Hofstra vs Delaware

[stuball888]

Another game which we should blow out an opponent. Delaware is on a six game road trip where we are their last road game. They have a game up at Buffalo on the 29th at 7PM. They play us on the 31st at 1 PM. That is a 36 hour turnaround after a brutal 8 hour bus ride back to Hempstead. No excuses .

[HUSID80]

Stu, we sat together last night and we agreed, we don't blow anyone out....lets take a win and get ready for Towson on the road two days later.

[stuball888]

HUSID80 this game is ripe for a blowout. Its our first conference game so no let down. Home crowd on new years eve and Delaware must be weary. Also expect that bus ride to be brutal as the long range forecast has snow being dumped in the Buffalo area. BTW- we had 1313 last game in attendance which actually brought our home attendance avg to 1319 on the year. We have 10 home games left and I dont see us avg over 2,000 a game this year.

[Wags]

HUSID80 this game is ripe for a blowout. Its our first conference game so no let down. Home crowd on new years eve and Delaware must be weary. Also expect that bus ride to be brutal as the long range forecast has snow being dumped in the Buffalo area. BTW- we had 1313 last game in attendance which actually brought our home attendance avg to 1319 on the year. We have 10 home games left and I dont see us avg over 2,000 a game this year.

So back when Delaware scheduled it, did they say, "Right before we open the CAA slate on Long Island, we go to Buffalo... yes, Buffalo, two nights before New Year's Eve and about 41 hours before that Hofstra game. What could possibly happen? By the way, does it ever snow up in Buffalo?"

That actually reminds me of another Delaware at HU game a few years back. Really bad blizzard. I was crazy to go because it was pretty scary coming home that night. Fortunately, it worked out, even though I almost got stuck going up a hill near home. But you could hear everything in the arena. Couldn't have been more than a couple hundred fans there, if that many.

p.s. I don't see this as a blowout, but it's a game HU should win without having to worry THAT much. I'm thinking somewhere around 78-69 or so. Since it's the final game of the calendar year, a reverse of '15 and '16, so 61-51, would be fitting. But can't see it being that low (unless each team is thinking about its eventual New Year's Eve party more than basketball that afternoon).

[HUSID80]

HUSID80 this game is ripe for a blowout. Its our first conference game so no let down. Home crowd on new years eve and Delaware must be weary. Also expect that bus ride to be brutal as the long range forecast has snow being dumped in the Buffalo area. BTW- we had 1313 last game in attendance which actually brought our home attendance avg to 1319 on the year. We have 10 home games left and I dont see us avg over 2,000 a game this year.

Stu, when was the last time we BLEW anyone out?????

[stuball888]

Last year I think Jacksonville State. Delaware just lost by 20 to Buffalo who was 6-6 going in. Delaware now 5-6 on the year.

[Wags]

Last year I think Jacksonville State. Delaware just lost by 20 to Buffalo who was 6-6 going in. Delaware now 5-6 on the year.

Delaware gave up 99, too (54 in the second half). Hopefully, HU can hit some shots, get out on the break, get some easy buckets and put up some good offensive numbers against the Hens.

[Dooku25]

In honor of Zman's return to the boards, HU currently 12 pt favorites..

[ProudofPride]

The CAAHoops blog writers have a preview of today's games. I didn't realize our starters are the 13th most experienced group in the nation. http://caahoops.com/2015/12/31/pre-nye-festivities/

[EvanJ]

I didn't realize our starters are the 13th most experienced group in the nation. http://caahoops.com/2015/12/31/pre-nye-festivities/

Career minutes:

Green: 4,126
Tanksley: 3,414
Bernardi: 1,935
Koon: 2,138
Gustys: 741
Total: 12,354

Before this season, Green (3), Tanksley (3), Gustys (1), Koon (3), and Bernardi (2) had played a combined 12 seasons. If 1,000 minutes is a season worth for a starter (31.25 per game if your team plays 32 games), that would be 12,000. If those five players averaged a combined 160 minutes per game (32 per player) for the 12 games we have played so far, that would add 1,920 to make 13,920. 12,354/13,920 is 0.8875, so Hofstra's starters are about 89 percent as experienced as they could have been given their seasons played, and it would be higher if Koon's seasons were all full. He played in only 11 games one season. The 12 combined seasons before 2015-2016 is 80 percent of the maximum of 15 if all five of your starters were seniors.

[EvanJ]

In honor of Zman's return to the boards, HU currently 12 pt favorites..

Sagarin:

Overall: Hofstra by 11.84
Predictor: Hofstra by 12.01
Golden_Mean: Hofstra by 11.92
Recent: Hofstra by 11.82

Edit: Hofstra is starting Green, Tanksley, Gustys, Koon, and Bernardi. Delaware is starting Kory Holden (guard), Anthony Mosley (guard), Maurice Jeffers (center), Marvin King-Davis (forward), and Cazmon Hayes (guard). http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=105885&a=1 will have statistics. http://www.caasports.com/custompages/st ... M#team.ind has Delaware's statistics.

[EvanJ]

Curtis McRoy, who has played 75 minutes this season, is starting at guard because Kory Holden was scratched. He might play off the bench.

[ProudofPride]

At least Delaware isn't playing any defense either so far...

[ProudofPride]

Much better effort now after the first few minutes. Koon looks great so far.

Nevermind. We blew a 10 point lead, and Delaware now has the lead after a 9-0 run. We haven't made a free throw yet (0-5).

[EvanJ]

Hofstra is on pace to break the team record for asssists in a game, which is 25.

[ProudofPride]

Glad to see our offense improve over the past few games, but we let Delaware have their highest scoring output of the season. But we can't complain much about a double-digit CAA win.
In other CAA news, CofC upset JMU, and Towson (our next opponent) just beat William and Mary.

[Pride97]

All around I though they played pretty well today. Offense looked good and scoring was spread around evenly. Defense was once again inconstant. There was a little more intensity (especially when Nichols was in). There were a few possessions where they played good D for the first :15-:20 and then broke down. Hopefully its moving in the right direction.

What was real shocking was seeing Walker in at the end of the first half. They weren't in any real foul trouble so I was confused. Happy to see him get a bucket, but does look lost as to where to be on offense (obviously from lack of PT).

Happy with the win. Great to start off the conference schedule with this one.

[EvanJ]

Hofstra finished with 23 assists. Green got his field goal percentage above .400. http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketb ... =400833113 is the Associated Press recap. Green, Tanksley, and Koon each had at least 15 points, at least 6 rebounds, and at least 3 assists. I'm assuming it's rare for three teammates to do that, but I don't have a quick way of finding out. http://gohofstra.com/news/2015/12/31/MB ... ath=mbball is Hofstra's recap. http://gohofstra.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=6990 is the box score. The attendance was 1,293.

[Cards]

Offense had good life today. Nice passing all around. Very balanced attack. No real issues with the offense.
Defense was spotty, team needs to keep working hard on D in practice and games. Coach has to keep it as a priority!

We need to play every game hard, because they all matter. I know some have said that only winning the CAA matters, but given that logic, the only thing that matters is to get into the conference playoffs. That being said, a mere .500 record will get you in.....but no one here, and I mean no one, would be happy with that. Look guys, I'm trying to be realistic because we all know anything (good or bad) can happen in a short conference playoff. What I would like to have take place during this conference season, is for the team to cement themselves in for an NIT bid (possibly even host a game or two) and if we win the CAA then that's just icing. Bottom line for many, many, many reasons.....every game matters!

[daHUPride]

Much better - still, selfishly, thought we should've won by more (thanks to terrible foul shooting into 1st half-we didn't, wish teams would only foul Green).
Offense - ball movement best I've seen this season, Green is a great interior/in the paint passer, great scoring balance, Gustys tough down low, Nicols has a nose for the ball, Koon- started off like he's going to have a 30 pt night-seems to get gas'd the most of anyone, Bernardi hit some bombs-few nice passes-BLOCKED a shoot-can you please finish around the rim, Tankesly was very active tonight
Lineup - liked a couple of times having Nicols and Gustys and the floor together, liked that they both we were on the bench at the same time, really like with Buie is running the point at times with Green on his wing, Walker still think he warrants more then 2 minutes - looks lost but think a bit more PT could help him
Defense looks like UD was going to try and get our bigs I'm foul trouble (they just didnt have the horse-teams with good bigs are going to give us trouble), stupid fouls - a few,, thought we looked bit lost with certain lineups, but I thought our D was slightly better today
JAM seemed mellower, wasn't breaking refs balls like he normally does, may have turned over a new leaf early (2016)
Happy New Year everyone!!!