What can you say, but VICTORY!

Dayton (12-2) upends Xavier (11-4) for the fifth straight year at the University of Dayton Arena by a score of 76-72 in front of a rowdy record crowd of 13,553. As expected, the Flyers and Muskies battled for every loose ball and every rebound. All things being equal, free throws were the difference in this war. Dayton shot an incredible 86% from the charity stripe, getting big shots at the end of the game from Brooks Hall, Mark Ashman, and Edwin Young.

The first half was graceful at times, sloppy at others. Dayton took an early lead on the strength of an 11-4 run, which included 5-6 from beyond the arc. Xavier re-entered the game by stepping up their defensive pressure, forcing Dayton into several awful ball handling turnovers and converting them into points. Xavier came away with a 37-35 advantage at the half.

The Flyers stayed in this one by cleaning up the glass. Brooks Hall, Yuanta Holland, and Mark Ashman played strong, grabbing a myriad of wild shots to start the second half. Dayton missed 10 three-pointers in a row at one point. For a while, it seemed like UD and X were playing a pick-up game at Stuart Hill. Fortunately, the Flyers out-rebounded the Musketeers 38-32, an opponent known for its muscle down low.

Holland came up big in this rugby match, as Ashman was sidelined with four fouls at the 9:47 mark. Yuanta finished with eight boards and 13 points, often coming at critical junctures. His effectiveness down low alleviated some of the defensive pressure around the perimeter. Strong performances like this one will eventually land Holland into the starting lineup.

Both players worked together to stifle Xavier’s big men, holding freshman stud David West to eight points and Kevin Frey to nine. Aaron Turner did a nice job off the bench, contributing 10 points on 4-6 shooting for the Muskies. West left the game with a couple minutes remaining after suffering an inadvertent blow to the head.

With various battles raging down low, the guards for both teams dropped in a majority of the points. David Morris’ 16 points, including 4-7 from beyond the arc, led all scorers. Stanley finished with 14 and Young with 13. Xavier got strong performances from point guard Maurice McAfee and Darnell Williams, who had been slumping lately. Morris was named MVP. As usual, UD was streaky from the field, but once again they responded with hustle and enthusiasm rather than despondency. The Flyers kept themselves in the game with tenacious man-to-man defense and rebounding. Purnell mixed up defenses well, throwing in zone looks as well as full-court pressure. Edwin Young was particularly active, highlighted by an acrobatic time-out plea.

Edwin, like his teammates, was energized by the Flyer Faithful tonight. For the fifth straight game, over 12,500 watched these young men lay it out on the line. Thanks to ESPN2, a national TV audience got another glimpse of what it’s like to attend a game at UD Arena, and what it’s like to be a Flyer fan. The Dayton Flyers will build on this win, as they strive to improve with each contest. For the Flyers, the next challenge comes, appropriately enough, in the Bronx. The Fordham Rams are the next climb on this ladder rising toward the NCAA Tournament.

Chris Rieman’s quotes from the stands…

What about Brooks…
“Brooks Hall was amazing. Time and again he went inside among the tall timber and out-fought power forwards and centers for loose balls and rebounds. He was a man among boys at times, and when it was time to earn his scholarship late, he calmly sank two FTs to ice the game like a senior. Were it not for a mental mistake that caused a turnover and resulted in a Muskie dunk, his game would have been as close to perfect as a freshman can get.”

Day Day was a bulldog…
“David Morris is fearless. He’s never afraid to pull a punch and risk being yanked to the bench for the chance to make plays and be a difference-maker. A couple of his three-point attempts were downright criminal, but when they go in, you can overlook a lot of things.”

And the Windmill…
“Holland more than held his own against Xavier. In the first half he missed 2-3 bunnies, especially one down low that should have been flushed through the rim with a tomahawk dunk, but made up for it in the second half with two critical jumpshots that kept the Flyers motoring. It’s not a pretty shot and it needs a lot of work, but he’s finding ways to sink them. He was also a big factor on the boards and could not be stopped down low in the blocks. He’d simply catch the entry feed and back his man down.”

Record crowd tonight…
“As UD Arena crowds go, this one was an eight on the 10-point scale. An Arena record of 13,553 found their way into the Arena, but I’m not quite sure where they sat because the upper corners of the Arena hid small patches of empty seats. Still, the crowd was deafening when the game was on the line and fans continue to show their best side when defensive stops are needed. ”

Sales jobs…
“Arena marketing execs did a much better job of curtailing the product hawking and placing the game at the forefront. A great example was the first timeout. The game was tied up at 8-8 and they let the fans cheer and clap to blaring music on the speakers as Papa John’s pizzas were handed out. As the teams headed back on the court, Charlie Robinson acknowledged PJ for their support. This is the way it should have been from the start, and UD should be recognized for listening to their shareholders.”

Anomalies…
“We heard a few songs during timeouts we hadn’t heard before. With the solicitations curtailed, timeouts became fun again, and fans kept the Arena energy at a fever pitch. During one timeout however, fans were instructed to take part in the Chicken Dance — I think most in attendance thought it was a gag. There’s no room for Chicken Dances at basketball games.”

After the euphoria has settled…
“It was a great win on national TV, but I hope it brings us one step closer to selling the university to a talented kid looking for a chance to play big-time basketball. If success like this isn’t sold to the difference-maker, we’re throwing our good fortune away. It’s also wonderful to be 12-2, but we’re also two road losses away from being 12-4 and 2-2 in the conference. Enjoy the Xavier win until noon on Wednesday. After that, it’s time to prepare for Fordham. A split in our next two games is critical.”