“From the Swamp” is coming to you live and in person from the friendly confines of “The Epicenter of College Basketball.” It has been a while since I’ve had the pleasure – the last time being the exhibition game vs. Capital back in October of 2022:

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In the interim “FTS” has, however, covered a coupla Flyer roadies:

The thrilling victory over UC in Cincy:

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And the hard fought W vs. Duquesne in Da Burgh:

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This afternoon I will be sporting the same lucky red sweater that I wore for these two away-from-home Flyer wins. As a now-infrequent visitor to UD Arena, “FTS ” gets to savor some sensations that can only happen here:

– The walk down the ramp and on to the Arena floor

– Seeing familiar faces like Doug Hauschild, Larry Hansgen, Hal McCoy, Matt Schwade, David Jablonski, John Bedell, Tom Archdeacon and even Mr. “Wear Red and Be Lowd” John R.– Hearing Dr. Willie and the Musial Award winning UD Pep Band cranking out the Dayton fight song. I had to memorize all of the words as part of freshman initiation but I can’t remember them all now.

Hard to believe that it has been 55 years since they opened the joint!

“FTS” chose the Fordham tilt because there is a paucity of home games that will allow me to get home at a semi-reasonable hour. Mrs. Swampy and I will be in the Florida Keys for the season-ending VCU home contest, so bring on those Bronx-based Rams!

The big pre-game concern was whether Javon Bennett would be available today. Jablo answered that question:

Doug Hauschild has me sitting next to UDPride fan favorite Justin Kinner, the WSU– errr–WING sports talking head. We’ll see how that goes. Never mind, he didn’t show.

John R might not approve but there is a healthy mix of Chapel Blue amid the Red in the crowd this afternoon…but it’s mostly Red. As for the Flyers they are wearing neither Red nor Chapel Blue–they’re in home Whites.

Nate gets the party started with a triple. Javon follows with a deuce. Speaking of Deuce, he gets robbed out of a hoop when a foul is called on the floor. Meanwhile Fordham does the same thing at the other end but the basket is good. Deuce misses a pair at the stripe. Good thing there is no longer a five second rule or Kobe would have gotten called for it. Javon retrieves an errant shot to scoop and score. UD leads 13-12 at the first media TO.

Koby Brea does what Koby Brea does. Matching hoops with the Rams is not a long term strategy for success. 18-17 UD at the under 12 media TO.

Javon buries a three, but FU responds. Deuce hits a deuce and the Flyers come away with a steal. UD will be shooting FTs with the next Ram infraction, which is a shooting foul sending DaRon back to the FT line. He drains ‘em. Cheeks hits a runner. Javon finds Brea in the corner and well…you know what happens next. 30-24 good guys at the under 8. Koby picks up a T for woofing at the Rams after the make. Late whistle on a Ram foul but we’ll take it. However, Enoch misses the front-end. As does DaRon. Bennett hits a nice mid-ranger and then Deuce forces an FU TO by draining a triple. Flyers lead 35-25 with 5:15 on the clock.

Bennett is nailing his threes today. And his twos. AG has trusted DaRon not to pick up his 4th PF and it has paid off. 44-35 at the break. Javon leads the scoring with 14, making 6-7 including 2-2 from three. Flyers as a team are shooting 68% and 55% from three.

During halftime the Pep Band is playing “Vehicle” by The Ides of March, which came out in 1970 and yes, I still know all the words.

DaRon opens the 2nd half with a pump fake and a drive for a hoop. Elvis picks up his 3rd PF and takes a seat. FU hits a three and Nate fouls him for his 3rd. Deuce takes matters into his own hands and drives for a dunk. Javon fouls a three point shooter who makes them all and the lead is down to 3. And then 1 after a Rose jumper.

Suddenly it’s a battle of turnovers. 48-47 at the under 16 media TO. Koby with a rare miss. Deuce draws the 4th PF on the Fordham big man Tsimbila and makes both FTs. FU burns the UD zone for a three to tie it back up. Deuce drives to the hoop and gets it to fall, but the Rams respond with a hoop and the harm. DaRon with the hoop and the harm to put Dayton back up by three. Santos finds Kobe Elvis for three! UD leads 60-54 with 11 and change to go in the game. Fordham is hanging around by making their FTs–12-14. Meanwhile, UD is 1-6 from three this half.

Cheeks hits a layup and then makes a pair of FTs. Dayton up 7. Santos gets drilled on a triple try and converts 2-3. The Rams hit another three and the lead is two. Enoch Cheeks erases a Ram dunk attempt and the crowd loves it. DaRon drains a desperation J. Fordham airballs a three. Elvis is fouled going to the rack and makes 1-2. Deuce drives and jams, forcing a Fordham TO. He now has 24. 71-68 with 3:29 to go.

Fordham misses but the ball caroms out to midcourt off the Flyers but they can’t convert. Nate gets hit on an attempted three and makes two. 73-68 with 2:10 remaining. Deuce hits a layup on a dime from Elvis. FU FUs. Koby misses a triple but the Rams travel in an attempt to draw a foul. Fordham plays hack-a-Deuce but the Flyers are in the double bonus. It doesn’t work. He then erases a Ram shot attempt and gets fouled again, going 1-2. Fordham airballs their last shot attempt and the crowd breathes a collective sigh of relief.

Your final:

Dayton 78 Fordham 70

Post game press conference with Deuce, Javon and AG: