CINCINNATI (OH) – The year was 1977. Your University of Dayton Flyers led by sophomore Jim Paxson were off to what can best be described as, well, a flying start. Their record stood at 10-1, with the only loss being by one point at home to VA Tech. As they headed south on I-75 to face the 7-0 UC Bearcats at what was then known as Riverfront Coliseum, Mrs. Swampy and I decided to join them for what we hoped would be another notch in the win column.

Boy, were we wrong!

UD got totally embarrassed by a score of 94-61 in front of 17,009 fans, many of them Flyer Faithful like us who never saw it coming. That was the beginning of a 9 game losing skein that turned a once-promising campaign into a so-so 16-11 season.

One small consolation: The Red and Blue finished the year with an 86-48 annihilation of Xavier…in Cincinnati!

1977 was not the only instance in this rivalry where a group of Christians faced a bunch of hungry cats in a Coliseum:

Feb 5, 1992:. 77-48

Feb 26, 1994: 93-54

Feb 12, 1995: 116-63

Nov 27, 2010: 68-34

David Jablonski chronicled the history of Dayton/Cincinnati hoops for the DDN:

https://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/ud-uc-series-has-long-storied-history/MTBSL64PD5CZJKH752H3QNQEYM/

So here we are, 46 years later and the 7-2 Sons of Anthony Grant are again headed to the banks of the Ohio River to face those very same Bearcats at what is now known as the Heritage Bank Center. “From the Swamp” is just dumb enuf to believe that history will not repeat itself…at least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Tipoff is set for 7:00pm, a decision that was not made until last week due to the Bengals game and which is probably responsible for the lack of any national TV coverage. UC will no doubt be licking their collective wounds, having recently lost to Xavier in the “Crosstown Pillow Fight” or whatever that rivalry game is now entitled.

It’s a lowd and rowdy crowd here at the HBC–lotsa Chapel Blue and Red, including the Flyer unis. The fact that I’m sitting next to Dr. Willie and the band might have something to do with that. I put the crowd at 60/40 UD. Judging by the booing for UC as they are introduced it may be higher.

UC comes out the chute smoking but UD claws back to trail by 1, 8-7 at the 17:17 mark. I’m sitting immediately adjacent to the UD bench so the walk ons and trainers are basically blocking my view. Have to rely on crowd reaction, the overhead scoreboard and LiveStats to tell me what’s going on. That scoreboard is 10-10 at the 1st media TO.

That changes when Koby buries a three. Fortunately, UC sucks at FTs. Koby hits another and the squads go 2 minutes without scoring until the next media TO, with UD holding a 20-19 advantage.

Deuce with a nice block on the UC big dude and he scores the hoop and harm on the other end but misses the freebie. The UD partisans are on their feet screaming as UD takes a 24-19 lead, but UC hits a bucket and draws a foul on Elvis. Javon Bennett draws an offensive foul and the tally is 26-25 UD with 3:50 to go in the first stanza.

Deuce buries a trey and then Elvis draws a foul on a drive to the hoop. He makes them both to give the Flyers a 6 point bulge. UD comes out in a full court press. UC scores on a second chance hoop but Deuce answers with a layup to make the score 35-29 UD at intermission. The scoring has mostly come from Deuce with 12, Elvis with 10 and Brea with 9. Need to get Nate and Javon involved in the O. Looking forward to UD shooting on this end of the floor.

The 2nd half starts the same way the 1st did–with a UC dunk. Elvis with 2 FTs and a nice feed to Deuce followed by a triple forces UC to “take a TO, baby” as Dickie V would say, as Dayton now leads 42-31 with 17:30 to go. UC is now shooting 3-14 from three while UD is 6-15. Elvis makes 2 FTs and departs to a nice ovation.

Deuce with a manly dunk and then Nate is fouled going to the hoop. It’s 48-39 UD with 14:30 remaining and Nate has two at the charity stripe on the other side. He makes both. Flyers in a zone.and Padegimas blocks a shot. Nate drives to the hoop and is fouled for a three point play. 53-39 good guys. Brea drains a trey and it’s mayhem! 56-41 at the 12:38 mark and the score remains the same a minute later at the under 12 media TO. Holmes and Elvis were both on the bench during that run and are now well rested.

Deuce with a studly block but Padegimas gets whistled for a foul. The kid played some good D while he was in there. Deuce drains a pair and the lead is 16. The clock can’t move fast enuf. Kobe is fouled on a driving attempt and stretches the margin to 18. These guys are playing with zero fear, as is displayed by Cheeks hitting a driving hook.

Nate makes a pair but UC finally makes a three at the other end. Elvis gets to the line once again and makes the pair. Elvis makes a circus shot to restore order temporarily, but UC hits another trey. It’s 61-51 at the 5 minute mark.

It’s a block party under the UC hoop as several attempts are denied. The Flyers just can’t secure a defensive board and a held ball gives the rock to the Bearcats with 3:23 remaining and the lead still at 10, 71-61. UD needs to play with poise on these last possessions. Deuce does just that driving for a dunk and then drains a three ball. He now has 26 and the Red and Chapel Blue lead 76-64 with 94 ticks on the clock. Warm up the bus!

Your final score:

UD 82
UC 68

History does not repeat itself!

This game needs to be an annual event.

That’s it “From the Swamp.”
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