PITTSBURGH (PA) -- Nothing like a trip back to Da ‘Burgh to see the #7 ranked University of Dayton Flyers take on the Duquesne Dukes to break up the winter monotony. Normally, I would dread going to the Palumbo Center, given the proximity of “The Crew” student section to press row. Matt Schwade from FlyerHoops and I sat directly in front of them a few years back and heard a years’ worth of F-bombs in a single evening. The PC is undergoing renovations, so the PPG Paints Arena will be a welcome sight, conveniently forgetting UD’s one-and-done showing here in the 2017 A-10 Tournament.
Yours truly has a mixed bag of hoops memories from the Steel City. My father-in-law attended Duquesne Prep, University and Law School and started at center for the Dukes’ freshman team. By the time I met him he could still nail his set shot on the hoop in my in-laws backyard. I spent many a warm summer night playing pick-up ball under the lights out in South Park. Yours truly was an extra in the crowd scenes for the filming of the forgettable basketball movie “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh” featuring Dr. J, Kareem and Jonathan Winters, which was filmed in the old Civic Arena. On the downside, the last time I saw Chris Daniels play in person was vs. the Dukes a few weeks before he passed.
Any trip back to the city of my wife’s birth has to include a pilgrimage to Danny’s Pizza and Hoagies in Bethel Park, not far from the aforementioned South Park. Amazingly enuf, Danny’s actually closed a few years ago, but the nephew of the founder thankfully decided to reopen it:
https://thealmanac.net/news/peters-t...2a108ec67.html
Today’s business trip vs. the Dukes affords AG and the Flyers an opportunity to move up in the rankings, after #5 Florida State’s loss to UVA last night.
Big, loud crowd here tonight (the lower bowl is ¾ filled) and lots of Dayton fans. Jalen gets things started with a floater, followed by a Dukes shot clock violation. Chatman gets rejected and DU turns it over again. So much for stopping Obi on the lob...and he didn’t even point up! Dukes nail a three and Trey travels. Carry gets hit going to the hoop and makes 1-2 freebies and it’s all tied at 4, until Trey drills his namesake. Two lobs for Obi from Ryan are misdirected. It’s 9-6 Flyers with 14 and change remaining.
Crutch finds Obi for a layup and #1 then swats a Dukes shot to his coach standing on the sideline. Ibi nails the midrange jumper (I thought they didn’t take those?) and UD leads by 4. Trey has 7 points already and it is 15-12 good guys at the under 12 media TO.
Nice to see Dwayne drop a teardrop on his first attempt. Sincere Carry ties it up with a triple at 17. Even nicer to see Rodney drain a three. 20-19 at the under 8.
Cohill gets mugged on a layup attempt and no call but Trey cleans things up, as does Ryan on a Chatman miss. The rim on this end of the floor is extremely tight. Obi One makes a layup after a steal suddenly it’s UD by 7 and DU takes a :30 TO. Chatman makes the extra pass to Jalen for a triple and it’s 29-19. Likewise, Obi makes the extra pass to Mikesell for a layin. The teams trade baskets and then Mikesell makes another layup on a pretty cut. Hughes makes a bankshot three--you can open your eyes now, son. Obi leaks out after a steal and gets hammered before he can flush it. He cans the FTs. Ryan gets called for a BS offensive foul.
And speaking of ‘banked three point shots’ Clutch drains one at the buzzer to put UD back up by 8 at intermission!
UD shot 64% from the field and 57% from the land of plenty vs. the Dukes’ 37% and 29%. Dayton had 10 assists.
Crutch picks up where he left off with yet another trey. Obi cleans up a missed Jalen three try with a thunder dunk. Obi then misses on a jam but cleans up a miss for his fourth slam of the contest. 45-30 Flyers and Coach Dambrot wisely takes a TO. Jalen breaks hearts and his defenders ankles with a step back three. 48-34 at the under 16 media TO.
Trey set one of his infamous screens and the Dukes dude wisely avoided it...good scouting on Duquesne’s part. Crutch drains two FTs and the lead is back to 14. Ibi Watson for three! A steal leads to more Obi thunder. Looks like Obi jammed his hand on a missed dunk attempt. Ibi with a pretty layup extends the bulge to 19 with under 11 minutes on the clock.
Two threes by the Dukes cuts the margin to 13. A tip by Steele reduces it to 11. Another 3 cuts it to 10 and a dunk by Hughes makes it 59-51 and the Dukes fans erupt. TO UD with 8:42 to go. Chatman gets knocked down to the floor and no call. 2 Dukes FTs make it a 7 point differential. Obi with the O rebound and put back stems the tide. “Let’s go Flyers!” Dukes cut it to 4. Chatman with the friendly bounce on a trey. Hughes for 3 and it’s back to 4. #10 to #1 for a layin. Up 6 with 5 to go. A Dukes TO gives the rock back to UD.
Obi with a nice hook to get it back to 8. Dunn-Martin with his 2nd consecutive TO and it’s our apple. Clutch with the outstanding assist to Trey for the hoop and the harm. He can extend the lead back to 11 with a FT after the under 4 media TO.
He does. Obi travels on his way to the hoop. Weathers with a layup and the dif is 7. Chatman with an ill advised triple try...and then another one? Hughes with a layin and an Obi foul. Hughes misses the FT. Crutch gets knocked down and they do call it but it’s only DU’s fourth PF. Dukes ball down 3 with :44 to go after another media TO. Ryan fouls Weathers (who is a beast, BTW) and he bricks the first and makes the second. UD up 2 with the ball and 25 ticks on the timer. Duquesne can’t get UD to the line unless they foul 3 times in a row--which they do. Obi makes them both! Dunn-Martin with yet another TO. UD tries a semi-home run pass and it’s OB off of Trey. Dayton up 4, 73-69 with 6.6 left and it’s Dukes rock. OB off UD with 1.1 left and that’s it.
The Dukes gave the Flyers all they could handle but it wasn’t quite enuf. The rematch in UD Arena in a few weeks should be interesting.
That’s it “From the Swamp.”
You can email me at:
swampy@udpride.com
