2

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 4-3

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 3-4

2004-05: 7-0 (most recent 7-0 start)

2005-06: 5-2

2006-07: 4-3 (over .500 for good)

2015-16: 5-2 

2018-19: 4-3 (marked first win in the 16-game winning streak)

2022-23: 5-2

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 4-3

1961-62: 6-1

1962-63: 5-2

1963-64: 6-1

Some other notable seven-game starts:

2021-22: 3-4 (most recent 3-4 start)

2020-21: 4-3 (most recent 4-3 start)

2013-14: 2-5 (most recent 2-5 start)

2012-13: 3-4 (under .500 for good because…well, you know)

2011-12: 3-4 (under .500 for good)

2008-09: 6-1 (most recent 6-1 start)

2002-03: 1-6 (most recent 1-6 start)

1994-95: 2-5 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 1-6 (VBK’s last team)

1982-83: 6-1 (first loss in 7th game)

1978-79: 3-4 (under .500 for good)

1973-74: 1-6 (win snapped the most recent season-opening six-game losing streak, the Dutchmen have never begun 0-7)

1960-61: 7-0

1959-60: 7-0

1955-56: 7-0

1954-55: 7-0

1951-52: 7-0

1947-48: 7-0

1943-44: 3-4 (under .500 for good)

Hofstra has never been 0-7 through seven games. It’s the first record they’ve never experienced! Let’s keep it that way.

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 SEVENTY-FOUR

With the win last Thursday, Speedy Claxton improved to 51-23 (.689) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 74 games at the helm. The last 20 games mark the highest Claxton has been in the all-time game-to-game standings since he became head coach in 2021-22.

Paul Lynner 55-19 (.743, 74th game was the 15th game of his third season in 1964-65)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 51-23 (.689, 74th game was the seventh game of his third season in 2023-24)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 48-26 (.649, 74th game was the 22nd game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 38-36 (.514, 74th game was the 19th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 35-39 (.473, 74th game was the 17th game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 35-39 (.473, 74th game was the seventh game of his third season in 2015-16)

Mo Cassara 34-40 (.459, 74th game was the nine game of his third season in 2012-13)

Roger Gaeckler 28-46 (.378, 74th game was the second game of his fourth season in 1975-76)

Jay Wright 28-46 (.378, 74th game was the 19th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Tom Pecora 26-48 (.351, 74th game was the 13th game of his third season in 2003-04)

With the 2012-13 team unfortunately at the start of its eight-game post-arrests losing streak, Joe Mihalich has surpassed Mo Cassara for good in the all-time standings.

The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenures of Jack Smith (1943-46) and Frank Reilly (1947-55).

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.

WIRE-TO-WIRE WIN

The Dutchmen never trailed last Thursday. It was their second wire-to-wire win of the season and first since the 102-68 win over former ECC rival Buffalo (it’s true, you could look it up). The Dutchmen had nine wire-to-wire wins last season — their most since at least the 2005-06 season, which is as far back as play-by-play logs go at the Hofstra site.

AMERICAN PRIDE

With the victory long in hand, the Dutchmen allowed South Florida to whittle a 32-point deficit to 19 points over the final 11 minutes. But that was still enough for the Dutchmen to record the most lopsided victory ever by a CAA school over a team from the American Athletic Conference. Prior to last Thursday, a CAA school had twice beaten an American school by 18 points. Charleston defeated East Carolina 53-35 on Dec. 15, 2016 while Towson beat Tulane (and old pal Ron Hunter) 73-55 on Dec. 21, 2018. I’m sure that win over an American school, even a rebuilding one like South Florida, will be the biggest the CAA records all season! Hold on, I am being told something. (See ya, Villanova, Kentucky and Xavier, way to go, Drexel, UNC Wilmington and Delaware)

TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILY BUSINESS

The Dutchmen continued their early-season trend of getting revenge for long-ago defeats that frankly may only be remembered by weirdos like me, but hey, that’s why I’m here! South Florida, which entered last Thursday 3-0 all-time against Hofstra, is the second school against whom the Dutchmen have earned their first all-time win this season. The Dutchmen were 0-2 against Wright State before the wild 97-92 overtime win in the championship game of the Gulf Coast Classic on Nov. 22. The Dutchmen last beat two teams for the first time ever (minimum of two previous games) in 2015-16, when they beat Florida State and St. Bonaventure after entering the season 0-3 against both schools.

(More importantly, the win over South Florida finally avenged Olivia Galati and the best team to ever play sports at Hofstra, the 2012 softball squad that fell a base hit shy of beating South Florida and advancing to the College World Series)

FOUR TIMES THREE

The win last Thursday was the fourth straight for the Dutchmen, who have authored a four-game winning streak in non-conference play in each of the last three seasons. The Dutchmen haven’t won at least five straight games in non-conference play since Nov. 28-Dec. 22, 2018, when they closed out pre-CAA action with seven straight wins. They extended the winning streak to 16 games by winning their first nine games in CAA action. I was told there’d be no math.

NOT HALF BAD

The Dutchmen shot a blistering 50 percent (15-of-30) from 3-point land last Thursday, their most successful performance from beyond the arc since they shot 61.9 percent (13-of-21) in the 94-46 win over William & Mary in the CAA tournament quarterfinals on Mar. 5.

DOUBLE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE FUN

Darlinstone Dubar (24 points, 11 rebounds) and Jaquan Carlos (11 points, 10 rebounds) became the first pair of teammates to record double-doubles in the same game for the Dutchmen since Feb. 4, when Carlos (10 assists, 10 rebounds) and Tyler Thomas (29 points, 11 rebounds) each posted double-doubles in a 79-58 win over Stony Brook.

THE 20/20 CLUB

Tyler Thomas (25 points) and Darlinstone Dubar (24 points) each scored at least 20 points in the same game for the second time this season. Dubar scored a career-high 30 points while Thomas added 21 points in the 102-68 win over Buffalo on Nov. 20. The Dutchmen had two 20-point scorers in the same game six times last season.

D-STONE DEALING (part one)

Darlinstone Dubar’s impressive season continued last Thursday, when he posted his third career double-double by finishing with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Dubar has scored in double figures in all seven games this season, which is tied for the longest single-season stretch of consecutive double-figure efforts in his career, and in nine straight games overall dating back to the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT on Mar. 14. He has scored at least 16 games six times this season and eight times over his current streak after scoring at least 16 points in a game 13 times in his first 65 games with the Dutchmen. 

D-STONE DEALING (part two)

Darlinstone Dubar recorded at least 10 rebounds in a game for the third time in his career last Thursday. All three 10-rebound efforts have come in his double-doubles. Dubar had 11 points and 12 rebounds against Molloy on Nov. 24, 2021 before again recording 11 points and 12 rebounds against Princeton on Nov. 7, 2022.

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas had little difficulty extending his streak of double-digit scoring performances last Thursday, when he scored a game-high 25 points. It was the 22nd straight double-digit effort for Thomas, who has scored at least 10 points in 31 of his last 32 games and 36 times in 42 games overall since joining the Dutchmen last season. He has scored at least 20 points six times in seven games this season and 18 times overall.

LUCKY SEVENS (part one)

Tyler Thomas did most of his damage from outside last Thursday, when he went 7-of-13 from 3-point land. The seven 3-pointers were one shy of Thomas’ career-high, set in the season-opening win over St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6, as well as his most against a Division I foe while playing for Hofstra. Thomas sank seven 3-pointers for Sacred Heart against Merrimack on Jan. 7, 2021 and again against Rhode Island on Dec. 7, 2021.

LUCKY SEVENS (part two)

Here’s another sign of how the game has changed and how the 3-pointer is now the preeminent weapon in college basketball. Following Tyler Thomas’ big game last Thursday, a player has drained at least seven 3-pointers in a game 19 times in the Dutchmen’s last 434 games dating back to Feb. 13, 2010, when Cornelius Vines tied the then-school record by hitting seven 3-pointers against UNC Wilmington. Vines, Frank Walker (Dec. 10, 1987) and Jason Hernandez (Jan. 28, 2000) were the only Hofstra players to hit seven 3-pointers in a game in the first 674 games of the 3-point shot era, which began in 1986-87.

NUMBER 23 IS NUMBER ONE

Now this is cool. As games begin today, Tyler Thomas leads the country in scoring at 25.0 points per game. Xavier Johnson of Southern Illinois ranks second at 24.2 points per game while Zach Edey of former Hofstra opponent Purdue ranks third at 23.7 ppg. Johnson scored 32 points in Southern Illinois’ 70-68 upset of Oklahoma State last night and doesn’t; play again until next Tuesday. Edey scored 25 points in Purdue’s 87-68 win over Iowa on Monday and is off until Saturday, when the Boilermakers play…Aaron Estrada and Alabama. I love it when a good stat comes together. Props to fellow scribe James (Bucky) Dent, who covers Southern Illinois for the Southern Illinoisan newspaper, for pointing out the Hofstra-Southern Illinois tandem atop the charts.

JC’S DOUBLE-DOUBLE MIX

Jaquan Carlos posted his second career double-double last Thursday, when he had 11 points and 10 assists. He also recorded a double-double against Stony Brook on Feb. 4, when he finished with 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Has any Hofstra player ever posted a double-double with three different combinations? I don’t know but if Carlos wants to go have 10-plus points and 10-plus rebounds tonight that’d be great!

BRYCE THE GLUE GUY

Bryce Washington continued his solid season last Thursday, when he had 10 points and four rebounds. It was the second time this season Washington’s scored at least 10 points after he did so just twice in 28 games in his Hofstra debut last year.  He also has at least four rebounds in five games after pulling down at least four rebounds in just three games last season.

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

Silas Sunday finished with seven points, four rebounds and one block in just nine minutes last Thursday. Sunday posted most of his production during a stretch of 3:14 in the first half, when he scored six points — via baskets on three consecutive possessions — while also pulling down two rebounds and recording his block. The seven points were one shy of Sunday’s career-high, set against St. Joseph’s (NY) in the season opener on Nov. 6, and the most he’s recorded against a Division I foe.

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried on ESPNPlus, which you have if you have the Disney Bundle, which you have if you have a child under the age of 18. Hofstra will also provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.

IONA AND THE MAAC

Iona, under first-year head coach Tobin Anderson after finally moving on from that no-name Rick Pitino, is 3-5 this season and 1-1 in the MAAC after beating Fairfield, 78-67, in a league game last Friday.

Iona, which won the MAAC Tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in the last eight seasons last year before Pitino took a step down to St. John’s, was picked to finish second in the 11-team MAAC.

Anderson, who replaced Pitino after leading 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson to a pair of wins — including the seismic upset of Purdue — in last year’s NCAA Tournament, is presiding over perhaps the biggest overhaul in Division I. The Gaels’ lone returnee from last year’s roster, 7-foot-1 graduate student Shema Osborn, was a preseason all-MAAC first team selection but has yet to play due to a leg injury.

Graduate student guard Idan Tretout, who opened his career with three seasons at Harvard, leads Iona with 16.0 points per game. Junior guard Greg Gordon, a transfer from Dyersburg State Community College in Tennessee, is averaging 12.3 points per game while leading the Gaels with 6.3 rebounds per game. Graduate student Wheza Panzo, who played the previous four seasons at Stetson, ranks third on Iona with 12.1 points per game while fellow graduate student guard Joel Brown, who played the previous four seasons at California, has a team-high 3.6 assists per game.

At KenPom.com, Iona is ranked 163rd nationally in offensive efficiency (105.3 points per 100 possessions) and 199th in defensive efficiency (105.9 points per 100 minutes) while ranking 162nd in tempo (69.6 possessions per 40 minutes)

The Dutchmen and Gaels have three common opponents this season. Iona opened the season Nov, 6 with a 71-69 loss to Charleston, began the Gulf Coast Showcase Nov. 20 by falling to High Point 82-68 and beat Buffalo, 89-64, in the Gulf Coast Showcase’s seventh-place game on Nov. 22. Had the bracket broken right, this could be the second game of the year between the Dutchmen and Iona!

Iona leads the all-time series 22-21, though the Dutchmen won the most recent meeting by edging the Gaels 83-79 on Nov. 11, 2022. That marked Hofstra’s first win in the current series against Iona as well as the Dutchmen’s first-ever win against Pitino, who beat Hofstra with Providence on Dec. 29, 1986 and Louisville on Nov. 12, 2013 before winning the first two games of the current Hofstra-Iona series on by identical 82-74 scores on Dec. 5, 2020 and Nov, 16, 2021. The Dutchmen get another chance at squaring away family business against Pitino and St. John’s on Dec. 30!

Iona is Hofstra’s third-most frequent non-conference opponent behind only Manhattan (66 games) and Wagner (53 games). Though apparently Delaware (101 games) will be a non-conference opponent soon enough. Sigh.

Hofstra is 105-118 all-time against current MAAC schools. Iona is the only MAAC team on the Dutchmen’s schedule this season, making this just the third time in the last 18 seasons the Dutchmen aren’t playing at least two MAAC foes. 

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 101st while Iona is ranked 172nd. KenPom.com predicts a 76-75 win for the Dutchmen. That’s close! Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 3-3 against the spread this season.

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

Cinderella bias! (There have been few March Madness tales better than the one Tobin Anderson presided over with Fairleigh Dickinson in March)

Fellow Connecticut guys bias! (Tobin Anderson was a star at Wesleyan University, located in Middletown, while our good friend and Iona fan Guy Falotico lives in the state)

You’re too good for Rick Pitino who needs him anyway bias! (Duh)

We've got Silas Sunday now bias! (Sunday spent last season at Iona)

Jeff Ruland bias! (The two-time NBA All-Star played three years at Iona and later spent nine seasons as the Gaels’ head coach)