CAA MBB Semifinal Game vs. UNCW - Monday, March 6, 6PM

[EvanJ]

Still very worried about Hofstra's rebounding but loved the defensive intensity yesterday.

That is why I wanted Charleston and Towson on the other part of the bracket (I did not say "half" because one part has six teams and one part has seven teams).

http://defiantlydutch.blogspot.com/2023 ... ngton.html is Jerry Beach's "I'll Be Quirky: Hofstra vs. UNC Wilmington (CAA Semifinals)." The 94-46 win was our twelfth unicorn score of the season, meaning the first time we won by that score. We broke our record for margin of victory against a Division I team, which was a 91-46 win hosting Delaware on December 28, 2018. Our largest against any team was a 75-10 win over U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1955-1956. From 1979-1980 through before yesterday, our wins by at least 48 were against Rosemont, John Jay, and Old Westbury. It was the largest margin of victory in a CAA game since VCU won 112-53 hosting Towson on January 27, 2010. Estrada is close to passing three players who were teammates on the 2015-2016 team that won our first CAA regular season title. Estrada is 29th, and is 21 points behind Rokas Gustys, and 23 points behind Juan'ya Green and Brian Bernardi. He cited me by writing:

"LUCKY THIRTEEN

Per loyal reader EvanJ, all 13 players to get into the game for the Dutchmen on Sunday attempted at least one field goal. It’s the first time 13 players have attempted at least one field goal for the Dutchmen since a 74-59 win over Dartmouth way back on Dec. 17, 2005. That was 570 games ago!"

UNCW did not write a preview, so they did not make Game Notes that has a paragraph about all 49 prior games between the teams. UNCW will be the first team we play seven times in the CAA Tournament.

[daHUPride]

Sagarin says we're 7.8 points better than UNCW on a neutral court, which it is.

As for Charleston, we would be 1.5 point dogs as of this morning.

Towson, we would be 4.8 favs.

Charleston is a very talented well coached squad.
In my opinion our play - as of late - has closed that gap between us and College of Charleston.
I hope our peaking in March holds true and continues.

[EvanJ]

ESPN now has a line of 7 and over/under of 132.5, which makes 70-63.

https://uncwsports.com/sports/mens-bask ... ts/2022-23 has UNCW's statistics.

https://csnbbs.com/thread-966567-post-18824929.html is a UNCW topic.

https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadca ... ?id=459220 will have statistics.

We are starting our usual starters. UNCW is starting Shykeim Phillips (senior guard, 8.7 ppg), Maleeck Harden-Hayes (senior guard, 9.7 ppg), Trazarien White (sophomore forward, 13.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Amari Kelly (senior forward, 7.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), and Donovan Newby (junior guard, 7.8 ppg). Jamarii Thomas, who started 23 games but is not starting today, leads them with 2.3 assists, which is very low for a team leader. They are last in the CAA with 10.78 assists, and eleventh in assist/turnover ratio. We lead the CAA in both. UNCW leads the CAA in turnover margin, with us in second with 0.19 worse. If they have 3 more turnovers than us, the teams will end the game tied. If they have at least 4 more turnovers than us, we will take the CAA lead.

[Wags]

21-4, Hofstra since a 5-0 UNCW start. This looks like it's heading toward another rout. When they turn D into offense like they're doing yet again during this run, it's like a snowball rolling down a hill, becoming an avalanche. The stops and points off of them come in bunches.

[dutchPride86]

Hofstra looking uncharacteristically jittery and toughness not there right now. Missed their chance to bury them this is gonna be a real fight. Dubar, Nelson, Warren and Bryce not bringing it at all so far

[Wags]

21-4, Hofstra since a 5-0 UNCW start. This looks like it's heading toward another rout. When they turn D into offense like they're doing yet again during this run, it's like a snowball rolling down a hill, becoming an avalanche. The stops and points off of them come in bunches.

May have spoken too soon. HU has been better but is having a tough time shaking UNCW, which has closed to within 39-35 at the U4.

[ProudofPride]

I have no way to watch, unfortunately. Have to settle for following live stats and Twitter.
Wtf is going on? How did we just lose the lead?

[dutchPride86]

Honestly think hofstra a little shell shocked by quality of opponent. Let's face it, they've barely played a D1 level team in a month

[Polito]

That sucked. This game shouldn’t be close.

And Speedy blaming the refs is absolutely WEAK. Bad form coach. Your the COY and your team is playing like garbage that’s why. Wake them up. And man up as the coach and stop playing the cry about the refs game. Don’t be soft like that. Let’s go, COWBOY UP.

That said, I still feel good - HU will take this easier than it looks. That was the Ws literal best shot. We got this.

[dutchPride86]

Either Hofstra chooses to match Uncw's intensity right now in this timeout or this gets ugly. Can throw the win streak, all the good vibes out the window at this point... hofstra not playing hard or smart enough to win right now

[dutchPride86]

Either Hofstra chooses to match Uncw's intensity right now in this timeout or this gets ugly. Can throw the win streak, all the good vibes out the window at this point... hofstra not playing hard or smart enough to win right now

JC got some onions. This game literally might be dead without him right now. Hard to believe

[triplec2195]

Well he won the game for us against COC down the stretch.

[Wags]

That usual Hofstra D is not there tonight. They need to pick that up. Too many drives by UNCW left unchecked and with no one sliding over to help, missed box outs, not closing out on shooters at times and WAY too much fouling... and just as I tweeted a moment ago, here is Plotnikov. They need his energy.

[dutchPride86]

Well he won the game for us against COC down the stretch.

Not shocked about JC, Charleston proved he got game for big moments. Hard to believe how tight everyone else is though

[triplec2195]

In a close game like this is don't like any missed free throws. Could come back to haunt us.

[triplec2195]

Now that dunk just sucked!!

[Jojogunne]

NBY on the bench with three fouls. Missing his interior defense.

[mikey75]

Williams is lost out there - the game is too fast for him at the moment. Need to put NBY back in despite the 3 fouls.

[Jojogunne]

Can Williams please make a shot?

[Jojogunne]

Under 4:00. Time to pull ahead.