MBB Game 29 vs. James Madison on February 23 4:00 P.M.

[Mikey77]

On the last play in regulation with 3.8 left how that's not contested in the back court is beyond me. They let him dribble up and only contest it when he gets within the range of a long three. I just don't get it. Joe made a similar blunder against Charleston last year at home and Brantlley I think scored the winning basket. This is starting to look like men's lax from two years ago going 10 - 0 then collapsing. We are too small down low and have been exposed and Joe refuses to play two bigs at a time even for portions of the game. Then we go to OT get up by like seven or so and have four point plays under JMU's basket and some other stuff that I couldn't figure out being at the other end of the arena. Geez louise!

[Flying Dutchmen]

Joe calling the TO was the dumbest part.

[garyg]

There are no excuses for what is happening...and like I said earlier all teams are tired and beat up a bit at this point...not just Hofstra

[daHUPride]

I am crestfallen, not for myself but for this team.
I am not going to blame the coaching tonihjt in a year like this - an entire season - that has been so successful. But in this game - regulation - with JMU having no TOS left/ we are up 3/ less then 4 seconds on the clock/ JMU with needing the full of the court to go - why did WE call a TO and let JMU strategize???
Can’t blame DD and his effort today but our lack of development and confidence in ST is hurting us - we NEED more rebounding! EP JR and TC battle but they are out sized game in and game out.
Refs - man oh man. The one ref called almost every foul that was against us. They scored 9,,,NINE points on 2 possessions...in overtime. WAGS get on this - has it EVER happened before?
The shooting percentages for both teams - most have been staggering (I haven’t been able to look at the stats).
Don’t ever tell me free throws don’t make a difference in a game.
Buie looks frustrated.
Fans - nice to have a crowd but I hate the things I hear from the typical LIer that NOW has decidided to show up this week after never coming to HU in the past 5 years.
I am reading the other posts correctly and students were told to sit down? Give me and THEM a break-the student section in the catalyst to the arenas enthusiasm!

[Mikey77]

Given our history did you not think this was going to happen.

[Hofstra]

Given our history did you not think this was going to happen.

Man, you took the words right out of my mouth. I will be at both Drexel and Udel games this coming week, and I really hope we can secure the 1 seed. Being a Hofstra fan for this long though, we should all be used to this crap already.

Also, how do we "sell out" a game a few weeks ago, but cant pack out the student section for Senior Night? Even with free shirts, Wags had mentioned they had plenty of extra. Big miss this season with the school promoting.

[Jordan]

Kind of sad for the student section today as a student. Was basically told to sit down after trying to stand up. Usually it isn’t this bad but just a lot of people came for the shirts and don’t know how to enjoy a game. Really sucks. I’ve been here three years and I just don’t know how to get the energy back. I love how many students are here but we don’t have hardly any dedicated fans. I’ve never really gotten a true student section experience. Ah well.

Makes me sick to read this; sorry to hear this happened. Lame by them. Props to you for knowing and understanding how fun the student experience can be. Time to bring back the shirts that read on the back "If you can't see, stand."

Where were you sitting? The students in the first few rows for the past couple of games have been killing it, but I hate to hear that the rest of the student section is discouraging it.

[Jordan]

Given our history did you not think this was going to happen.

Also, how do we "sell out" a game a few weeks ago, but cant pack out the student section for Senior Night? Even with free shirts, Wags had mentioned they had plenty of extra. Big miss this season with the school promoting.

Totally understand the frustration. Wish Justin had the Jenkins experience. Possibly the whiteout could have been today instead of the other game? (although those white-out shirts were NICE) That being said, I wouldn't go as far as dismissing the rest of the season in terms of promotion. Alongside the gameplay/wins, the staff did a phenomenal job putting fans in the seats. Best it has been in a long while; even the home opener had a sell-out.

[triplec2195]

On the last play in regulation with 3.8 left how that's not contested in the back court is beyond me. They let him dribble up and only contest it when he gets within the range of a long three. I just don't get it. Joe made a similar blunder against Charleston last year at home and Brantlley I think scored the winning basket. This is starting to look like men's lax from two years ago going 10 - 0 then collapsing. We are too small down low and have been exposed and Joe refuses to play two bigs at a time even for portions of the game. Then we go to OT get up by like seven or so and have four point plays under JMU's basket and some other stuff that I couldn't figure out being at the other end of the arena. Geez louise!

Just devastated after this one and as bad as our defense was and as great as the crowd turnout we lose our first game at home against a team we are a 15 point favorite over. I'm with you on this Mikey and some people will say that's 20/20 hindsight but forget that we were down by 8 at the half and letting them score 40 points. They only score 70 points a game and they certainly don't play lock down defense. We turned this game around quickly once the second half started and it looked like were going to blow it wide open but we couldn't get a double digit lead. We just traded baskets for a while until they whittled the lead down. But as Mikey said how is it that with 3.8 seconds to go and a three point lead do we allow them to get off even a remotely good look at a three. This game is over as far as I'm concerned put it in the W column. There's no way they shoot a three from where they hit that one with 3.8. We blew this big time and the only ones to take the blame is the coaching staff. We could have fouled we should have contested the inbound pass making it very difficult to get off any kind of a decent shot. Just just speechless and depressed after this loss which should never have been. Last home game senior night definitively not in the script!!! Just can't say anymore.

[Hofstra]

Given our history did you not think this was going to happen.

Also, how do we "sell out" a game a few weeks ago, but cant pack out the student section for Senior Night? Even with free shirts, Wags had mentioned they had plenty of extra. Big miss this season with the school promoting.

Totally understand the frustration. Wish Justin had the Jenkins experience. Possibly the whiteout could have been today instead of the other game? (although those white-out shirts were NICE) That being said, I wouldn't go as far as dismissing the rest of the season in terms of promotion. Alongside the gameplay/wins, the staff did a phenomenal job putting fans in the seats. Best it has been in a long while; even the home opener had a sell-out.

Yes, you're right in regards to the fans that are not students. We had a lot of fans in the seats this season, def more this year than the last few years. I just don't understand why they couldn't appeal more to our students.

[Wags]

I hope coach realizes how ridiculous it is to start Dwyer and Wormley since it’s senior day, is Connor gonna start on senior day next year? Gimme a break. But it came down to this, ‪how we could’ve not fouled at the end of regulation was almost unfathomable. JT was gone, there was only 3.8 or so left, they were inbounding under their own basket and Lewis was hitting shots from the parking lot. HAVE to put them on the line there. No if ans or buts. ‬Chance to win goes from about 77% to better than 95. And you don’t even have to worry about in the act of shooting as they were inbounding under their own basket. Either we get a surprise road win or it’s the 2 seed. Can’t count on NE losing. Heartbreaking.

Wormley actually went 2/2, scored 5 of their first 7 points and assisted on a Taylor dunk to key Hofstra's 9-4 lead. If anything, He could've stayed in a bit longer with the way he played. Starting him and Dwyer had nothing to do with this loss.

They have stopped playing defense ever since the 41-point win over Elon. I don't know if it's complacency, overconfidence, or what. But these other teams a lot farther down in the standings see the end of the regular season coming, see the CAA tourney coming, and for them, that's it. There is no NIT, no CBI, no CIT, nothing. It's win the CAA tourney or no postseason basketball. And they have all come to play very hard, like they are the ones defending the 1 seed. From an intensity standpoint, Hofstra has failed to match the intensity these lesser teams are showing, especially on defense and going after 50/50 balls, ever since that Elon game. These other teams have wanted it more. I especially see it sitting near the basket the opposing teams are shooting at in the second half (and overtime). The guys on the other teams are playing with a lot of pride and effort, particularly for teams that have losing records. They have just wanted it more than Hofstra and Hofstra needs to wake up and put an abrupt end to that FAST, or this previously great season will all have been for naught, and they WILL get picked off on North Charleston. We'll see what happens from here, but that very easy home win over Elon might have been the worst thing to have happened to this team.

[Jordan]

Totally understand the frustration. Wish Justin had the Jenkins experience. Possibly the whiteout could have been today instead of the other game? (although those white-out shirts were NICE) That being said, I wouldn't go as far as dismissing the rest of the season in terms of promotion. Alongside the gameplay/wins, the staff did a phenomenal job putting fans in the seats. Best it has been in a long while; even the home opener had a sell-out.

Yes, you're right in regards to the fans that are not students. We had a lot of fans in the seats this season, def more this year than the last few years. I just don't understand why they couldn't appeal more to our students.

This semester is actually my first as a student (just transferred after community college). I will say that there was a certain buzz on campus during the winning streak. Hyped it a little during Spring orientation, a couple of professors mentioning it in class, flyers on the tables in the cafeteria area, and some student murmurings in the halls. My favorite was the week of the William and Mary game they had athletic staff and cheerleaders handing you a flyer immediately when you walked into the student section, and even on both sides of the unispan (so I got 3 flyers in a matter of a minute).

I will critique in saying: that was it. Probably one of the most magical seasons in the past decade and that was the extent to which they promoted. Not even a poster anywhere. Posters are made for a lot of speakers and clubs, but not one for basketball? Odd.

I will also say is that I am happy that the Hillel took advantage of this exciting season by making the one game "Jewish Heritage Night." They brought lots of students who are not even sports fans, plus a good amount of local schools and synagogues. From what I can tell though is that no other organizations seemed to take advantage. If I were in a Fraternity or Sorority, wouldn't I want to go as a group to the game?

When I ask students "So are you going to the game?" I will usually get a snarky "Umm no? Why?" It's not until I explain the magic that has been this season do I then get an "Ohh crap. That actually sounds dope." Leads me to believe that lots of students (who are even sports fans) are just simply unaware of what the team is doing. Truly is a shame. No advertising this week besides flyers on the cafeteria tables.

Again, I will give credit where credit is due. There was certainly a buzz around campus during the streak. There were promotions. That was nice to see.

My hope is that those that attended this year, for the most part, saw awesome games, and are excited to come back next year.

[Wags]

My hope is that those that attended this year, for the most part, saw awesome games, and are excited to come back next year.

Gotta go dancing. If they make the tourney (this year), they will come (next year).

[Wags]

There are no excuses for what is happening...and like I said earlier all teams are tired and beat up a bit at this point...not just Hofstra

It's not physical fatigue, it's mental - which is even less excusable.

[Wags]

I am crestfallen, not for myself but for this team.
I am not going to blame the coaching tonihjt in a year like this - an entire season - that has been so successful. But in this game - regulation - with JMU having no TOS left/ we are up 3/ less then 4 seconds on the clock/ JMU with needing the full of the court to go - why did WE call a TO and let JMU strategize???

Joe said it was to make sure everyone in the huddle knew what to do. Gonna go out on a limb here, but allowing Lewis to get to the corner for a game-tying 3 likely wasn't part of that.

Also in OT... first time I've ever seen it, but... 9 points on two trips without any techs? That was one heck of a way to blow a 5-point lead in OT. Ugh.

[Wags]

Loss for words. Think I’ll let the rest of you take this one. Heart breaks for JWF and the entire Sr group. Forget red flags, this is a 5 alarm fire folks, with no water in sight.

Guessing A) tired legs, and B) bad officiating in 3...2...1...

C) Effort
D) Attitude
E) Playing like you want to do everything it takes to win CAA regular season and tourney titles instead of thinking you were already entitled to them because you went on a 16-game winning streak and you were busy hearing on every local TV and radio show in the area how great you were. This last road trip need to be a business trip, as in they need to get back to business and play defense like they REALLY CARE about stopping the guys their guarding and going after rebounds and 50/50 balls like their whole season depends on it (because it may).

[Wags]

That one hurt, we are what we are.

They don't have to be. They are capable of more than this. We've seen it often this year. But they have to WANT to prove it ON THE FLOOR. You don't win titles on paper. They know this. We'll see how much they want to prove that on this last road trip.

[Wags]

Feb. 7: Hofstra scored 57 in the 1st half, won by 41.
Today: Hofstra scored 57 in the 2nd half, lost by 5.

[Wags]

Thursday: Hofstra led for 12:33 out of 50 minutes, and won.
Today: Hofstra led for 16:03 in the second half alone, and lost.

[Wags]

Today was the day that letting one player go off finally caught up with Hofstra. They were getting away with that, but obviously not today.

HU allowed this several games back at W&M and then all recently (in 4 of its past 5 games):

Won at W&M despite Nathan Knight's 31 pts.
Beat W&M despite Nathan Knight's 39 pts.
Won at Charleston despite Grant Riller's 43 pts.
Beat Towson despite Brian Fobbs' 29 pts.
Lost to JMU with Lewis scoring 40 pts.

Could be trouble if one player is allowed to do the same and carry his team over Hofstra in North Charleston the way Lewis did in Hempstead today.