I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Wright State

Not that David Wright...whose final game with the Mets, pictured here, happened so long ago, he is on the Hall of Fame ballot that was released yesterday. Yikes. 

The Flying Dutchmen earned their first win over a Division I opponent in resounding fashion Monday night, when they scored the first 10 points and were never threatened in a 102-68 win over former East Coast Conference foe Buffalo in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Dutchmen will look to stay hot and continue settling old family business tonight, when they face former Bracketbuster foe Wright State. Here’s a look back at the win over the Bulls and a look ahead to…the Flying Brothers? The Raiders? Why aren’t Wright State’s teams nicknamed the Flying Brothers?

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Darlinstone Dubar continued his early-season breakout  by scoring a career-high 30 points — including 21 in the first half — as the Dutchmen rolled past Buffalo. Dubar was outscoring Buffalo by himself through the 9:50 mark of the first half for the Dutchmen, who never led by fewer than seven after their game-opening surge. The Dutchmen ended any doubt with a 19-0 run spanning more than five minutes late in the first half. The Dutchmen led by as many as 35 in the first half, led 59-26 at the half and by as many as 44 before Speedy Claxton sat the starters midway through the second half. Tyler Thomas had 21 points while KiJan Robinson finished with 13 points and four rebounds off the bench. Jacco Fritz (seven points, eight rebounds) flirted with a double-double and was whistled for just two fouls in 25 minutes.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Buffalo, 11/20)

3: Darlinstone Dubar

2: Tyler Thomas

1: Jacco Fritz

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 9

Tyler Thomas 8

Jaquan Carlos 4

Jacco Fritz 1

KiJan Robinson 1

Bryce Washington 1

WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

Yes! While 102 points is the Dutchmen’s favorite point total at or beyond the century mark — Monday’s win marks the ninth time in program history they’ve scored exactly 102 points — none of the other victories in which they scored 102 points were within seven points of Monday’s final. 

This is the Dutchmen’s second 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

WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?

Jaquan Carlos opened the game with a 3-pointer to give the Dutchmen a lead they’d never relinquish with 19:33 left in the first half. That’s the fourth-earliest Keith Hernandez in history (or at least since we started tracking Keith Hernandezes last season). It’s also just the second Keith Hernandez for Carlos, who had the first Keith Hernandez in the 2022-23 season-opening win over Princeton. So that was the biggest gap between Keith Hernandezes in history (or at least since we started tracking Keith Hernandezes last season)!

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)

SEASON STANDINGS

Jaquan Carlos 1

Darlinstone Dubar 1

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

Tyler Thomas 10

Darlinstone Dubar 6

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 FOUR GAMES

With Monday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 2-2. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 35th-best record in school history through three games. Thirty-one other teams began 2-2, most recently the 2020-21 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through four games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 2-2

1976-77: 3-1

1999-2000: 2-2

2000-01: 4-0

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 2-2

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 1-3

2004-05: 4-0

2005-06: 2-1

2006-07: 1-3

2015-16: 3-1

2018-19: 2-2

2022-23: 4-0 (most recent 4-0 start)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 2-2

1961-62: 3-1

1962-63: 2-2

1963-64: 3-1

Other notable four-game starts:

2021-22: 1-3 (most recent 1-3 start)

2017-18: 3-1 (most recent 3-1 start)

2013-14: 1-3 (Joe Mihalich’s first team)

2010-11: 1-3 (Mo Cassara’s first team)

2002-03: 1-3 (loss in fourth game — to future Ton Pecora employer Quinnipiac — was first loss in eight-game losing streak, tied for the longest of the Tom Pecora era)

2001-02: 3-1 (Tom Pecora’s first team)

1994-95: 1-3 (Jay Wright’s first team)

1993-94: 0-4 (VBK’s last team, most recent 0-4 start)

1982-83: 4-0

1974-75: 2-2 (at .500 for the last time)

1973-74: 0-4

1972-73: 2-2 (at .500 for the last time)

1969-70: 0-4

1960-61: 4-0

1959-60: 4-0

1955-56: 4-0 (Butch van Breda Kolff improves to 4-0)

1954-55: 4-0

1952-53: 4-0

1951-52: 4-0

1948-49: 4-0

1947-48: 4-0 (Frank Reilly improves to 4-0)

1944-45: 2-2 (at .500 for the last time)

1936-37: 2-2 (program is at all-time .500 for the first time — albeit after just four games)

This feature is inspired by Mets superfan and blogger 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

With Monday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 48-23 (.676) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 71 games at the helm. The last 18 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 53-18 (.746, 71st game was the 12th game of his third season in 1964-65)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 48-23 (.676, 71st game was the fourth game of his third season in 2023-24)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 46-25 (.648, 71st game was the 19th game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 37-34 (.521, 71st game was the 16th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 34-37 (.479, 71st game was the 14th game of his third season in 1990-91)

Mo Cassara 34-37 (.479, 71st game was the sixth game of his third season in 2012-13)

Joe Mihalich 33-38 (.465, 71st game was the fourth game of his third season in 2015-16)

Roger Gaeckler 26-45 (.366, 71st game was the 23rd game of his third season in 1974-75)

Jay Wright 25-46 (.352, 71st game was the 16th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Tom Pecora 24-47 (.338, 71st game was the 10th game of his third season in 2003-04)

For all the “fire them now” jokes I make about the slow starts for Wright and Pecora, it really is wild how slow their builds were and how remarkably well the program fared thereafter under both of them. 

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 Monday. It was their first wire-to-wire win of the season after recording nine such 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 PERFECT TEN

The Dutchmen’s game-opening 10-0 run was their longest since they also scored the first 10 points in an 86-57 win over Monmouth on Feb. 11.

RUN RUNAWAY

The Dutchmen put the game away with a 19-0 run later in the first half. It was their longest run since a 19-0 run spanning the halves in a 67-56 loss (!!!) to Northeastern on Jan. 9, 2021. Weird game, weird season.

A FINE FIRST HALF (part one)

The Dutchmen scored 59 points in the first half Monday night, their most points in a half since they scored 59 points against Old Westbury last Dec. 22 and their most points in a half against a Division I opponent since they raced out to a 61-33 halftime lead over James Madison on Feb. 29, 2020. Things seemed so normal back then.

A FINE FIRST HALF (part two)

The Dutchmen led 59-26 at the half. The 33-point lead is the Dutchmen’s fourth-biggest halftime lead since at least the 2002-03 season, which is as far back as my boxscores go at home, and their second-largest halftime lead over a Division I opponent in that span.

40 (62-22) Rosemont, 12/22/18***

37 (51-14) William & Mary, 3/5/23

34 (59-25) Old Westbury, 12/22/22***

33 (59-26) Buffalo, 11/20/23

30 (48-18) Delaware, 12/28/18

***non-Division I opponent

SIZZLING SHOOTING

The Dutchmen shot a robust 62.9 percent (39-of-62) on Monday night. It was their highest shooting percentage since Jan. 4, 2020, when the Dutchmen shot 64.8 percent (35-of-54) from the field in a 102-75 win over Elon.

HITTING THE CENTURY MARK

The Dutchmen scored at least 100 points Monday for the 40th time in program history and the first time a 101-48 win over St. Joseph’s (NY) way back on Nov. 6. Eleven of the Dutchmen’s 100-point games have happened this century. In fact, all 11 of them have happened in the last 14 seasons. Hey! I smell a quirky stat brewing!

THE 100 CLUB

Griffin Barrouk put the Dutchmen at 100 points by hitting a jumper with 50 seconds left Monday night. He joins a select club of players to score the 100th point for the Dutchmen in a game this century. Look at some of these random names (and one name we won’t fully mention)!

102-62 win vs. Farmingdale State, 11/13/10: Roland Brown jumper w/2:13 left

103-100 2 OT win vs. Marshall, 11/18/12: S*** S***** free throw w/:07 left in the second OT

105-64 win vs. Coppin State, 12/10/14: Eliel Gonzalez free throw w/2:06 left

107-72 win vs. Molloy, 11/30/17: Matija Radovic 3-pointer w/3:06 left

107-54 win vs. Rosemont, 12/22/18: Connor Klementowicz layup w/6:47 left

102-61 win vs. Elon, 2/7/19: Kevin Schutte jumper w/:55 left

111-69 win vs. NYIT, 11/15/19: Kevin Schutte layup w/4:36 left

102-75 win vs. Elon, 1/4/20: Omar Silverio free throw w/2:16 left

102-51 win vs. John Jay, 12/21/21: Jaquan Carlos 3-pointer w/2:12 left

101-48 win vs. St. Joseph’s, 11/6/23: German Plotnikov dunk w/:0.7 left

102-68 win vs. Buffalo, 11/20/23: Griffin Barrouk jumper w/:50 left

D-STONE DEALING

Is Darlinstone Dubar turning into the Dutchmen’s second superstar? Dubar remained red-hot Monday, when he scored a career-high 30 points. He is the 21st player to score at least 30 points in a game since the 1989-90 season, which is as far back as my records go at home. Overall, a player has scored at least 30 points in a game 96 times since the start of the 1989-90 season, including 36 times in the Joe Mihalich/Mike Farrelly/Speedy Claxton era (2013-pres).

TOTAL (career games)

Justin Wright-Foreman 23

Demetrius Dudley 12 

Charles Jenkins 12

Antoine Agudio 10

Speedy Claxton 8

Loren Stokes 7

Mike Moore 3

Zeke Upshaw 3

Rick Apodaca 2

Desure Buie 2

John Mavroukas 2

Jalen Ray 2

Ameen Tanksley 2

Darlinstone Dubar 1

Juan’ya Green 1

Nathaniel Lester 1

Eli Pemberton 1

Norm Richardson 1

Carlos Rivera 1

Omar Silverio 1

Lawrence Thomas 1

This would make for an awesome Immaculate Grid game, just saying.

D-STONE STREAKING

I always promised you there’d be no math here, but by scoring 30 points on Monday night, Darlinstone Dubar has now scored at least 17 points in all four games this season. Prior to this season, Dubar had never scored at least 17 points in more than two consecutive games, and both of those stretches featured a game against a Division III school.

D-STONE FEASTING

Darlinstone Dubar’s 21 points in the first half Monday were the most by a Hofstra player in a half since Aaron Estrada scored 25 points in the first half of the 85-81 win over then-no. 18 Charleston on Jan. 28.

NO DOUBTING THOMAS

Tyler Thomas had his usual fine game Monday night, when he finished with 21 points. It was the 19th straight double-digit effort for Thomas, who has scored at least 10 points in 27 of his last 28 games and 34 times in 40 games overall since joining the Dutchmen last season. He has scored at least 20 points three times in four games this season and 15 times overall.

PUTTING ON THE FRITZ

Jacco Fritz, who was held scoreless and without a rebound while fouling out in just eight minutes in the loss to George Washington last Tuesday night, set season-highs Monday with seven points and eight rebounds. The seven points were the most for Fritz since he had eight points for Canisius in a 67-66 overtime loss in the MAAC tournament on Mar. 7 while the eight boards were his most since he had nine rebounds against Saint Peter’s on Feb. 24.

THIS ONE GOES TO ELEVEN

Bryce Washington scored a season-high 11 points while also setting a season-high by playing 27 minutes Monday night. The 11-point effort marked the third time Washington has scored in double figures in 32 games at Hofstra and his 15th double-figure effort dating back to his days at Penn.

KIJAN’S FAST START

Freshman KiJan Robinson finished with a career-high 13 points Monday. The 13 points are the most by a Hofstra freshman since redshirt freshman Amar’e Marshall scored 15 points against Old Westbury on Dec. 22 and the most by a true freshman since Jalen Ray closed out his freshman season by scoring 16 points in a 93-88 loss to UNC Wilmington in the CAA tournament quarterfinals on Mar. 4, 2018. Robinson, who had 11 points against St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6 and 10 points against George Washington last Tuesday, is the first Hofstra freshman — true or redshirt — to score in double figures in at least three of his first four games since true freshman Eli Pemberton opened his career with five straight double-figure efforts in November 2016. Pretty good company.

FARMER’S AID

Redshirt freshman Khalil Farmer scored a career-high six points in 10 minutes Monday night. Farmer scored five points against St. Joseph’s (NY) on Nov. 6.

TAKING CARE OF THE FAMILY BUSINESS

This one was for you, Jim Shaffer and Sean Titus and Chris Parsons and Darius Burton and Pat Cosgrove and John Mavroukas and James Parisi and Rob Ogden and Matt Carpenter and Chris Johnke and Andre English and Joe LoRusso and assistant coach Joe Featherston and assistant coach Joe Dunleavy and especially you VBK. (You don’t want to know how many of the members of the ’93-94 team I could recall off the top of my head)

With Monday night’s lopsided win over Buffalo, the Flying Dutchmen have now avenged all the East Coast Conference losses they suffered during the 1993-94 season, when they were 1-4 in league play before winning the conference tournament. Stop looking at me like I’m making this up. 

The Dutchmen opened 1993-94 ECC play with a 71-57 loss to Buffalo on Jan. 15 before losing to Troy (not a) State, 84-79, two days later. After beating Central Connecticut State 84-76 in Beach Bowl I on Feb. 5, 1994 (the first Hofstra basketball game I ever attended!), the Dutchmen closed out regular season play with a 69-68 loss to Chicago (not a) State on Feb. 26 and a 90-76 loss to Northeastern Illinois on Feb. 28.

Not even a week later, the revenge tour began for the Dutchmen, who won the conference tournament  by beating Chicago State 86-77 on Mar. 4 before edging Troy State 90-89 in overtime on Mar. 5 and knocking off Northeastern Illinois, 88-86, in double overtime for the championship on Mar. 6. A few hours later, Bryan Adams and Sting performed “All For Love.” I’m still not over it.

Buffalo ducked Hofstra for the next 29 seasons, which meant we had to wait 10,850 days for last night’s comeuppance. And THAT’S why the Dutchmen won by 34. We don’t forget here! Sometimes we’re the only people to remember certain things. But we don’t forget them!

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game, as well as the entire Gulf Coast Showcase, is slated to 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.

GULF COAST SHOWCASE UPDATE

The Dutchmen and Wright State (a 91-85 winner over Louisiana) were joined in the winner’s bracket by High Point (whose 82-68 win over Iona ensures the Dutchmen and Iona can’t play twice this season, booo) and Illinois State (whose 61-52 win over Long Beach State ensures the Beaches won’t be rooting against the Beaches, bummer). The winners of today's games will play for the championship tomorrow night at 7:30 PM. The vanquished (seems nicer than saying the losers) will meet in the third-place game at 5 PM.

WRIGHT STATE AND THE HORIZON LEAGUE

Wright State, under eighth-year head coach Scott Nagy, is 1-3 this season after earning the aforementioned 91-85 win over Louisiana on Monday afternoon. Each of the Raiders’ first three games were against teams currently in the top 120 at KenPom. Colorado State rolled to a 105-77 win on Nov. 10 before Toledo edged the Raiders 78-77 on Nov. 14 and Indiana earned an 89-80 victory last Thursday.

Wright State was picked to finish third in the 11-team Horizon League. Graduate student guard Trey Calvin, who was named the Horizon League’s preseason player of the year, is averaging 26.3 points per game, second-most in the nation. Graduate student guard Tanner Holden, who spent his first three seasons with the Raiders and transferred to Ohio State last year before returning to Wright State, was named to the all-Horizon preseason second team and is averaging 15.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Junior center AJ Braun is averaging 11.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds per game while redshirt junior Brandon Noel, who was also selected to the all-Horizon preseason second team, is averaging 9.5 points per game.

The Dutchmen and Raiders have no common opponents this season.

Wright State leads the all-time series 2-0, so this is another chance to settle some family business. The Raiders rolled to an 82-56 win in Ohio in a Bracketbuster game on Feb. 19, 2011 (even though never Hofstra nor Wright State were in NCAA Tournament contention…the Bracketbuster was a good idea that ESPN ruined, shocker) before beating the depleted Dutchmen, 63-57, in the return game at the Arena on Dec. 15, 2012. 

The Dutchmen are 5-4 all-time against current Horizon League schools. This marks the Dutchmen’s first game against a Horizon League member since Nov. 27, 2021, when they beat Detroit Mercy and Antoine Davis, 98-84, at the Arena.

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 130th while Wright State is ranked 145th. KenPom.com predicts an 81-79 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 2 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 1-2 against the spread this season.

THE DUTCHMEN ON THIS DATE

New feature! At least if I can catch up on the rest of the calendar over the next few weeks. Anyway, I thought it’d be fun to see how the Dutchmen have historically fared on each of the days in which they are scheduled to play this season.

Thus, I am here to report the Dutchmen are 7-3 all-time on Nov. 21. Tonight marks their first game on Nov. 21 since 2019, when the Dutchmen earned their biggest Nov, 21 win by upsetting UCLA, 88-78. But the Dutchmen have also beaten two other Final Four teams on this date!

11/21/19: 88-78 W UCLA

11/21/18: 80-71 W Cal State-Fullerton

11/21/16: 92-90 W Bradley

11/21/15: 66-65 W Stony Brook

11/21/12: 67-56 L Manhattan

11/21/10: 62-47 L Nebraska

11/21/07: 60-57 L St. Francis (NY)

11/21/04: 69-67 W Florida International

11/21/00: 87-67 W Florida Atlantic

11/21/97: 69-55 W Bucknell

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

You were supposed to host the 2016 Presidential Debate not us bias! (Hofstra got to host a record third consecutive debate in 2016 because Wright State backed out due to security concerns, geez, whatever could have made them think one of the candidates would be a security risk)

You’re not the Cradle of Aviation bias! (Sure you’ve got a school named after the Wright brothers, but Long Island is the Cradle of Aviation)

Sean Murphy bias! (The Atlanta Braves’ all-star catcher went to Wright State)

Not David Wright bias! (Or former Expos & Rangers outfielder George Wright, for that matter, in case it ever comes up in Immaculate Grid)

Wright’s not a state bias! (I thought we were done with this after disposing of Troy State and Chicago State)

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Buffalo

The ECC, always back when you least expected it.

The Flying Dutchmen fell to an unfamiliar place — below .500 — last Tuesday night, when they went ice cold from the field down the stretch in a 71-60 loss to George Washington. The Dutchmen will look to get back to the break-even mark and begin their pursuit of an MTE crown tonight, when they play old ECC foe Buffalo (it’s true, Litos) in the opening round of the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, FL. I don’t know where that is either. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Revolutionaries and a look ahead to the Bills, I mean, Bulls.

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The Dutchmen seemed ready to take control after opening the second half on a 24-14 run, but they were just 3-of-14 from the field with two turnovers the rest of the way as George Washington ended the game on a 22-7 surge. The Dutchmen never until they scored the first seven points of the second half to take a 36-35 lead. George Washington answered with a 9-2 run before the Dutchmen went on a 13-5 run to take their biggest lead a 53-49 on Darlinstone Dubar’s jumper with 9:35 left. But the Dutchmen missed their next seven shots, a span in which George Washington scored 13 unanswered points, and never got closer than seven after Tyler Thomas ended the drought by draining a jumper with 5:06 left. Thomas led all scorers with 20 points and also pulled down a team-high eight rebounds. Dubar scored 17 points, including 11 in the second half. Freshman KiJan Robinson had 10 points while Jaquan Carlos finished with six points, seven rebounds and three steals with five turnovers.

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. George Washington, 11/14)

3: Tyler Thomas

2: Darlinstone Dubar

1: KiJan Robinson

SEASON STANDINGS

Tyler Thomas 6

Darlinstone Dubar 6

Jaquan Carlos 4

KiJan Robinson 1

Bryce Washington 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THREE GAMES

With last Tuesday’s loss, the Dutchmen fell to 1-2. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 46th-best record in school history through three games. Or, if you’re a Debbie Downer, it ties the 2023-24 team for the ninth-worst record in school history through three games. Womp womp. Thirty-four other teams began 1-2, most recently the 2021-22 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through three games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 2-1

1976-77: 2-1

1999-2000: 1-2

2000-01: 3-0

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 1-2

NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 1-2

2005-06: 2-1

2006-07: 0-3 (most recent 0-3 start)

2015-16: 3-0

2018-19: 2-1 (most recent 2-1 start)

2022-23: 3-0 (most recent 3-0 start, obvs)

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 1-2

1961-62: 2-1

1962-63: 1-2

1963-64: 3-0

Some other notable three-game starts:

2013-14: 1-2 (under .500 for good in Joe Mihalich’s first year as head coach)

2011-12: 2-1 (over .500 for the last time)

2008-09: 2-1 (over .500 for good)

2007-08: 1-2 (under .500 for good)

2005-06: 2-1 (over .500 for good)

2002-03: 1-2 (win over Lehigh in third game was only win in the non-conference schedule)

2001-02: 2-1 (loss in third game was Tom Pecora’s first as head coach) 

1997-98: 2-1 (over .500 for good)

1995-96: 2-1 (over .500 for the last time)

1994-95: 1-2 (under .500 for good, fire Jay Wright)

1987-88: 1-2 (under .500 for good)

1980-81: 2-1 (loss in third game was Dick Berg’s first as head coach, over .500 for the last time)

1974-75: 2-1 (over .500 for the last time)

1970-71: 2-1 (over .500 for good)

1957-58: 1-2 (under .500 for the last time)

1955-56: 3-0 (Butch van Breda Kolff improves to 3-0)

1947-48: 3-0 (Frank Reilly improves to 3-0)

1946-47: 2-1 (over .500 for good)

1943-44: 2-1 (over .500 for the last time)

1942-43: 1-2 (under .500 for the last time)

1938-39: 1-2 (under .500 for the last time)

1936-37: 1-2 (IT HAS HAPPENED: 42-40 overtime win over Staten Island is first win in program history)

This feature is inspired by Mets superfan and blogger 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

With last Tuesday’s loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 47-23 (.671) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 69 games at the helm. The last 17 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 53-17 (.757, 70th game was the 11th game of his third season in 1964-65)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 47-23 (.671, 70th game was the third game of his third season in 2023-24)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 45-25 (.643, 70th game was the 18th game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 36-34 (.514, 70th game was the 15th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Mo Cassara 34-36 (.486, 70th game was the fifth game of his third season in 2012-13)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 33-37 (.471, 70th game was the 13th game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 33-37 (.471, 70th game was the third game of his third season in 2015-16)

Jay Wright 25-45 (.357, 70th game was the 15th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Roger Gaeckler 25-45 (.357, 70th game was the 22nd game of his third season in 1974-75)

Tom Pecora 24-46 (.343, 70th game was the ninth game of his third season in 2003-04)

The 70th game for Mo Cassara and Joe Mihalich were pivotal for entirely different reasons. The Dutchmen improved to 3-2 with a 103-100 double-overtime win over Marshall on Nov. 18, 2012, but the bottom was about to fall out because 47 of those points were scored by dudes fewer than two weeks away from being arrested for trying to steal everything that wasn’t locked down in the dorms. In better news, Mihalich’s 70th game on Nov. 20, 2015 — eight years ago today! — was an 82-77 win over Florida State that marked the Dutchmen’s first win over a power conference foe under Mihalich, But not their last! 

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.

0-FOR-II AGAINST DIVISION I

The Dutchmen are 1-2 but their lone win came in the season opener against Division III St. Joseph’s of Patchogue. This is the first time the Dutchmen have lost their first two games against Division I foes since 2012-13 and only the fifth time they’ve done so in the CAA era (2001-present). The eventual outcomes the first four times were ALL OVER THE MAP:

2002-03: opened 0-2 without the suspended Rick Apodaca and Wendell Gibson (#ThanksStu), finished 8-21

2006-07: opened 0-3, finished 22-10 and made the NIT in a strangely disappointing post-Tom O’Connor Screw Job season

2010-11: opened 1-3 (win over Division III Farmingdale State), finished 22-10 in Charles Jenkins’ senior year and “made” the CBI (shrieks)

2012-13: 0-2, finished 7-25 with a shell of a roster

UNLUCKY THIRTEEN

The loss last Tuesday marked the 13th straight time dating back to Jan. 5, 2017 that the Dutchmen have lost a game in which they scored 60 or fewer points. The Dutchmen last won a game with fewer than 60 points on Dec. 31, 2016 — just six days before their current streak started — when they edged Delaware 58-56.

THOMAS’ DOUBLE-DOUBLE (sort of)

Tyler Thomas led the Dutchmen with 20 points and eight rebounds last Tuesday night. It was the third time he’s at least held a share of the team lead in both categories since joining the Dutchmen last season. Thomas had 29 points and 11 rebounds (that’s a real double-double!) in a 79-58 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 4 and scored 28 points with seven rebounds, the latter of which tied him for the team lead with Aaron Estrada, in a 70-46 win over UNC Wilmington Jan. 19.

D-STONE STILL DOING SECOND HALF WORK

Darlinstone Dubar continued to thrive in the second half last Tuesday, when he scored 11 of his 17 points after halftime. Dubar has scored 52 points this season, including 38 in the second half. He’s not quite Justin Wright-Foreman in 2016-17, but if these trends continue…

KIJAN’S FAST START

Freshman KiJan Robinson scored the Dutchmen’s final five points last Tuesday to get into double figures with 10 points. Robinson, who scored 11 points against St. Joseph’s in the season opener on Nov. 6, is the first Hofstra freshman — true or redshirt — to score in double figures in at least two of his first three games since true freshman Eli Pemberton opened his career with five straight double-figure efforts in November 2016. Pretty good company.

CARLOS ON THE BOARDS

Jaquan Carlos pulled down seven rebounds last Tuesday, when he finished one shy of Tyler Thomas for the team lead. Carlos has recorded at least seven rebounds eight times — all in his last 23 games dating back to Jan. 5 against Hampton.

FOULING ON THE FRITZ

Graduate student Jacco Fritz fouled out after playing just eight minutes last Tuesday. That’s the fastest a Hofstra player has fouled out since Malik Nichols recorded five fouls in five minutes in an 86-82 loss to James Madison on Jan. 16, 2016. Fritz had no points and no rebounds — just as Nichols did against James Madison. Fritz and Nichols are the only Hofstra players since the 2010-11 season, the first season of the Play Index Era at College Basketball Reference, to foul out without recording a point or a rebound. 

OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game, as well as the entire Gulf Coast Showcase, is slated to 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.

WHAT IS THE GULF COAST SHOWCASE?

It’s an actual tournament! Unlike that weird Northern Classic thingy last year. This will be the 11th edition of the Gulf Coast Showcase, a mid-major showcase event which debuted in 2013 and has been held every year since then aside from the pandemic season in 2020-21.

This year’s field also includes High Point, Illinois State, Iona, Long Beach State, Louisiana and Wright State. No, you’re already thinking of potential tie-ins to every school. The Dutchmen will oppose the winner or the loser of today’s Louisiana-Wright State game on Tuesday.

The Flying Dutchmen are participating in the Gulf Coast Showcase for the second time. They went 2-1 and finished in third place in November 2016, when the Dutchmen beat Bradley 92-90 in the first round and fell to Vermont (AMERICA EAST BIAS) 87-73 in the semifinals before beating South Dakota 65-57 in the consolation game.

A CAA team has participated in the Gulf Coast Showcase in six of the last seven tournaments. Towson won the tournament in 2017 while Northeastern finished seventh with a 1-2 record in 2019. Delaware went 2-1 and fell int he title game in2 2021 before Drexel went 1-2 and finished fourth last year.

The Dutchmen are aiming to win a preseason tournament for the first time since they won the Boca Raton Beach Classic at Florida Atlantic in December 2019. I’ll take being back in Florida as a sign they’re going to win this thing. This will mark the 14th time in the last 18 seasons the Dutchmen have participated in an MTE/preseason tournament.

BUFFALO AND THE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Buffalo, under first-year head coach George Halcovage III, is 1-2 this season after beating Division II Roberts Wesleyan, 89-83, last Wednesday. Halcovage III is a former assistant at Villanova under Jay Wright while Roberts Wesleyan plays in the East Coast Conference. This is way too much stimulation for a Monday afternoon.

Buffalo was picked to finish ninth in the 12-team Mid-American Conference. Senior forward Jonnivius Smith, who played his sophomore season at Seton Hall, is averaging a double-double with 12.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Nifty! Graduate senior Sy Chatman, who previously played at Massachusetts and Illinois State, leads the Bulls with 15.0 ppg and ranks second with 8.0 rpg. Senior Isaiah Adams (14.7 ppg). sophomore Shawn Fulcher (11.3 ppg) and junior Kanye Jones (11/3 ppg) are also averaging in double figures in the early going. 

The Dutchmen and Bulls have no common opponents this season, though in a slightly parallel universe, they would since Buffalo is slated to play James Madison on Nov. 29. 

The all-time series between the teams is tied 2-2 but have not met since Buffalo earned a 71-57 win in ECC play on Jan. 15, 1994. That was the intersession of my first year at Hofstra and thus I wasn't watching or listening, which is a mistake I certainly hope to remedy tonight!

The Dutchmen are 5-12 all-time against current Mid-American Conference schools. Tonight marks the Dutchmen’s first game against a MAC foe since way back on Nov. 15, 2008, when the Dutchmen edged Western Michigan, 71-68, in overtime in a Charleston Classic game.

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 146th while Buffalo is ranked 305th. KenPom.com predicts a 78-70 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 9 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 0-2 against the spread this season.

ECC REUNION AND IT FEELS SOOOOO GOOD

Buffalo, as you may have tried to forget if you’ve been unfortunate enough to read me the last 15 years, was a member of the East Coast Conference during Hofstra’s final two seasons in the greatest league I absolutely did not make up because I was a very lonely child too invested in his make believe worlds. The Bulls joined the ECC upon rejoining Division I in 1991-92, played as an independent along with Hofstra in 1992-93 and then rejoined the piecemeal ECC for one final glorious go-around in 1993-94 along with Hofstra, Central Connecticut State, Chicago (not a) State, Northeastern Illinois and Troy (not a) State. Buffalo moved to the Mid-Continent Conference along with the rest of the non-Hofstra ECC in 1994-95 before jumping to the Mid-American Conference in 1998-99.

Buffalo is just the second ECC school Hofstra has faced since the league sadly dissolved. The Dutchmen beat Central Connecticut in the Beach Bowls (my parents went there, how’s that for a butterfly effect for a Monday afternoon) 72-67 on Dec. 15, 2013 and 84-56 on Dec. 31, 2014. Troy (dropped the State) keeps ducking the Dutchmen while Chicago (still not a) State keeps finding ways not to play Hofstra despite their usually independent status. Northeastern Illinois unfortunately dropped sports in the late ‘90s. There’s like one reader out there who will find any of this interesting, what’s up Dave, appreciate you reading!

THE DUTCHMEN ON THIS DATE

New feature! At least if I can catch up on the rest of the calendar over the next few weeks. Anyway, I thought it’d be fun to see how the Dutchmen have historically fared on each of the days in which they are scheduled to play this season.

Thus, I am here to report the Dutchmen are 2-2 all-time on Nov. 20. In a quirky bit of quirkiness we like here at I’ll Be Quirky, Buffalo is the first non-power conference Division I foe Hofstra has ever faced on this date.

11/20/15: 82-77 W Florida State

11/20/09: 87-48 W Farmingdale State

11/20/03: 75-56 L Georgia Tech

11/20/98: 89-59 L Maryland

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

ECC forever bias! (Because duh)

Anquan Bolden bias! (Remember Anquan Bolden, the Hall of Fame-caliber receiver from 2003-16? His son plays for the Bulls. I have an extra AARP card application if you want one)

Jay Wright coaching tree bias! (Too obvious)

Wolf Blitzer bias! (The CNN anchor graduated from Buffalo, which is cool because Blitzer bias sounds cool)

Nate Oats bias! (The Alabama coach and all-around definitely not a bad guy who swiped Aaron Estrada from our loving embrace got his head coaching start at Buffalo)

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra at George Washington

Hofstra and George Washington choo-choo-choosed to play one another again!

The pursuit of a perfect season ended Friday night, when the Flying Dutchmen trailed Princeton for the final 18-plus minutes of a 74-67 loss. The Dutchmen will look to bounce back tonight, when they hit the road for the first time this season by visiting George Washington. Here’s a look back at the loss to the Tigers and a look ahead to…the Revolutionaries? The Revolutionaries. 

THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

The Dutchmen scored eight straight points to take a 16-9 lead after Mitch Henderson’s bizarre ejection early in the first half Friday, but Princeton responded with a 13-0 run and trailed just twice thereafter. Jaquan Carlos and Bryce Washington had five points apiece in a 13-7 run that gave the Dutchmen a 29-28 lead before Caden Pierce’s free throws with 1:17 left put Princeton ahead at the half. Darlinstone Dubar drained a jumper for the first points of the second half before Princeton took control with a 12-2 run. The Dutchmen got as close as four points just once the rest of the way. They cut the Tigers’ lead to five or six points six times in the final 5:05 but allowed a basket on Princeton’s subsequent possession five times. Dubar scored all 18 of his points in the second half while Carlos (11 points, nine assists) flirted with a double-double. Tyler Thomas was limited to 13 points on 4-of-16 shooting, including 2-of-8 from 3-point land. Bryce Washington had eight points and tied Dubar for the team lead with six rebounds while Griffin Barrouk had nine points via a trio of 3-pointers in 13 minutes off the bench. Princeton’s Caden Pierce racked up 26 points and 14 rebounds in a monster performance. 

3 STARS OF THE GAME (vs. Princeton, 11/10)

3: Darlinstone Dubar

2: Jaquan Carlos

1: Bryce Washington

SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 4

Jaquan Carlos 4

Tyler Thomas 3

Bryce Washington 1

THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER TWO GAMES

As you may have gathered by now, the Dutchmen are 1-1. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 29th-best record in school history through two games! Forty-three other teams began 1-1, most recently the 2021-22 squad. Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through two games:

NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1975-76: 1-1

1976-77: 2-0

1999-2000: 1-1

2000-01: 2-0

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 1-1

NIT TEAMS

2005-06: 1-1

2006-07: 0-2

2015-16: 2-0

2018-19: 1-1

2022-23: 2-0

NCAA DIVISION II TOURNAMENT TEAMS

1958-59: 1-1

1961-62: 1-1

1962-63: 1-1

1963-64: 2-0

Some other notable two-game starts:

2021-22: 1-1 (Win in second game was Speedy Claxton’s first as head coach)

2020-21: 1-1 (Win in second game was Mike Farrelly’s first as head coach)

2010-11: 1-1 (Loss in second game was Mo Cassara’s first as head coach)

2001-02: 2-0 (Tom Pecora improves to 2-0)

1994-95: 1-1 (Win in second game was Jay Wright’s first as head coach, guess we’ll keep him)

1988-89: 1-1 (Loss in second game was Butch van Breda Kolff’s first in his second stint as head coach)

1980-81: 2-0 (Dick Berg improves to 2-0)

1979-80: 1-1 (Win in second game was Joe Harrington’s first as head coach)

1962-63: 1-1 (Loss in second game was Paul Lynner’s first as head coach)

1955-56: 2-0 (Butch van Breda Kolff improves to 2-0)

1947-48: 2-0 (Frank Reilly improves to 2-0)

1946-47: 1-1 (Loss in second game was Jack McDonald’s first in his second stint as head coach)

1943-44: 1-1 (Win in second game was Jack Smith’s first as head coach)

1936-37: 0-2 (Will we ever win a game?)

This feature is inspired by Mets superfan and blogger Greg Prince, who measures how the current Mets compare, record-wise, to previous teams through the same point in the season.

NUMBER TEN THROUGH SIXTY-NINE

With Friday’s not nice loss, Speedy Claxton fell to 47-22 (.681) as head coach. That’s the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 69 games at the helm. The last 16 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 52-17 (.754, 69th game was the 10th game of his third season in 1964-65)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 47-22 (.681, 69th game was the second game of his third season in 2023-24)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 44-25 (.637, 69th game was the 17th game of his third season in 1957-58)

Dick Berg 35-34 (.507, 69th game was the 14th game of his third season in 1982-83)

Mo Cassara 33-36 (.478, 69th game was the fourth game of his third season in 2012-13)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 32-37 (.464, 69th game was the 12th game of his third season in 1990-91)

Joe Mihalich 32-37 (.464, 69th game was the second game of his third season in 2015-16)

Jay Wright 24-45 (.348, 69th game was the 14th game of his third season in 1996-97) 

Roger Gaeckler 24-45 (.348, 69th game was the 21st game of his third season in 1974-75)

Tom Pecora 23-46 (.333, 69th game was the eighth game of his third season in 2003-04)

Probably should move on from Tom, it’s not gonna work out.

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.

D-STONE DOING SECOND HALF WORK

Darlinstone Dubar scored all 18 of his points in the second half Friday. The 18 second-half points following a scoreless first half were the most by a Hofstra player since Nov. 23, 2015, when Juan’ya Green scored all 18 of his points in the second half of a 67-66 loss to Indiana State at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. Alas, Green missed his last two shots in that game, including a jumper just before the buzzer, as the Dutchmen squandered a seven-point lead in the final 1:50. It turned out to be an appropriate result for a uniquely frustrating season. 

In addition, Dubar’s 18 second-half points are the most by a Hofstra player after halftime since Tyler Thomas scored 18 points in the second half and overtime of the 88-86 win over Rutgers on Mar. 14. His 18 second-half points are the most in the second half since Aaron Estrada had 20 points in the second half of a 76-72 win over Towson Feb. 2.

D-STONE’S DOUBLE-DOUBLE (sort of)

Darlinstone Dubar led the Dutchmen with 18 points and pulled down six rebounds, which tied him for the team lead with Bryce Washington. It’s the second time Dubar has at least held a share of the team lead in scoring and rebounding and the first time since Dec. 11, 2023, when he led the way with 13 points and seven rebounds in a 71-56 loss to Massachusetts.

JAQUAN’S NEAR DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Jaquan Carlos had another solid complete game Friday, when he finished with 11 points and nine assists. It was the second straight near double-double for Carlos, who had 10 points and eight assists in the season-opening 101-48 win over St. Joseph’s, and the eighth time in the last two years he’s come within one or two assists — or one or two rebounds — of a double-double. 

11 points/nine assists vs. Princeton, 11/10/23

10 points/eight assists vs. St. Joseph’s, 11/6/23

19 points/eight assists vs. UNC Wilmington, 3/6/23

11 points/eight assists vs. Northeastern, 2/25/23

10 rebounds/eight assists vs. Hampton 2/16/23

10 rebounds/nine rebounds/nine assists vs. Northeastern, 2/8.23

10 points/8 assists vs. Delaware 12/29/22

8 pts/13 assists vs. Old Westbury 12/22/22

Carlos has one double-double — a 10-rebound, 10-assist performance in a 79-58 win over Stony Brook on Feb. 4.

TYLER’S TORRID STRETCH ENDS

Tyler Thomas looked human Friday night, when he finished with 13 points while shooting just 4-of-16 from the field, including 2-of-8 from 3-point land, and committing four turnovers. The 13 points were the fewest for Thomas since he had 13 points in a 73-43 win over Hampton on Feb. 16. The four turnovers were his most in 37 games at Hofstra and his most since he committed five turnovers for Sacred Heart against Wagner on Feb. 17, 2022. Thomas did extend his streak of double-digit scoring efforts to 17, the longest active streak among Hofstra players.

BRYCE ON THE BOARDS

Bryce Washington had eight points and tied Darlinstone Dubar for the team lead with six rebounds Friday. The six-rebound game was the third for Washington with the Dutchmen. Washington’s career high for rebounds is 10, set for Penn against Saint Joseph’s on Jan. 26, 2019.

WASHINGTON VS. PRINCETON

Barring a rematch in the NCAA Tournament or the NIT (LOL, just kidding, mids can’t play in the NIT any more because it’s SO IMPORTANT for majors to play in the Not Invited Tournament), Bryce Washington concluded a uniquely long career against Princeton on Friday night. Washington, who spent three seasons at the Ivy League’s Penn from 2018-19 through 2021-22, played five games against Princeton, more than he played against any other Ivy League foe. Washington scored 20 points over 64 minutes against the Tigers on Jan. 5-12, 2019 and didn’t oppose Princeton again until his penultimate game with Penn on Mar. 5, 2022, when he had 10 points in 37 minutes in a 93-70 loss. He opened his Hofstra tenure by scoring three points in 16 minutes in an 83-77 win on Nov. 7, 2022 before his solid game Friday. 

Washington also started all five games against Princeton. He’s recorded 24 starts in his other 76 games. 

PUTTING ON THE FRITZ

Graduate student Jacco Fritz scored his first points for the Dutchmen Friday, when he finished with six points. Fritz, who was scoreless in the 101-48 win over St. Joseph’s on Nov. 6, hadn’t scored since he had eight points for Canisius in a 67-66 overtime loss to Mount St. Mary’s in the MAAC tournament on Mar. 7.

THE KID WAS HOT TONITE

Griffin Barrouk, sporting a headband that made him look like Mike Reno of Loverboy***, scored nine points off the bench Friday while going 3-of-4 from 3-point land. The nine points were two shy of Barrouk’s career-high, established when he had 11 points while also draining three 3-pointers against Massachusetts on Dec. 11, 2022. Barrouk is the only Hofstra player to come off the bench and hit at least three 3-pointers in two games this season.

***he’d better keep wearing the headband because I’ve got SO MANY Loverboy song puns in mind

TOMASCO TIME

Christian Tomasco played a career-high 13 minutes as Jacco Fritz’s backup Friday, when he had a rebound and an assist. With Silas Sunday sitting out, Fritz and Tomasco were the only centers to play against Princeton. Tomasco hadn’t played more than nine minutes in a game since his collegiate debut — which was also against Princeton on Nov. 7, 2022.

POTENT PIERCE

Princeton’s Caden Pierce did it all for the Tigers on Friday night, when he finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds. He’s the first opponent to score at least 25 points and record at least 15 rebounds since future NBA champion Devontae Cacok had 25 points and 16 rebounds for UNC Wilmington in a 90-70 win over the Dutchmen on Feb. 10 2018. Pretty good company. Also, any Devontae Cacok reference automatically gives me the shakes.

BEAT IT, MITCH

Princeton coach Mitch Henderson earned a super-rare and super-early ejection Friday, when he said a whole lot of words a Princeton alum shouldn’t be saying and got tossed a mere 7:57 into the game. I haven’t been able to fully confirm this, but I’m pretty sure Henderson is the first coach ejected from a game at Hofstra Arena since Tom Pecora got tossed in the waning minutes of his last game, the CBI loss to IUPUI on Mar. 17, 2010. Lucky guy.

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.

GEORGE WASHINGTON AND THE ATLANTIC 10 CONFERENCE

George Washington, under second-year head coach Chris Caputo (whom you may remember from being one of the assistants to SAAAAAYTAN at George Mason), is 2-0 this season after beating William & Mary 95-89 on Saturday afternoon.

George Washington was picked to finish ninth in the 15-team Atlantic 10 (math is hard). Graduate student guard James Bishop IV, who was named to the preseason all-Atlantic 10 first team, leads the Revolutionaries (more on that shortly) with 18.5 points and 5.0 assists per game. Garrett Johnson (18.0 ppg), Maximus Edwards (17.9 ppg), Darren Buchanan Jr. (11.0 ppg) and Benny Schroder (10.5 ppg) are also averaging in double figures in the early going while Edwards is averaging 9.0 rebounds per game.

The Dutchmen and Revolutionaries have two common opponents this season. Hofstra is slated to host William & Mary on Jan. 25 and will visit the Atlantic 10’s Saint Louis on Dec. 9. 

George Washington leads the all-time series, 3-2, though the Dutchmen won the most recent meeting between the teams, 85-80, last Nov. 14. Hey! That’s exactly one year ago!

The Revolutionaries had won the previous three meetings, including two in the 2010s that were memorable for all the wrong reasons for the Dutchmen. An 80-56 loss on Nov. 24, 2012 was the final game for the Dutchmen before four players were arrested and the bottom fell out of the season. And the Juan’ya Green era ended Mar. 16, 2016, when George Washington beat Hofstra, 80-78, at the buzzer of a first-round NIT game. The Colonials went on to win the championship, but Mike Lonergan was fired months later following an investigation into his conduct and the two men to stroll the sidelines — Maurice Joseph and Jamion Christian — lasted just three seasons apiece. Good luck, Chris! 

This marks the 11th straight season in which Hofstra has faced at least one A-10 school. Hofstra is 39-109 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).

At KenPom.com this afternoon, Hofstra is ranked 138th while George Washington is ranked 193rd. KenPom.com predicts an 82-81 loss for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 1 1/2-point underdogs. The Dutchmen are 0-1 against the spread this season.

THE DUTCHMEN ON THIS DATE

New feature! At least if I can catch up on the rest of the calendar over the next few weeks. Anyway, I thought it’d be fun to see how the Dutchmen have historically fared on each of the days in which they are scheduled to play this season.

Thus, I am here to report the Dutchmen are 3-1 all-time on Nov. 14. They’ve won each of their last three games on Nov. 14. If these trends continue…

11/14/08: 98-69 L Clemson

11/14/14: 94-61 W Jacksonville

11/14/18: 92-72 W North Carolina A&T

11/14/22: 85-80 W George Washington

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

You changed your nickname bias! (George Washington unveiled Revolutionaries in May to replace Colonials, which was protested by students given the history of colonization)

Meet The Press bias! (Chuck Todd, the former host of the Sunday morning show, unveiled the nickname on Twitter)

Congressional charter bias! (Per Wikipedia, which is never wrong, George Washington University is one of six universities in the nation with a congressional charter)

Randy Levine cross pollination bias! (The Yankees president got his undergrad degree from George Washington before getting his law degree from Hofstra, boy, we both are just shaking our heads at that one)