Hofstra coach Joe Mihalich seen in a December 2014 game. Assistant coach Mike Farrelly is on the far ... [+] left of the photo. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Hofstra mens basketball coach Joe Mihalich provided Forbes.com contributor J.P. Pelzman with a rare opportunity last week: a chance to experience game preparation from the inside. Pelzman was permitted full access to the coaches film session and the final three practices as Hofstra (14-6, 5-2) got ready for its Colonial Athletic Association game against visiting Delaware (13-7, 3-4). Heres how it went:

TUESDAY, JAN. 21

There is adryclothwithin easy reach, but JoeMihalichsmind sometimes is moving so fast that he will ignore it. Instead, he will use his index finger to wipe clean the plastic erase boardon the desk so he candraw up a new play in response to what he has just seen in the film session.

MikeFarrelly,Mihalichsassistant for nine years at both Hofstra and Niagara, has seen this move many times. On this day, by this point, hes been narrating his breakdown of Delaware game tape for more than 90 minutes.Farrelly, who had the scout of the Delaware game, painstakingly put together voluminous amounts of highlights (called cutups in the business) of nine of the Blue Hens previous ten games. (Mikes scouts are so detailed,Mihalichsays. He prepares us like no other. I dont want to miss anything,Farrellysays.)

The purpose is to illustrate the opponents strengths, weaknesses and, most important, tendencies. This enablesMihalichand associate head coachFarrelly and assistant coaches Speedy Claxton and Colin Curtin to put together the game plan.

So many (head) coaches,Farrellysays after the film session, you get the feeling, they drop the practice plan on the desk and this is what were doing today, and this is what were going to do for the game, but (Mihalich) is always actively seeking input. He doesnt want a yes man. He wants fresh ideas of looking at things.

Farrellythen cites how Curtins scouting report correctly predicted what NC-Wilmington would run on its final offensive play five days earlier, which helped Hofstra ice a narrow victory.

Farrellyruns through everyone who plays significant minutes for the Blue Hens. Delaware's biggestoutside threat is its leading scorer, Nate Darling, andFarrellyis adamant that Hofstra cannot let him get open catch-and-shoot chances. On the inside, the Pride must be wary of bruising 6-7, 220-pound power forward Justyn Mutts. Mutts,Farrellynotes, hasnt made a three since Dec. 2, so if he catches the ball outside the arc, he tells the other coaches the same thing he will tell the players later about Mutts.

Because Delaware coach MartinInglesbyis in his fourth season, many of the Blue Hens bread-and-butter offensive and defensive philosophies havent changed all that much. Thats whyMihalichtends to assign the same assistants the same teams year afteryear.

OnceFarrellysfilm session is over, the lights go on inMihalichsoffice and the head coach, with input from the staff, begins work on some offensive and defensive sets he believes will be effectiveThursdaynight. After bouncing ideas back and forth forawhile, I think thats a recipe, he concludes.

Three days earlier, the decisive basket in Hofstras loss to College of Charleston came on an offensiverebound, so boxing out on defense is a point of emphasis in that afternoons practice, withMihalichhaving someone chart the amount of times a player misses a boxout.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 22

Besides watchingthe same Delaware film review the coaches saw the day before, the players receive a sheet with bullet points, summarizing the individual things they need to know for their respective positions.

The challenge,Farrellysays, is how do you take all the ideas and everything that youve seen and whittle it down to what they can handle? They're 18 to 22 years old, they dont have the hours that we put in watching the scouts, so how do we transfer that in the most efficient way?

This is the heavy install day of thegameplan, thus there are many different drills, withMihalichconstantly reaching into the pocket of his shorts to check for the next one and call it out.Meanwhile, workers begin installing the temporary courtside seats at the Mack Sports Complex, a vivid reminder that gameday is drawing closer.

If you think about it from an academic perspective,Farrellysays, the game is the final exam, and hopefully theyre prepared. You're their teacher for those last couple of days, those last reviews, and how can you take what youve seen and translate it to the court? You have to know it so well and then you have to transfer that knowledge to them.

Practice ends with special situations, a simulation of end-game circumstances, in this case, the Pride ahead by two or three points in the final seconds. But no matter what combination of defenders are out there, and even withFarrellyand Claxton huddling with their respective groups before each simulation, they cannot close the deal toMihalichssatisfaction.Sohe punts the basketball in the direction of the locker room.

The emotional impact of the kick is more important than the physical distance, and Mihalich follows it up with his post-practice words. Still livid, he manages to praise his players nonetheless. Although they all are in a tight circle at midcourt, his booming voice likely is audible throughout the empty arena.

The message? You guys are as good as anyone in this league. You can win this league. But its up to you.

THURSDAY, JAN. 23

Hofstra did win the CAA last season, but only the regular-season title, losing to Northeastern in the final of the crapshoot known as the conference tournament.In a one-NCAA bid league such as the Colonial, one bad game in March can wreck and entire season of good work.

BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 06: Head coach Joe Mihalich of the Hofstra Pride argues a call during the ... [+] semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Conference Tournament college basketball game against the William & Mary Tribe at Royal Farms Arena on March 6, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)

Among the busload of regretsMihalichhas over that defeat is the fact that he believesFarrellyat least wouldve gotten a sniff for low- and mid-major head coach openings had Hofstra earned its first NCAA tournament bid since 2001.

Thats Joe,Farrellysays with a smile when that info is relayed to him. But, he says, he cannot afford to think about what the bump in pay and change in lifestyle from assistant to head coach would mean to him and wife Gina (shes pretty amazing for putting up with his schedule, he says) and sons M.J. and Ryan.

Youre so in the moment, he says. It's always how do you build and how do you get better.

Activity abounds on and off the court during the morning walkthrough as TV equipment begins rolling in for the CBS Sports Network telecast. Still, the atmosphere is mellower than Wednesdays final moments. In fact,Mihalichwinds up shaving about 20 minutes off the original hour and 20 minutes he had put on the clock.

Afterward,Farrellysays, it wasnt the greatest walkthrough weveever had. (ut) I think were ready. Well see.

The game begins with Darling doing exactly what Hofstra did not want on Delawares second possessiongetting wide-open for a three and draining it. The Blue Hens soon open a nine-pointleadbeforeHofstra responds with 18 straight points for a 25-16 advantage. However, Delaware leads 38-37 athalftime. The Blue Hens are up by as many as 11 in the second half before the Pride rally to lead by two.

Often, while Hofstra is on defense on the other side of the court,Farrellyadopts a mirror-image position a few feet behindbehindMihalich, both kneeling on the sideline.

It just happened,Farrellysays of his now-customary stance. I dont want a referee in my way. I dont want a coach in my way. If I'm going to talk these (players) through whats going on, I need a clear sightline."

Both men are standing for the final play, when Delawares Kevin Anderson gets one fateful step on the normally error-proof senior point guardDesureBuie and goes all the way for the game-winning layup in 5.8 seconds despite replays showing he clearly traveled. AHofstra official reminded reporters, no officiating questions at one point, but as angry as he was, a veteran coach such as the 63-year-oldMihalichprobably knew he wasnt getting that call at that moment.

We let a guy with a blue shirt dribble through five guys and make a layup. Shame on us, he said, but added, I'm not worried because I think these guys will respond. They care and they want to win. I know theyre willing to learn.

Buie said the final play was my fault. I take ownership of that and I'm going to change it.

SATURDAY, JAN. 25

The day gets off to a more promising start, with senior walk-on ConnorKlementowicz, a stalwart who goes about 120 mph in practice, being surprised by being awarded a scholarship by athletic director Rick Cole in the locker room. (He is the best walk-on I've ever been around in my life,Mihalichsays later.)

But once the game begins, it seems like more of the same, with Drexel power forward James Butler doing a reasonable Justyn Mutts impersonation. Despite owning only one road win all season, the Dragons lead 45-37 early in the second half. But 11 consecutive defensive stops reverse the momentum and Hofstra pulls away for a soul-satisfying 72-59 triumph.

We wanted to get right back at it, Buie says afterward of the quick turnaround.

As forMihalichspost-practice challenge, Buie said, It really is up to us. We've got a great team. It's not just the starting five. We've got a great bench. He believes in us so much. We believe in him.

And in the rest of thecoachingstaff, includingFarrelly.

Buie continued, He's a very special guy. I cant thank CoachFarrellyenough and I can speak for the rest of the guys. He's the best. He definitely will (get his own program). His work will show.

But for now, the show goes on. And on. Hofstra (15-7, 6-3), now in a three-way tie for second, visits Elon and conference-leading William & Mary on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.Farrellyhas the scout for the latter game.

It starts all over again, he said. I went home (after the Delaware game) and started watching William & Mary. Losing to them by 27 (on Jan. 2), weve got some things to correct fromlasttime.

The next day,Farrellyand his family planned to celebrate his wifes birthday. By 8 oclock that night, he expected to be hunkered down for a five-hour William & Mary film session.

But for people such as MikeFarrelly, they know no other way. Nor would they want to.

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A Few Days In The Life Of A College Basketball Team: Going All-Access With Hofstra - Forbes