Monday, March 11, 2024

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Stony Brook (CAA semifinals)

The IIIrd matchup of the season between Springfield and Shelbyville is for (almost) all the marbles! 


Remember how you thought Tyler Thomas’ season-saving, game-winning shot in the final second against Stony Brook on Feb. 1 was a great way to close out the season series and further ratchet up the intensity in the Long Island rivalry? Boy do I have a surprise for you!


It’s the Flying Dutchmen-Seawolves III: In 3-D tonight, with a berth in the CAA championship game on the line. Intense! The third clash of the season was set up last night, when the Dutchmen gradually pulled away for a 73-58 win over Delaware after Stony Brook advanced to the semis by virtue of their 91-88 double overtime win over Drexel. A Long Island team? Winning a CAA Tournament game in double overtime? In this economy?


We already ran down the boilerplate postgame material from the Delaware win in this morning’s Keep It Perky. This afternoon will be all about the Dutchmen and Speedy Claxton notching another 20-win season, the team-related quirkiness and individual news from the victory over the Blue Hens and a preview of the Shelbyville Seawolves. Enjoy!


TWENTY'S THE MAGIC NUMBER…

…for pitchers (well, back when wins mattered) and college basketball programs. And I’ll fully acknowledge I didn’t expect to be typing this note when the Dutchmen were 8-9 overall and down 18 points to Hampton on Jan. 18. But Sunday’s win — the 12th in the last 14 games — assured the Dutchmen of the 26th 20-win season in program history, including the 17th in the Division I era (dating back to 1966-67), the 12th since joining the CAA in 2001-02, the fifth in the last six seasons and the third in as many seasons for Speedy Claxton. Pretty good run!


No other current CAA school has as many 20-win seasons as a member of the CAA and only Charleston (13 20-win seasons, including eight as a member of the Southern Conference) has more 20-win seasons since 2001-02. And among former CAA members, only VCU (16 20-win seasons and with 19 wins this season) has as many or more 20-win seasons since 2001-02. Once again, pretty good.


SELECT COMPANY

With their 20th win of the season Sunday, the Dutchmen became just the 27th Division I program to record at least five 20-win seasons in the last six campaigns — a stretch that, of course, includes the 2019-20 season, when the NCAA Tournament wasn’t played due to the pandemic, and the 2020-21 season, which was shorter than usual for most schools due to the pandemic. Hofstra is one of just 13 mid-majors (defined by me as everyone outside the power six conferences, the American and the West Coast Conference) to win at least 20 games in at least five of the last six seasons. Here’s the list, starting with the mid-majors and then including all the other schools from those other boring big leagues.


HOFSTRA

Belmont***

Colgate

Dayton

Drake***

Liberty***

Louisiana Tech

Loyola Chicago

San Diego State***

Toledo

UNC Greensboro

Utah State

Vermont


Auburn 

Baylor***

Colorado

Creighton***

Duke

Gonzaga***

Houston***

Kansas***

Memphis***

Oregon***

Saint Mary’s

San Francisco

UAB

Virginia 


***—has won 20 games in each of the last six seasons except Liberty, which is at 18 wins heading into the Conference USA Tournament 


In addition, 12 schools won at least 20 games in four of the previous five seasons and are still playing in or have yet to begin their conference tournaments.


SPEEDY’S SELECT COMPANY

Speedy Claxton was one of 13 first-year head coaches to win 20 games in his debut season in 2021-22. And now he’s just the third third-year head coach to win 20 games in his third season in 2023-24, following in the footsteps of Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd (33 wins in 2021-22, 28 wins in 2022-23 and 24 wins so far this season) and North Carolina’s Hubert Davis (29 wins in 2021-22, 20 wins in 2022-23 and 25 wins so far this season). The only other third-year head coach with a chance to record a third straight 20-win season is Indiana’s Mike Woodson, who went 21-14 and 23-12 in his first two years and has directed the Hoosiers to an 18-13 record entering the Big 10 Tournament. 


SPEEDY’S ALL BY HIMSELF

Speedy Claxton established his own exclusive club Sunday, when he became the first coach in Hofstra history to win 20 games in each of his first three seasons at the helm. The only other coach to win 20 games in each of his first two seasons is Paul Lynner, who did so back in 1962-63 and 1963-64. Not too shabby.


THE DEFENSE DOESN’T REST

As you may have surmised by now, the Dutchmen won while surrendering fewer than 60 points Sunday night. The Dutchmen are 10-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points and have won 57 straight games when surrendering fewer than 60 points dating back to Feb. 10, 2014, when they fell to James Madison, 59-53.


A SECOND-HALF TEAM

The Dutchmen again scored more points in the second half than on the first half Sunday night, when they followed up a 35-point first half with a 38-point second half. The Dutchmen are now averaging 39.7 points per second half (1,270 points overall) and 34.7 points per first half (1,111 points overall). In a quirky twist, the Dutchmen’s first- and second-half averages have remained the same following the last three games. The Dutchmen have scored more points in the first half than in the second half just six times in CAA play and nine times overall this season. (These figures don’t include the nine points the Dutchmen scored in overtime of the 97-92 win over High Point on Nov. 22)


TWO TWENTY-SOMETHINGS

Darlinstone Dubar (23 points) and Tyler Thomas (20 points) each scored at least 20 points Sunday night. It was the ninth time this season two Hofstra players have scored at least 20 points and the sixth time Dubar and Thomas were the tandem, though the first time since a 69-68 loss to Campbell on Jan. 13. The Dutchmen are 5-4 this season when two players score at least 20 points. And to update a note established last season by Hofstra SID Stephen Gorchov and WRHU alums Kevin Dexter and Rob Joyce, the Dutchmen now 34-16 since the start of the 2013-14 season (Joe Mihalich’s first season) when at least two players score 20 points.


DUBAR MOVIN’ ON UP

Darlinstone Dubar continued climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Sunday, when he scored 23 points to increase his career total to 1,317 points and leapfrog past Kenny Adeleke and Desure Buie into 19th place. Dubar is 14 points away from surpassing Dave Bell for 18th place and 28 points away from moving past Barry White for 17th place.


17.) Barry White 1,444

18.) Dave Bell 1,330

19.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,317

20.) Desure Buie 1,310

21.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296

22.) TYLER THOMAS 1,288

23.) Mike Tilley 1,286

24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240


THOMAS MOVIN’ ON UP TOO

Tyler Thomas, who joined Dubar in the 1,000-point club on Jan. 25, resumed climbing the all-time Hofstra scoring list Sunday, when he scored 20 points to increase his career total to 1,288 points and move past Mike Tilley into 22nd place. Thomas is nine points away from surpassing Kenny Adeleke for 21st place and 23 points away from moving past Desure Buie for 20th place. Let’s hope tonight turns into a rough week for Buie and Adeleke on the all-time standings, shall we?


19.) DARLINSTONE DUBAR 1,317

20.) Desure Buie 1,310

21.) Kenny Adeleke 1,296

22.) TYLER THOMAS 1,288

23.) Mike Tilley 1,286

24.) Roberto Gittens 1,240


(This is the first time I’ve been tracking two 1,000-point scorers playing at the same time, which is sorta neat but also sorta depressing because in the NIL era the first time may be the last time, eat Arby’s)


D-STONE THE DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE

Darlinstone Dubar reverted to his double-double form at the perfect time Sunday night, when he finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. The double-double was the eighth of the season for Dubar but his first since Jan. 22, when he had 30 points and 11 rebounds in the 80-74 win over Stony Brook. Dubar entered this season with just two double-doubles in his first two seasons with the Dutchmen. He is the first Hofstra player with at least eight double-doubles in a season since Isaac Kante recorded eight double-doubles during the 2019-20 campaign.


D-STONE’S TOURNAMENT DOUBLE-DOUBLE

Darlinstone Dubar, as you may have just read, posted a double-double Sunday night, when he had 23 points and 11 rebounds. At least one Hofstra player has recorded a double-double in CAA Tournament play in six of the last seven seasons.


Rokas Gustys 12 pts/10 rebounds vs. UNC Wilmington (QFs), 3/4/18

Jacquil Taylor 16 pts/11 rebounds vs. James Madison (QFs), 3/10/19

Eli Pemberton 19 pts/12 rebounds vs. Drexel (QFs), 3/8/20

Tareq Coburn 13 pts/12 rebounds vs. Delaware (SFs), 3/9/20

Isaac Kante 14 pts/13 rebounds vs. Delaware (QFs), 3/7/21

Aaron Estrada 22 pts/10 rebounds vs. William & Mary (QFs), 3/5/23

Darlinstone Dubar 23 pts/11 rebounds vs. Delaware (QFs), 3/10/24


D-STONE’S BACK

Darlinstone Dubar’s resurgence continued with Sunday’s strong effort (once again, he had 23 points and 11 rebounds). He has scored in double figures in 31 of 32 games this season after doing so 42 times over 67 games in his first two seasons with the Dutchmen. Dubar has scored 124 points in the last six games since his streak of consecutive double-digit scoring efforts was snapped at 27 games when he was limited to nine points in a 79-77 loss to Drexel on Feb. 15.


D-STONE NEARLY PULLS THE LAETTNER

Darlinstone Dubar did a pretty nifty Christian Laettner impersonation (minus stepping on someone’s chest) Sunday night, when he scored his 23 points while going 9-of-11 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Dubar hit his first eight shots (including one 3-pointer) and each of his first two free throw attempts before a 3-pointer rimmed in and out with 9:36 left.


CRAZY EIGHTS

Darlinstone Dubar was perfect from inside the 3-point line Sunday night, when he was 8-of-8 on his 2-point field goal attempts. Dubar is the first Hofstra player to be perfect from inside the arc (minimum eight attempts) since Tyler Thomas was 8-of-8 on his 2-point field goal attempts in the 88-86 overtime win over Rutgers in the first round of the NIT last Mar. 14.


BACK TO THE EIGHTIES

Darlinstone Dubar finished 9-of-11 (81.8 percent) from the field Sunday night. It was the second time in three games Dubar has made at least 80 percent of his shots. He was 11-of-13 (84.6 percent) from the field in a 69-58 win over UNC Wilmington on Feb. 29. Prior to Dubar, the last Hofstra player to shoot at least 80 percent in two games at any point in his career was Rokas Gustys, who was 9-of-10 against James Madison in an 86-82 overtime loss on Jan, 16, 2016 and 9-of-11 against UNC Wilmington in the 80-73 overtime loss in the CAA championship game on Mar. 7, 2016. Bad times and a long time ago!


JAQUAN THE STAT-STUFFER

Jaquan Carlos, as newly minted MAAC Coach of the Year Tom Pecora (LOL Fordham) used to say about Loren Stokes, stuffed the stat sheet Sunday night, when he finished with 18 points, five rebounds and five assists. The 18 points were tied for his third-highest single-game total behind a 19-point effort against UNC Wilmington in a 79-73 overtime loss in the CAA Tournament semifinals last Mar. 6 and his 23-point game in an 80-74 win over Stony Brook on Jan. 22. He also had 18 points against High Point in  97-92 overtime win on Nov. 22.


In addition, the solid all-around game Sunday marked the sixth time this season Carlos has finished with at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists and the 10th time he’s done so in the last two seasons. That’s tied with Justin Wright-Foreman for the third-most such games among Hofstra players since the 2010-11 season, the start of the Play Index era at College Basketball Reference, behind only Juan’ya Green (23) and Aaron Estrada (17).


CARLOS KEEPS CRACKING HIS SLUMP

Jaquan Carlos continued emerging from his slump Sunday night, when he finished with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Carlos has 67 points, 36 rebounds and a whopping 50 assists in his last six games after collecting just 40 points, 27 rebounds and 29 assists in his previous six games from Jan. 27-Feb. 15.


TYLER THOMAS THE THIRD OPTION?

Hey, that’ll work. Tyler Thomas had an off-game by his standards Sunday night, when he scored 20 points while going 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from the field, including 3-of-9 from 3-point land. The overall shooting percentage and 3-point shooting percentage were each the lowest for Thomas since Jan. 25, when he was 4-of-17 (23.5 percent from the field) and 1-of-10 from 3-point land in a 64-55 win over William & Mary.


TENS AND TWENTIES FOR TYLER

Even in the midst of a quiet shooting game, Tyler Thomas still finished with 20 points Sunday night. Thomas has scored in double figures in 24 straight games, 54 of his last 56 games and 62 times overall in the last two seasons. The 20-point effort also marked the 22nd time this season he has scored at least 20 points and the 32nd time he’s done so in the last two seasons.


PUTTIN’ ON THE FRITZ

Jacco Fritz was limited to 22 minutes by first-half foul trouble Sunday night, when he scored six points while hitting all three of his field goal attempts. It was the fourth time this season Fritz has been perfect from the field and the first time since Jan. 13, when he was 4-of-4 in the 69-68 loss to Campbell.


GERMAN FOR STARTERS

German Plotnikov had one point and two rebounds in 36 minutes Sunday night, when the Dutchmen improved to 12-3 since he moved into the starting lineup. Plotnikov is averaging 8.3 points and 2.6 rebounds over 30 minutes per game as a starter after averaging 3.7 points and 2.0 reboudns over 14 minutes per game in his first 13 appearances of the season.


ONE IS NOT JUST A SONG BY METALLICA OR U2

German Plotnikov scored one point Sunday, when he split a pair of free throws with 7:28 left in the first half. Plotnikov is the first Hofstra player to score exactly one point in a game since KiJan Robinson had one point in the 62-57 win over Iona on Dec. 6.


SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

Silas Sunday played 18 key minutes Sunday night, when he finished with five points and two rebounds while filling in for Jacco Fritz. Sunday played just 16 minutes combined in the final three games of the regular season, a span in which he was scoreless with five rebounds. In addition, Silas went 3-for-4 from the free throw line after entering the game just 1-of-3 from the line all season. Quirky!


SEVEN WISHES?

Bryce Washington’s quiet stretch continued Sunday night, when he had two rebounds and didn’t attempt a shot in eight minutes. He has gone scoreless in three consecutive games in which he’s played for the first time since Dec. 29, 2022-Jan. 11. 2023 when he went scoreless in three straight games. The Dutchmen are now 8-2 in the last nine games in which Washington scores fewer than seven points after going 0-8 when he scored fewer than seven points as a starter this season.


OVER THE AIR

Tonight’s game will be carried live on CBS Sports Network, which is channel 215 in the Optimum/Altice Are Our Overlords Universe. Hofstra will provide a radio feed as well as live stats at the Pride Productions hub.


BACK IN THE SEMIS

The Dutchmen are in the CAA semifinals for the second straight season, the fifth time in the last six seasons, the seventh time in the last 10 seasons and the 11th time since joining the league prior to the 2001-02 season. Pretty good run! The seven semifinal appearances in a 10-year span are the most by a CAA school since Northeastern reached the semifinals eight times from 2012-21. 


Hofstra fell in the semifinals in 2002, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023, reached the title game before losing in 2006, 2016 and 2019 and, of course, won it all in 2020.


This is the Dutchmen’s 16th trip to the conference semifinals dating back to 1994. Hofstra fell in the America East semifinals in 1998 and 1999 and won it all in the ECC in 1994 and in the America East in 2000 and 2001.


SCOUTING STONY BROOK

The Seawolves, under fifth-year head coach Geno Ford, advanced to the semifinals by overcoming a 13-point second-half deficit to upset Drexel, 91-88, in double overtime in the third quarterfinal Sunday night. Aaron Clarke (27 points) and Chris Maidoh (26 points) each set career-highs for scoring in the instant classic. Stony Brook, which improved to 19-14, earned the no. 7 seed by finishing 10-8 in CAA play. The Seawolves began tourney play Saturday by beating 10th-seeded Northeastern, 75-65.


The Dutchmen and Seawolves had one common opponent in non-conference play. The Dutchmen beat St. Joseph’s (NY) 101-48 on Nov. 6, four days before the Seawolves earned a 91-50 win over the local Division III foe.


In CAA regular season play, both teams swept Northeastern, won their lone meetings against UNC Wilmington, Not Twitter Guy and North Carolina A&T and lost their only games against Campbell. The Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Stony Brook beat in the lone meeting between the teams, and split with Drexel, which beat the Seawolves in the lone regular season clash. Hofstra won its lone meeting with William & Mary, whom Stony Brook swept, and lost to Monmouth, which split with the Seawolves. The Dutchmen beat Delaware, which split with Stony Brook and defeated Towson, who beat the Seawolves. Hofstra was swept by Charleston, which beat Stony Brook.


The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 108th at KenPom.com. They’ve maintained their KenPom.com positioning or moved up following each of the last eight games following a nine-game span in which they fell or stayed the same following each game. College basketball, the best way to drive yourself insane. The Seawolves, who were picked to finish ninth, are ranked 176th.


According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in conference-only offensive efficiency (111.3 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (102.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league. The Seawolves rank fifth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (108.7 points per 100 possessions) and fifth in defensive efficiency (104.7 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 67.4 possessions per 40 minutes, the fifth-most in the league. That’s consistent!


Graduate student Tyler Stephenson-Moore, who was named to the all-CAA second team, leads the Seawolves with 16.1 points per game. Graduate student Aaron Clarke, who played four seasons at Sacred Heart and spent three seasons as teammates with Tyler Thomas, is averaging 14.0 points per game. Graduate student Keenan Fitzmorris, who began his career at Stanford, is averaging 10.9 points per game. Sophomore guard Andre Snoddy, who played his first two seasons at Central Connecticut, leads Stony Brook with 7.2 rebounds per game while graduate student Chris Maidoh, who played four seasons at Fairfield, is averaging 5.5 rebounds per game.


KenPom.com predicts a 74-69 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 7 1/2-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 14-17 against the spread this season.


ALL-TIME VS. STONY BROOK

Hofstra is 28-6 all-time against Stony Brook, including 10-2 since the series resumed in 2014. The Dutchmen swept the regular season series for the second straight year this year, when Darlinstone Dubar tied a career-high by scoring 30 points in an 80-74 win out east on Jan. 22 before Tyler Thomas hit a semi-miraculous jumper in the final second to cap a 13-point comeback in a 72-71 win at the Arena on Feb. 1. 


Hofstra is 46-40-2 in all sports against Stony Brook since the two schools began scheduling each other again in the spring of 2014, including 42-29-2 since the 2016-17 school year began.


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

Your coach didn’t score 2,000 points in college bias! (But Geno Ford’s 1,752 points at Ohio University are pretty damn good anyway)

Kirk Cousins isn’t going to play for any of your former coaches this upcoming season bias! (Cousins signed today with the Falcons, because everyone knows the cool kids play for Raheem Morris)

Why can’t the Mets get World Series winners like Travis Jankowski bias! (Oh Mets, will you ever stop Metsing?)

We’ve won as many football games since the start of the school year as you bias! (I know this was used prior to both regular season games but I’m sorry, facts are facts)

Keep It Perky: Delaware postgame (CAA Tournament quarterfinals)

Big Mistake. Huge. We have to go get ready for the CAA semifinals now. 


So you didn’t think Darlinstone Dubar was an all-CAA first-teamer or that Jaquan Carlos was one of the 15 best players in the league, huh? Big mistake. Huge.


Dubar and Carlos appeared to play with the proverbial chips on their shoulders Sunday night, when they led the Flying Dutchmen to a thorough 73-58 win over Delaware in the CAA Tournament quarterfinals. With the win the Dutchmen advance to the semifinals against…Stony Brook. Well this is gonna be SOMETHING, isn’t it? Make sure to stop by later today for the in-depth Quirky breakdown of the win over the Blue Hens and a look ahead to the Seawolves, but in the meantime, here’s the boilerplate postgame material in the postgame Keep It Perky!


THE MOST RECENT GAME SUMMARIZED IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Darlinstone Dubar (23 points, 11 rebounds) posted a double-double and Jaquan Carlos (18 points, five rebounds, five assists) had another stat-stuffer of a game as the Dutchmen pulled away from Delaware over the final 25-plus minutes. The Dutchmen held four one-possession leads and the Blue Hens took a sextet (that’s six), of four-point leads, the last at 29-25 on Christian Ray’s jumper with 5:59 left, before the Dutchmen began asserting themselves on both ends of the floor. Tyler Thomas, who opened the game in a 2-for-11 slump, drained a 3-pointer to begin a 14-0 run bridging the halves in which Delaware was 0-for-7 from the field with three turnovers. Delaware pulled within eight points three times before Carlos’ jumper put the Dutchmen ahead by double digits for good at 46-36 with 17:06 left. Dubar scored 19 of his points in the final 25-plus minutes and finished a robust 9-of-11 from the field, including 8-of-8 from inside the 3-point line. He also added a team-high two blocks and tied Thomas for the team lead with three steals. Thomas scored 20 points despite going 6-of-22 from the field. Pretty good day when the league Player of the Year and one of the nation’s top five scorers is your third-best player. Jacco Fritz, limited to 22 minutes by first-half foul trouble, scored six points while Silas Sunday had five points and two rebounds in 18 key minutes.


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

3: Darlinstone Dubar

2: Jaquan Carlos

1: Tyler Thomas


SEASON STANDINGS

Tyler Thomas 65

Darlinstone Dubar 58

Jaquan Carlos 35

Jacco Fritz 14

German Plotnikov 10

Bryce Washington 6

Silas Sunday 2

KiJan Robinson 2


WAS THIS A UNICORN SCORE?

No! But it’s just the third 73-58 win in program history and the first since a victory over Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 30, 2020 — the first win and second game of that very weird pandemic-shortened season. The first 73-58 win happened way back in the 1951-52 season.


The Dutchmen have recored seven unicorn score victories this season after recording 12 unicorn scores last season, 11 unicorn scores 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.


WHO HAD THE KEITH HERNANDEZ?

Darlinstone Dubar recorded his third straight Keith Hernandez Sunday night when he gave the Dutchmen the lead for good at 30-29 with a dunk out of the under-four media timeout with 3:58 left in the first half. Dubar is the only player in history (dating back to last year) to record the Keith Hernandez in three consecutive victories. He also had three Keith Hernandezes in as many games from Feb. 11-16, 2023. This stretch of three Keith Hernandezes spans four games for the Dutchmen. 


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)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Norfolk State, 12/16/23 (13:45 left 2H)

Tyler Thomas go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Delaware, 1/6/24 (17:46 left 1H)

Bryce Washington go-ahead 3-pointer vs. Hampton, 1/18/24 (5:24 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 1/22/24 (6:52 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. William & Mary, 1/25/24 (19:47 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas go-ahead jumper vs. Stony Brook, 2/1/24 (:0.4 left 2H)

Jacco Fritz tie-breaking layup vs. Towson, 2/3/24 (2:16 left 2H)

Silas Sunday tie-breaking layup vs. Hampton, 2/8/24 (3:48 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. North Carolina A&T, 2/10/24 (17:16 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking layup vs. Northeastern, 2/17/24 (18:08 left 1H)

Tyler Thomas tie-breaking 3-pointer vs. Drexel, 2/22/24 (9:43 left 2H)

Darlinstone Dubar tie-breaking layup vs. Not Twitter Guy, 2/24/24 (12:18 left 1H)

Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead 3-pointer vs. UNC Wilmington, 2/29/24 (9:42 left 1H)

Darlinstone Dubar go-ahead dunk vs. Delaware, 3/10/24 (3:58 left 1H)


SEASON STANDINGS

Darlinstone Dubar 9

Tyler Thomas 6

Jacco Fritz 2

Silas Sunday 1

Bryce Washington 1

Jaquan Carlos 1


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

Tyler Thomas 16

Darlinstone Dubar 14

Aaron Estrada 4

Warren Williams 3

Jacco Fritz 2

Jaquan Carlos 2

German Plotnikov 2

Silas Sunday 1

Bryce Washington 1


The Keith Hernandez is bestowed upon the player who scores the points that put the Dutchmen ahead for good in a victory. The stat pays homage to Hernandez, the World Series-winning Cardinals and Mets first baseman who had a record 129 game-winning RBIs when the stat was inexplicably discontinued after the 1988 season.


THE FLYING DUTCHMEN AFTER THIRTY-TWO GAMES

With Sunday’s win, the Dutchmen improved to 20-12. This ties the 2023-24 team for the 11th-best record in school history through 32 games. This is the first time the Dutchmen have opened 20-12 since 2014-15 and the second time overall in school history. This is after the Dutchmen were 14-10 after 24 games, 15-10 after 25 games, 15-11 after 26 games, 16-11 after 27 games, 17-11 after 28 games, 18-11 after 29 games, 19-11 after 30 games and 19-12 after 31 games, all for the first time since 2017-18. That was pretty quirky! Here is how some notable Hofstra teams have fared through 32 games:


NCAA DIVISION I TOURNAMENT TEAMS

2019-20 (IT COUNTS TO US): 24-8 (most recent 24-8 start, beat Drexel in the CAA quarterfinals)


The 1975-76 team, Hofstra’s first to reach the NCAA Tournament, completed its season in 30 games (18-12), as did the 1976-77 team (23-7). The 1999-2000 NCAA Tournament team completed its season in 31 games (24-7), as did the 2000-01 team (26-5). 


All four Hofstra teams to reach the NCAA Tournament at the Division II level completed their seasons in 30 games or fewer. The 1958-59 team finished 20-7 while the 1961-62 team ended up 24-4, the 1962-63 team finished 23-7 and the 1963-64 team went 23-6.


NIT TEAMS

1998-99: 22-10 (season ended with a loss to Rutgers in the first round of the NIT)

2005-06: 26-6 (beat Saint Joseph’s, 77-75, in the second round of the NIT)

2006-07: 22-10 (season ended with a loss to DePaul in the first round of the NIT)

2015-16: 24-8 (beat William & Mary in the CAA semifinals, final win of season)

2018-19: 26-6 (most recent 26-6 start, beat James Madison in the CAA quarterfinals)

2022-23: 24-8 (most recent 24-8 start, win in 32nd game marked final win of 12-game winning streak that ended in the CAA Tournament semifinals OH NO YOU DON’T)


The 2004-05 NIT team completed its season at 21-9.


Some other notable 32-game records — in fact, all of them!

2021-22: 21-11 (season ended with a loss to Charleston in the CAA quarterfinals)

2016-17: 15-17 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA first round)

2014-15: 20-12 (beat James Madison in CAA quarterfinals, final win of season)

2013-14: 10-22 (beat UNC Wilmington in CAA first round, final win of season)

2012-13: 7-25 (season ended with loss to Delaware in CAA quarterfinals, worst 32-game record in school history)

2011-12: 10-22 (season ended with loss to Georgia State in CAA first round)

2010-11: 21-11 (lost to Old Dominion in CAA semifinals, final win of season)

2009-10: 19-13 (beat Georgia State in CAA first round, final win of season)

2008-09: 21-11 (season ended with loss to Old Dominion in CAA quarterfinals)

2001-02: 12-20 (season ended with loss to VCU in CAA semifinals)


Hofstra has never been (deep breath) 32-0, 31-1, 30-2, 29-3, 28-4, 27-5, 25-7, 23-9, 18-14, 17-15, 16-16, 14-18, 13-19, 11-21, 9-23, 8-24, 6-26, 5-27, 4-28, 3-29, 2-30, 1-31 or 0-32 through 32 games.


Seventy-one seasons were completed in fewer than 32 games:


1936-37 (7-10)

1937-38 (10-4)

1938-39 (10-8)

1939-40 (12-9)

1940-41 (13-7)

1941-42 (15-6)

1942-43 (15-6)

1943-44 (7-12)

1944-45 (8-13)

1945-46 (12-7)

1946-47 (18-6)

1947-48 (13-6)

1948-49 (18-8)

1949-50 (17-9)

1950-51 (18-11)

1951-52 (26-3)

1952-53 (20-7)

1953-54 (15-9)

1954-55 (19-7)

1955-56 (22-4)

1956-57 (11-15)

1957-58 (15-8)

1958-59 (20-7)

1959-60 (23-1)

1960-61 (21-4)

1961-62 (24-4)

1962-63 (23-7)

1963-64 (23-6)

1964-65 (11-14)

1965-66 (16-10)

1966-67 (12-13)

1967-68 (13-12)

1968-69 (12-13)

1969-70 (13-13)

1970-71 (18-8)

1971-72 (11-14)

1972-73 (8-16)

1973-74 (8-16)

1974-75 (11-13)

1975-76 (18-12)

1976-77 (23-7)

1977-78 (8-19)

1978-79 (8-19)

1979-80 (14-14)

1980-81 (12-15)

1981-82 (12-16)

1982-83 (18-9)

1983-84 (14-14)

1984-85 (14-15)

1985-86 (17-13)

1986-87 (10-18)

1987-88 (6-21)

1988-89 (14-15)

1989-90 (13-15)

1990-91 (14-14)

1991-92 (20-9)

1992-93 (9-18)

1993-94 (9-20)

1994-95 (10-18)

1995-96 (9-18)

1996-97 (12-15)

1997-98 (19-12)

1998-99 (22-9)

1999-2000 (24-7)

2000-01 (26-5)

2002-03 (8-21)

2003-04 (14-15)

2004-05 (21-9)

2007-08 (12-18)

2017-18 (19-12)

2020-21 (13-10)


(Well) more than half the previous Hofstra seasons were completed by this point.


Full records not available for the following seasons: 1936-37, 1941-42, 1942-43.


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


NUMBER TEN THROUGH NINETY-NINE

With Sunday’s win, Speedy Claxton improved to 66-33 (.667) as head coach. That’s tied for the second-best known winning percentage for a Hofstra coach through his first 99 games at the helm.


Paul Lynner 67-32 (.677, 99th game was the 15th game of his fourth season in 1965-66)

Frank Reilly 66-33 (.667, 99th game was the 28th game of his fourth season in 1950-51)

Butch van Breda Kolff I 66-33 (.667, 99th game was the 24th game of his fourth season in 1958-59)

SPEEDY CLAXTON 66-33 (.667, 99th game was the 32nd game of his third season in 2023-24)

Joe Mihalich 54-45 (.545, 99th game was the 32nd game of his third season in 2015-16)

Dick Berg 50-49 (.505, 99th game was the 17th game of his fourth season in 1983-84)

Butch van Breda Kolff II 49-50 (.495, 99th game was the 14th game of his fourth season in 1991-92)

Roger Gaeckler 43-56 (.434, 99th game was the 27th game of his fourth season in 1975-76)

Tom Pecora 43-56 (.434, 99th game was the ninth game of his fourth season in 2004-05)

Jay Wright 41-58 (.414, 99th game was the 17th  game of his fourth season in 1997-98) 


A loss for Butch van Breda Kolff I in his 99th game and wins for Frank Reilly and Speedy Claxton create the three-way tie for second, one game behind Paul Lynner. And Jay Wright remains the losingest head coach in program history, this time through 99 games. Should probably move on from him!


The records are incomplete for Jack McDonald’s first stint from 1936 through 1943 as well as the tenure of Jack Smith (1943-46). But not Frank Reilly (1947-55) anymore!


Smith finished 27-32 in his three seasons while Mo Cassara finished 38-59 in his three seasons. Three coaches had one-season tenures lasting at Hofstra. McDonald went 18-6 in the lone season of his second stint in 1946-47 while Joe Harrington went 14-14 in 1979-80 and Mike Farrelly went 13-10 in 2020-21.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. Delaware (CAA Quarterfinals)

Let's hope it's Taylor Swift's Dad who has to shake it off tonight! (This is a shameless attempt to game the SEO) 


Hey! Wake up! The Flying Dutchmen, who last played when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, will finally begin CAA Tournament play tonight, when your beloved no. 3 seed opposes sixth-seeded Delaware at 8:30 PM. I will not think worst-case scenarios, I will not think worst-case scenarios, I will not think worst-case scenarios. 


We already ran down the boilerplate postgame material as well as all the team-related quirkiness and individual news and notes from last Saturday’s 87-76 loss to Charleston in Saturday’s Keep It Perky. Today will be all about another impressive awards haul for the Dutchmen as well as CAA Tournament historical nuggets about Hofstra and the no. 3 seed and the preview of the Blue Hens. Enjoy!


AWARDS SEASON

Congrats again to Tyler Thomas, who continued a Hofstra tradition by being named the CAA’s Player of the Year Thursday. Thomas is the third straight Hofstra player to win the award, following in the footsteps of 2021-22 winner Aaron Estrada. Hofstra is the first school with three straight CAA Player of the Year winners since George Mason from 1999 through 2001, when George Evans three-peated, and the first school to win three straight awards with multiple honorees. The only other school to have a player win Player of the Year three straight seasons was Navy from 1985-87, when some guy named David Robinson pulled off the feat. Pretty good company!


So, too, is this: Thomas is the sixth Hofstra player to earn Player of the Year honors, joining Estrada, Loren Stokes (2006), Charles Jenkins (2010-11), Juan’ya Green (2016) and Justin Wright-Foreman (2018-19). The six Player of the Year honorees and nine awards are each the most in CAA history, which is pretty impressive considering Hofstra didn’t join the league until 2001-02.


In addition, Darlinstone Dubar was named to the all-CAA second team. The Dutchmen have had at least two players make an all-CAA team in each of the last seven seasons, the longest active streak in the league. Jaquan Carlos also made the all-CAA defensive team for the second straight season, the first time a Hofstra player has done that since Desure Buie did so in 2019-20.


THE CAA RACE

The Flying Dutchmen tied UNC Wilmington for third place in the CAA with a 12-6 record but earned the no. 3 seed by virtue of their 69-58 win over the Seahawks on Feb. 29. Once again, viva la unbalanced schedule! This marks the third time the Dutchmen have gone 12-6 in league play (2005 and 2018).


GO FOR FOURTH, YOUNG MEN

The Dutchmen earned a top-four seed in the CAA Tournament for the seventh straight season, which is the longest streak in the league since William & Mary was a top-four seed for seven straight years from 2014 through 2020. The Dutchmen’s run of consecutive top-four finishes in their league is matched or exceeded by just five other Division I schools:


Gonzaga (West Coast Conference), 33

Vermont (America East), 18

Yale (Ivy League), 15***

South Dakota State (Summit), 13

UC Irvine (Big West), 12


***Yale’s streak dates back to the 2008-09 season, but the Ivy League didn’t hold a postseason tournament until 2017 and didn’t compete in 2020-21 due to the pandemic. 


THE DUTCHMEN IN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT PLAY

The Flying Dutchmen enter today 20-21 in CAA Tournament play since 2002, 29-26 in conference tournament play in the NAC/America East/CAA era (1994-present) and 32-26 in conference tournament play in the Defiantly Dutch era (1993-present), which, let’s face it, is the only era that matters because it includes the ECC. Hello Litos.


In the CAA, the Dutchmen fell in the title game three times — in 2006, 2016 and 2019 — before finally breaking through and winning it all by beating Northeastern 70-61 in the title game on Mar. 10, 2020. It was a nice 24 hours.


In addition to the one title game win and three title game losses as a CAA member, the Dutchmen have fallen in the semifinals five times — including last year, when they lost to UNC Wilmington, 79-73, in overtime — while being eliminated in the quarterfinals nine times and losing on Pillowfight Friday four times since 2002. Dating back to 1994, the Dutchmen have won four championships (1994 ECC, 2000 America East, 2001 America East, 2020 CAA), fallen in the title game three times, lost in the semifinals eight times, fallen in the quarterfinals 10 times and been eliminated in an outbracket game five times (we didn’t call it Pillowfight Friday back in the NAC).


TOP THREE OR ELSE?

History suggests it was better the Dutchmen finished third rather than fourth or fifth. Top three seeds have accounted for 36 of the 41 championships in CAA history. The top seed has won 21 titles, the second seed has won 11 titles and the three seed has cut down the net four times. However, two of the Cinderella runs were mounted in the last three seasons, when sixth-seeded Drexel won it all in 2021 before fifth-seeded Delaware took home the title in 2022.


THE DUTCHMEN AS THE THREE SEED

This is the fifth time the Dutchmen have earned the three seed since joining the CAA in 2001-02 and the first time since 2017-18. Earlier, the Dutchmen earned the three seed in the America East tournament in 1999, when they fell in the semifinals (because Speedy Claxton was hurt, damnit).


The Dutchmen are 3-3 as the three seed in CAA Tournament play and 4-4 as the three seed overall.


2018 CAA: lost to no. 6 UNC Wilmington in QFs

2011 CAA: beat no. 11 William & Mary in QFs, lost to no. 2 Old Dominion in championship

2007 CAA: lost to no. 6 George Mason in QFs (FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLAY STATION PASS THE BALL TO AGUDIO HE’S WIDE OPEN FOR THREE)

2006 CAA: beat no. 6 VCU in QFs, beat no. 2 George Mason in SFs (grr), lost to no. 1 UNC Wilmington in championship (double grr)

1999 A-East: beat no. 6 Vermont in QFs, lost to no. 2 Drexel in SFs


IS THREE THE MAGIC NUMBER?

The three seed is 48-37 all-time in CAA Tournament play and, as noted, has won the championship four times (Northeastern in 2015, James Madison in 2013, George Mason in 2008, Richmond in 1998), lost in the finals 11 times, lost in the semifinals 14 times and lost in the first round 12 times.


Since 2002, the three seed is 27-19, including 15-7 in its first game. In addition to winning three titles, the third seed has lost in the finals six times since 2002, lost in the semifinals four times and been eliminated in the quarterfinals seven times — including four times in the last six years, a stretch that began with Hofstra’s loss to UNC Wilmington in 2018, and three straight years before Towson beat Delaware last season. Gulp. The third seed has not reached the title game since Northeastern won the championship in 2015.


SEEING THE BLUE HENS AGAIN

The Dutchmen are 3-3 against Delaware in the CAA Tournament and 5-5 against the Blue Hens in conference tournaments dating back to 1994-95, when Hofstra joined the North Atlantic Conference. The Blue Hens are the Dutchmen’s most common conference tournament foe of the last 31 seasons and their second-most frequent CAA Tournament foe. The Dutchmen are 2-5 against UNC Wilmington.


This is the first postseason clash between the rivals since Mar. 7, 2021, when the Dutchmen ran their postseason winning streak over Delaware to three games with an 83-75 victory in a quarterfinal game. Will this one be the last postseason clash between Hofstra and the Blue Hens? Stupid Division I-A football. 


1997 America East QFs: Delaware 86-73

1998 America East SFs: Delaware 60-51

2000 America East championship: Hofstra 76-69

2001 America East championship: Hofstra 68-54

2013 CAA QFs: Delaware 62-57

2014 CAA QFs: Delaware 87-76

2017 CAA PFF: Delaware 81-76

2019 CAA SFs: Hofstra 78-74 (overtime)

2020 CAA SFs: Hofstra 75-61

2021 CAA QFs: Hofstra 83-75


SCOUTING DELAWARE

The Blue Hens, under eighth-year head coach Martin Ingelsby, advanced to the quarterfinals by routing Hampton, 80-50, in Saturday night’s final second-round game. The 30-point margin of victory was tied for the fourth-largest in CAA Tournament history. Delaware, which improved to 19-13, earned the no. 6 seed by finishing 10-8 in CAA play.


The Dutchmen and Blue Hens had two common opponents in non-conference play. The Dutchmen lost to Princeton 74-67 on Nov. 10 and fell to George Washington, 71-60, on Nov. 14. The Blue Hens also lost to both teams, dropping an 81-71 decision to George Washington on Nov. 26 and falling to Princeton 84-82 on Dec. 30. 


In CAA play, the Dutchmen swept Hampton, whom Delaware beat in the lone regular season meeting between the teams, as well as Stony Brook, with whom the Blue Hens split. The Dutchmen won their lone games against North Carolina A&T and William & Mary, each of whom were swept by the Blue Hens. The Dutchmen beat UNC Wilmington and Not Twitter Guy, each of whom defeated Delaware. Hofstra split with Northeastern, whom Delaware beat in the lone meetings between the teams, and lost to Campbell and Monmouth, each of whom the Blue Hens defeated. The Dutchmen split with Drexel which swept Delaware, and won their lone game against Towson, which split with the Blue Hens. Hofstra was swept y Charleston, which won the lone game against Delaware.


The Dutchmen, who were picked to finish fourth in the CAA preseason poll, are ranked 116th at KenPom.com. The Blue Hens, who were picked to finish tied for fifth with Towson, are ranked 166th.


According to KenPom.com, the Dutchmen rank fourth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (111.3 points per 100 possessions) and second in defensive efficiency (102.6 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 65.7 possessions per 40 minutes, the ninth-most in the league. The Blue Hens rank eighth in the CAA in offensive efficiency (106.3 points per 100 possessions) and fourth in defensive efficiency (104.2 points per 100 possessions) while averaging 66.6 possessions per 40 minutes, the sixth-most in the league. IRON MAIDEN BIAS!


Junior Jyáre Davis, who was named to the all-CAA second team, leads the Blue Hens with 17.2 points per game and ranks second with 7.6 rebounds per game. Graduate student Gerald Drumgoole Jr., who opened his career with two seasons apiece at Pittsburgh and Albany, is averaging 13.6 points per game. Fifth-year senior Christian Ray, who played his first three seasons at La Salle, leads Delaware with a CAA-high 8.8 rebounds per game.


KenPom.com predicts a 72-69 win for the Dutchmen. Per the wise guys in Vegas, for entertainment purposes only, the Dutchmen are 4-point favorites. The Dutchmen are 13-17 against the spread this season.


ALL-TIME VS. DELAWARE

Hofstra is 68-34 against Delaware in a series that began during the 1954-55 season.  The Dutchmen won the lone meeting between the teams this season on Jan. 6, when Tyler Thomas scored 22 points and Darlinstone Dubar (18 points, nine rebounds), Jaquan Carlos (nine points, 10 assists) and Jacco Fritz (15 points, nine rebounds) all flirted with double-doubles in a 76-71 victory.


This year marks the second straight season in which the Dutchmen are playing a CAA Tournament game against a team they opposed just once in the regular season. The Dutchmen beat William & Mary 94-46 in the quarterfinals last year before falling to UNC Wilmington, 79-73, in overtime in the semifinals.


The Blue Hens are Hofstra’s most common foe. The Dutchmen and Delaware were rivals in the East Coast Conference and the North Atlantic Conference/America East before heading to the CAA, along with Drexel and Towson, for the 2001-02 season. I bet we’re together forever!


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

Taylor Swift’s Dad provided publicity for I-AA football by playing at Delaware bias! (I’ve referenced Scott Swift before but, you know, you can never mention Taylor Swift enough TAYLOR SWIFT TAYLOR SWIFT TAYLOR SWIFT)

Marriott bias! (J.W. Marriott Jr. received an honorary degree form Delaware in 2005, which has me wondering why I always slummed it in the beat-up Howard Johnson’s right near campus)

Wikipedia bias! (Former Delaware professor Thomas Leitch wrote a book about Wikipedia)

Mike Pegues’ team should be playing Hofstra every year bias! (Pegues is an assistant at Butler, c’mon Mike and Speedy, get that series going)