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Dayton Flyers men's basketball

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Dayton Flyers
2024–25 Dayton Flyers men's basketball team
UniversityUniversity of Dayton
Head coachAnthony Grant (8th season)
ConferenceAtlantic 10
LocationDayton, Ohio
ArenaUD Arena
(capacity: 13,407)
NicknameFlyers
Student sectionRed Scare
ColorsRed and blue[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
Chapel Blue jersey
Team colours
Chapel Blue
NCAA tournament Final Four
1967
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1967, 1984, 2014
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1952, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1984, 2014
NCAA tournament round of 32
1984, 1990, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2024
NCAA tournament appearances
1952, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2024
Conference tournament champions
1990, 2003
Conference regular season champions
2016, 2017, 2020
Conference division season champions
1998, 2000, 2004

The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) representing the University of Dayton in Ohio. The Flyers play their home games at University of Dayton Arena. The Flyers are coached by Anthony Grant who is in his seventh season. In March 2020, Dayton was ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, its highest ranking since the 1955–56 season when it was ranked #2. The Flyers have never been ranked #1,[2] but Dayton did receive a lone first place vote in the final AP poll of the 2019–2020 season. When the 2020 seasons was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Flyers did not get to participate in the 2020 NCAA Tournament, despite being projected as a #1 seed by several outlets.

A 2015 study of college basketball team valuations placed Dayton No. 23 in the nation with 2014 adjusted revenues in excess of $16.6 million (highest for non-football conference programs) and a valuation of nearly $84 million (second highest for non-football conference programs and higher than programs such as Florida, Texas, and Michigan).[3]

History

[edit]
See also: List of Dayton Flyers men's basketball seasons

Early years (1903–1947)

[edit]
St. Mary's Institute first men's basketball team, 1903

The first collegiate basketball team began play at Dayton, then known as St. Mary's Institute, during the 1903–04 season. The school's early teams were informally nicknamed "The Saints" by local sportswriters and competed against colleges, high schools, and club teams throughout the Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and New York region.[4] Early rivalries with Notre Dame and Miami (Ohio) began in the 1908–09 season, and with Ohio State in the 1913–14 season,.[4][5] Fr. William O'Malley is recognized as the first coach of the Saints, but the team had no coach for the first six seasons. Harry Solimano, believed to be a former Saints player, succeeded O'Malley in the 1910 season and coached the team four seasons and again for the 1919–20 seasons.[4] In 1920 the school changed its name to the University of Dayton and its sports teams gradually became known as the Flyers. Also in 1920, the school began playing nearby Xavier University, a rivalry that has spawned 156 meetings as of 2014. Games were originally played in an on-campus gymnasium, but later (1969) moved to the nearby University of Dayton Arena. Harry Baujan became both the football and basketball coach in 1923 and later became the school's athletic director. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the basketball program was subordinate to the football program with respect to resources and athletic department focus.[4] In 1939, Baujan hired James Carter as both an assistant football coach and head basketball coach. Carter moved to expand Dayton's national profile by issuing basketball scholarships and scheduling trips to east coast basketball powers such as St John's and St Joseph's,.[4][5] Carter is also recognized as the first Dayton coach to play an African American student-athlete. World War II brought a two-year hiatus to the basketball program between 1943 and 1945. Most people think "America's Team" refers to the Dallas Cowboys. However, it was originally coined in 1945, referring to the Dayton Flyers Men's Basketball team.

Tom Blackburn era and national emergence (1947–1964)

[edit]
Tom Blackburn

In 1947, Tom Blackburn succeeded Carter as the school's first full-time head basketball coach. Blackburn, noted as a strict disciplinarian, recruited many former military men to his early squads and began to shift Dayton's scheduling focus from strictly local Ohio collegiate teams to a more regional focus, starting series with such programs as Louisville in 1947–48 season.[4] Blackburn would recruit future NBA player Don Meineke, along with local standouts Junior Norris & Chuck Grigsby in 1948 to form the nucleus of the school's first nationally recognized teams. The 1950–51 Flyers reached #13 in the AP Poll and the finals of the NIT before bowing out to Brigham Young.[6] The following year, the Flyers also reached the NIT Finals, while also participating in the NCAA tournament for the first time, finishing in the regional semi-final. In light of the school's growing national stature and increasing fan base, the university constructed the 5,800 seat on-campus University of Dayton Fieldhouse in 1950. Blackburn established Dayton as a national basketball power, winning the National Invitation Tournament in 1962, reaching the NIT finals six times during the 1950s and early 1960s, and securing a #2 AP ranking for most of the 1955–1956 season.[5] The foundation established by Blackburn led to Dayton being the most successful Division I basketball program through the 1950s and 1960s.

Don Donoher era (1964–1989)

[edit]

Tom Blackburn became ill with terminal lung cancer during the 1963–64 season. Don Donoher, a former Dayton player and assistant coach took over for the final three games of the 1963–64 season.[4] Blackburn died in March, and Dayton formally named Donoher as his successor. Donoher, with Assistant Coach Chuck Grigsby, guided the Flyers to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in his first two years as coach; they then led the Flyers to the 1967 NCAA Championship game by beating Western Kentucky, #8 ranked Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and #4 ranked North Carolina, before falling to #1 ranked and eventual champion UCLA 79–64 in the final.[5] Donoher's 1967–68 squad began the season ranked #6 in the country in the AP Poll, but faltered in early competition and finished with a 17–9 record, missing the NCAA tournament. Nonetheless, Donoher's Flyers made a successful run through the 1968 NIT field, besting Kansas in the championship to win their second NIT crown. The Flyers would again face UCLA in a pivotal NCAA tournament game in 1974. The 20–7 Flyers squared off against the Bruins in the West Regional Sweet Sixteen and took the Bill Walton-led seven consecutive NCAA Champions to three overtimes before eventually falling 111–100.[5] Donoher would again lead the Flyers to NCAA success in 1984 as Roosevelt Chapman led Flyers bested LSU, #7 ranked Oklahoma, and #15 ranked Washington before falling in the Elite Eight to eventual national champion Georgetown. The 24-season Donoher era was arguably Dayton's finest, producing eight NCAA tournament invitations, and eight NIT invitations. Following the success of the 1967 National Runner Up squad, the university began planning for a new 13,500 seat facility to house the nationally prominent Flyers. The UD Arena became the Flyer's home court at the start of the 1969–70 season.

Dayton resisted the trend towards league affiliation that began to sweep over college basketball in the 1970s and early 1980s. Instead, Dayton formed an informal home-home scheduling alliance with peer programs such as DePaul, Marquette, and Notre Dame during the early-mid 1980s in an effort to fill their schedules with quality opponents,.[7][8] Dayton was approached as early as 1978 to join what would eventually become the Horizon League, but avoided league affiliation until the 1987–88 season when the school began play in the future Horizon League, then the Midwestern Collegiate Conference,.[9][10]

Jim O'Brien era (1989–1994)

[edit]

Following three successive losing seasons, Donoher retired after the 1988–89 season. He was succeeded by Jim O'Brien, former head basketball coach at Wheeling Jesuit University. The Flyers won the MCC conference tournament in 1990, and defeated Illinois in the first round of the NCAA tournament before bowing out to eventual Final Four participant Arkansas in the second round, 86–84. The Flyers moved to the Great Midwest Conference in 1993, but produced a dismal 1–23 conference record over their two seasons of league play. O'Brien was dismissed following the 1993–94 season after successive 4–26 and 6–21 seasons, their worst in modern school history.

Oliver Purnell era (1994–2003)

[edit]
Oliver Purnell

Dayton turned to Old Dominion head basketball coach Oliver Purnell to resurrect their moribund basketball program. The dissolution of the Great Midwest Conference in 1995 and subsequent snub by former conference mates in joining the new Conference USA further complicated Purnell's rebuilding task. In 1995 the Flyers accepted an invitation to join the A10, where they remain today. Purnell guided the Flyers to the 1998 NIT, the school's first post-season appearance in eight seasons. Purnell would lead the Flyers back to the NCAA tournament in 2000 following the Co-SIDA Classic Championship, an 11–5 conference record and non-conference victories over #12 ranked Kentucky, New Mexico, and rival Marquette. Purnell's 2000–01 team earned the program's first national ranking for the school since 1974 following victories over #12 UConn and #6 Maryland in the 2000 Maui Invitational Tournament.[5] Dayton would go on to reach the quarterfinals of the 2001 NIT. Dayton would again make the NIT field in 2002. The 2002–03 season would mark the completion of Purnell's rebuilding project as the Flyers compiled a 24–6 record and reached as high as #16 in the AP Poll following victories over #21 Cincinnati, #13 Marquette, and two wins over #25 St Joseph's en route to their first Atlantic 10 championship. The Flyers earned a #4 seed in the 2003 NCAA tournament, but fell to Tulsa in the first round. Following the season, Purnell accepted an offer to become the Clemson head basketball coach.

Brian Gregory era (2003–2011)

[edit]
Brian Gregory

On April 9, 2003, the University of Dayton announced that Michigan State assistant Brian Gregory would become the 18th head basketball coach for the Flyers. Gregory enjoyed immediate success with his new team, guiding the senior-laden Flyers to a 24–9 record, the 2003 Maui Invitational Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament in his inaugural season.[11] The 2006–07 team finished the season 19–12 with wins over NCAA tournament bound Louisville, Creighton, Holy Cross, Miami, and George Washington.[12]

The Flyers opened the 2007–08 campaign with a 14–1 record and wins over 12th-ranked Louisville, sixth-ranked Pitt, and 22nd-ranked Rhode Island. On December 31, 2008, the team was voted into both Top 25 polls for the first time since 2003. The team reached as high as 14th in the AP Poll and 18th in the Coaches Poll. However injuries to Chris Wright and Charles Little derailed Dayton's season. The Flyers finished 9–10 in conference play, but 23–11 overall and were able to reach the quarterfinals of the NIT, losing at Ohio State.

The Flyers built upon the progress of the 2007–08 season by compiling a 27–8 overall record (11–5 Atlantic-10) and defeating No. 15 Marquette and No. 17 Xavier en route to an NCAA tournament berth. The Flyers stunned higher seeded West Virginia before bowing out to Kansas in the Second Round. The 2009–10 Flyers began the season with high expectations, but faltered in league play to miss the NCAA tournament. However, the Flyers regrouped to storm through the NIT bracket, defeating Cincinnati and Illinois on their home floors and besting Ole Miss and North Carolina in New York to win the 2010 NIT Championship, the school's third NIT title. Gregory compiled a 172–94 record with the Flyers through eight seasons, leading them to two NCAAs and three NITs. Gregory also recruited future NBA players Brian Roberts, Chris Wright, and Chris Johnson, Dayton's first NBA players since Negele Knight in 1990. Gregory accepted the head coaching position at Georgia Tech following the 2010–11 season.

Archie Miller era (2011–2017)

[edit]
Archie Miller

The Dayton Flyers turned to Arizona assistant Archie Miller in 2011 to lead the program. Miller's first team won the 2011 Old Spice Classic, shocked No. 16-ranked Alabama and reached the 2012 NIT as a No. 2 seed, but would lose in the first round.

The 2013–14 Dayton Flyers men's basketball team placed third in the 2013 Maui Invitational, beating No. 11-ranked Gonzaga and California. The 2013–14 team experienced a mid-season swoon due to injuries, but entered A-10 tournament play on a 9–1 run with victories over league rivals No. 17 Saint Louis, UMass and George Washington.[13]

Dayton received a No. 11 seed as an at-large team to the 2014 NCAA tournament South Region. The Flyers faced in-state foe Ohio State in the second round, winning a thrilling 60–59 decision.[14] The Flyers next faced Syracuse in the third round and again upset the heavily favored higher seed 55–53 to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in three decades.[15] The Flyers advanced to the Elite Eight with an 82–72 victory over Stanford in the Sweet Sixteen,[16] but fell to Florida in the South Regional Championship, 62–52.[17]

The 2014–15 team began the season with high expectations as the Flyers returned a solid nucleus of experienced players. The Flyers placed third in the 2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off, besting Texas A&M and Boston College. However, the Flyers suffered a seemingly debilitating setback when two front court players were dismissed from the team in mid-December.[18] Coupled with season-ending injuries to other players and the loss of a freshman to NCAA partial qualifier status, the Flyers were left with only six scholarship players, none of whom were taller than 6'6". The Flyers regrouped and finished the non-conference part of their season with wins over Georgia Tech and Ole Miss. The Flyers carried this momentum into league play and finished second in the Atlantic 10 regular season with a 13–5 mark. The Flyers squared off against VCU in the Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game, but fell 71–65.

Despite an RPI ranking of 32,[19] the Flyers were placed in the First Four of the 2015 NCAA tournament against Boise State in the East Region. In their First Four play-in game, Dayton beat Boise State, advancing to the Round of 64.[20] The Flyers pulled off another upset of a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, beating the Providence by double digits, 66–53, thus advancing to the Round of 32.[21] However, they fell to No. 13 Oklahoma in the third round.[22]

The 2015–16 team was predicted to win the A-10. They started the season well beating No. 21 Vanderbilt and finishing the non-conference schedule at 10–2.[23] They finished in a first place tie in the A-10 season and earned their third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. However, they could not repeat past success as they were upset by eventual Final Four participant Syracuse in the First Round.[24]

In 2017, the Flyers won the regular season championship of the A-10 by one game over VCU.[25] However, they were upset in the quarterfinals of the A-10 tournament.[26] The Flyers did receive an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed.[27] In the First Round, they faced Wichita State who many argued was underrated as a No. 10 seed.[28][29] The Flyers would lose to Wichita State 64–58.[30] On March 25, 2017, Archie Miller left the school to accept the head coaching position at Indiana.[31][32] He finished with a six-year record of 139–63 at Dayton.

Anthony Grant era (2017–present)

[edit]
Anthony Grant

Shortly after Miller's departure for Indiana, the school hired Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach and Dayton alum Anthony Grant as head coach on March 30, 2017.[33] Grant previously served as head coach at VCU and Alabama. Grant began laying the groundwork for the future with his first recruiting class that included future stars Obi Toppin and Jalen Crutcher. His first season at Dayton saw the Flyers finish 14–17 overall, the first time since the 2005–06 season that the team finished with a losing record. His second season featured breakout red-shirt freshman Toppin, who led the team to a third-place finish in the A-10. They lost their first game of the conference tournament, and missed the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. They earned a five seed in the NIT, but lost in the first round at Colorado.

Grant's third season proved to be one of the best in Dayton basketball history. The 2019–20 team began by routing Georgia and Virginia Tech en route to the finals of the 2019 Maui Invitational Tournament where they lost in overtime to Kansas. The Flyers steadily climbed the 2019–2020 AP Poll, finishing the season 29–2, 18–0 in Atlantic 10 Conference play and ranked number three in the nation.[34] Dayton was the only team in the nation not to have lost in regulation during the 2019–20 season and was a projected #1 seed in the East Region in several NCAA tournament bracket projections.[35][36][37][38] However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tournament on March 12, 2020, prior to completion of the Atlantic 10 tournament and the NCAA opted not to release the Men's and Women's Championship brackets. A post cancellation computer simulation of Jerry Palm's projected field resulted in Dayton winning the championship.[39] Despite the abrupt end, the season yielded numerous highlights for the team and program. Toppin & Crutcher were both named to the Atlantic 10 Conference First Team, while teammates Trey Landers and Ryan Mikesell were named to the Third Team and All-Academic Teams respectively. Toppin was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Grant was named A-10 Coach of the Year. Toppin was a unanimous selection to the AP All-America First Team,[40] and would receive further recognition, winning the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, and being named AP player of the year.[41][42][43] Meanwhile, Coach Grant received national coach of the year accolades from Sporting News, as well as winning both the AP coach of the year and Naismith coach of the year award.[44][45][46] Finally, ESPN College Gameday made its first ever visit to the Dayton campus on March 7, 2020, highlighting the #3 ranked Flyers and their passionate fan base prior to the final game of the season, a 76–51 victory over George Washington.

The fourth season under Anthony Grant started out promising, led by a trio of Senior Guards in Jalen Crutcher, Ibi Watson, and Rodney Chatman, they picked up two wins against SEC foes in Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Unfortunately injuries, along with PF Chase Johnson leaving the team yet again, led to the team under performing. They did pick up a strong road win against 23rd ranked Saint Louis, giving them a perfect 1–0 record versus AP ranked teams on the season, as well as advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2021 Atlantic 10 tournament. Following the conclusion of the A10 tournament, they earned a bid into the shortened 2021 NIT tournament as a four seed. All games were played at a neutral site in Texas, acting as a "bubble". The team lost in the first round after a close game against #1 seed and eventual champions Memphis.

The Flyers signed their highest rated high school prospect ever in 2020 when DaRon Holmes II agreed to play for the Flyers.[47] Alongside Georgia transfer and future NBA player, Toumani Camara and highly rated freshman point guard Malachi Smith, Holmes' freshman season yielded upsets of Elite Eight bound Miami and eventual National Champion Kansas en route to their second ESPN Events Invitational championship. The 2021-22 team would finish second in the Atlantic 10, but falter in the semi-finals of the conference tournament to Richmond when Malachi Smith suffered an ankle injury.[48] The loss to Richmond and their eventual A-10 tournament championship made Dayton the first team out of the 2022 NCAA tournament.[49] The Flyers would accept an invite to the NIT where they would beat Toledo before falling in overtime on the road to Vanderbilt.

The 2022-23 team began the year with high expectations, ranked #24 in the preseason polls and rising as high as #21. However, an injury plagued trip to the Bahamas for the 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament resulted in the loss of starting guards Smith and Kobe Elvis, putting the season in jeopardy.[50] Despite this setback, the Flyers regrouped to again finish second in the A-10 regular season, but fell in the conference tournament championship game to VCU, despite a tournament MVP performance by Holmes.[51] Citing injuries, the Flyers declined all post season tournament invites.[52]

Holmes and Camara tested the NBA draft waters following the 2022–23 season.[53] Camara was drafted in the second round by Phoenix, but Holmes withdrew from the draft to return to the Flyers for his junior season.[54] The Flyers were again preseason favorites to win the A-10,[55] but a season ending injury to starting point guard Smith seven minutes into their first game again threatened to derail the Flyers.[56] Nevertheless, the team reached the championship of the 2023 Charleston Classic and defeated rival Cincinnati heading into conference play. The Flyers would enter the AP poll mid-season and remain there through all but one week of the remainder of the season, reaching as high as #16. The Flyers would receive a 7-seed in the West Region of the NCAA tournament where they would defeat Nevada before falling to Arizona in the Round of 32. Holmes received recognition as the A-10 co-player of the year,[57] and was a consensus Second Team All-American, the second Flyer in five years to receive All-American honors.

Atmosphere

[edit]
UD Arena in 2023

The Flyer Faithful

[edit]

The Flyers are noted for their fan base, dubbed "The Flyer Faithful." The Flyers are routinely in the top-30 in average game attendance among all NCAA Division I basketball programs.[58] As a result of this support, UD Arena is regarded as not only an extremely challenging venue in which to play, but has been hailed as one of the greatest basketball atmospheres in all of college basketball.[59][60][61] Additionally, this fan base is noted for its willingness to travel and enthusiastically support the Flyers in both neutral and hostile environments.[62][63][64][65][66]

Rivalries

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Dayton has historical rivalries with several area teams including Xavier, Miami (Ohio), and Wright State (Gem City Jam), as well as fellow Catholic schools such as Marquette, DePaul, and Notre Dame. Dayton has met Xavier 158 times, more than any other opponent, and holds an 84–75 edge in the series through 2019; however, the Flyers have struggled against Xavier in recent decades, posting a 19–45 record against the Musketeers over the past four decades. Dayton and Xavier played for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy.

With the departure of Xavier to the Big East in 2013, Dayton searched for a new Atlantic 10 rivalry game that involved a trophy. Each year Dayton plays Atlantic 10 rival Saint Louis University for the rights to the Arch Baron Cup.[67] The team has developed a similar rivalry with the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rams since the exit of Xavier from the Atlantic 10 in 2013.

Postseason

[edit]

NCAA tournament results

[edit]

The Flyers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times. Their combined record is 20–21.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
1952 Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Illinois
Princeton		 L 61–80
W 77–61
1965 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Ohio
Michigan
DePaul		 W 66–65
L 71–98
W 75–69
1966 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Miami (OH)
Kentucky
WKU		 W 58–51
L 79–86
L 62–82
1967 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		 WKU
Tennessee
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
UCLA		 W 69–67OT
W 53–52
W 71–66OT
W 76–62
L 64–79
1969 First Round Colorado State L 50–52
1970 First Round Houston L 64–71
1974 First Round
Sweet Sixteen
Regional 3rd Place Game		 Cal State Los Angeles
UCLA
New Mexico		 W 88–80
L 100–1113OT
L 61–66
1984 #10 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		 #7 LSU
#2 Oklahoma
#6 Washington
#1 Georgetown		 W 74–66
W 89–85
W 64–58
L 49–61
1985 #9 First Round #8 Villanova L 49–51
1990 #12 First Round
Second Round		 #5 Illinois
#4 Arkansas		 W 88–86
L 84–86
2000 #11 First Round #6 Purdue L 61–62
2003 #4 First Round #13 Tulsa L 71–84
2004 #10 First Round #7 DePaul L 69–76
2009 #11 First Round
Second Round		 #6 West Virginia
#3 Kansas		 W 68–60
L 43–60
2014 #11 First Round
Second Round
Sweet Sixteen
Elite Eight		 #6 Ohio State
#3 Syracuse
#10 Stanford
#1 Florida		 W 60–59
W 55–53
W 82–72
L 52–62
2015 #11 First Four
First round
Second Round		 #11 Boise State
#6 Providence
#3 Oklahoma		 W 56–55
W 66–53
L 66–72
2016 #7 First Round #10 Syracuse L 51–70
2017 #7 First Round #10 Wichita State L 58–64
2024 #7 First Round
Second Round		 #10 Nevada
#2 Arizona		 W 63–60
L 68–78

NCAA tournament seeding history

[edit]

The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition.

Years → '84 '85 '90 '00 '03 '04 '09 '14 '15 '16 '17 '24
Seeds 10 9 12 11 4 10 11 11 11 7 7 7

NIT results

[edit]

The Flyers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 27 times. Their combined record is 41–25. They are three time NIT champions (1962, 1968, 2010). The Flyers also turned down a 2023 NIT invitation due to health and safety concerns.

Year Round Opponent Result
1951 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Lawrence Tech
Arizona
St. John's
BYU		 W 77–71
W 74–68
W 69–62
L 43–62
1952 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 NYU
Saint Louis
St. Bonaventure
La Salle		 W 81–66
W 68–58
W 69–62
L 64–75
1954 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Manhattan
Niagara		 W 90–79
L 74–77
1955 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Saint Louis
Saint Francis (PA)
Duquesne		 W 97–81
W 79–73
L 58–70
1956 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Xavier
St. Francis (NY)
Louisville		 W 72–68
W 89–58
L 80–93
1957 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Saint Peter's
Temple		 W 79–71
L 66–77
1958 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Fordham
St. John's
Xavier		 W 74–70
W 80–56
L 74–78
1960 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Temple
Bradley		 W 72–51
L 64–78
1961 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		 Temple
Saint Louis
Holy Cross		 W 62–60
L 60–67
L 67–85
1962 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Wichita State
Houston
Loyola–Chicago
St. John's		 W 79–71
W 94–77
W 98–82
W 73–67
1968 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 West Virginia
Fordham
Notre Dame
Kansas		 W 87–68
W 61–60
W 76–74
W 61–48
1971 First Round Duke L 60–68
1978 First Round
Quarterfinals		 Fairfield
Georgetown		 W 108–93
L 62–71
1979 First Round
Second Round		 Holy Cross
Purdue		 W 105–81
L 70–84
1981 First Round
Second Round		 Fordham
Purdue		 W 66–65
L 46–50
1982 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Connecticut
Illinois
Oklahoma		 W 76–75
W 61–58
L 82–91
1986 First Round McNeese State L 75–86
1998 First Round
Second Round		 Long Island
Penn State		 W 95–92
L 74–77
2001 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 UNC Wilmington
Richmond
Detroit		 W 68–59
W 71–56
L 42–59
2002 Opening Round
First Round		 Detroit
Tennessee Tech		 W 80–69
L 59–68
2008 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Cleveland State
Illinois State
Ohio State		 W 66–57
W 55–48
L 63–74
2010 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		 Illinois State
Cincinnati
Illinois
Ole Miss
North Carolina		 W 63–42
W 81–66
W 77–71
W 68–63
W 79–68
2011 First Round College of Charleston L 84–94
2012 First Round Iowa L 72–84
2019 First Round Colorado L 73–78
2021 First Round Memphis L 60–71
2022 First Round
Second Round		 Toledo
Vanderbilt		 W 74–55
L 68–70OT

Awards and Statistics

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All-time statistic leaders

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1,000-point scorers

[edit]
Brian Roberts, 2004–2008
John Horan, 1951–1955
Bill Uhl, 1953–1956
Obi Toppin, 2018–2020

The Flyers currently have been 51 players who have scored 1,000 points as a Flyer. Additionally, they have three other players who have transferred to UD and scored their 1,000th point in a Flyer uniform.[68]

Roosevelt Chapman is the all-time leading scorer at UD with 2,233 points. Hank Finkel owns the highest scoring average at 23.7 points per game

Rank Player name Points Games PPG Seasons played
1 Roosevelt Chapman 2,233 118 18.9 1981–84
2 Don May 1,980 90 22.0 1965–68
3 Henry Finkel 1,968 83 23.7 1963–66
4 Brian Roberts 1,962 125 15.7 2004–08
5 Jim Paxson 1,945 108 18.0 1975–79
6 Don Meineke 1,866 96 19.4 1949–52
7 Tony Stanley 1,835 125 14.7 1997–01
8 Negele Knight 1,806 122 14.8 1985–90
9 Anthony Corbitt 1,760 120 14.7 1986–90
10 John Horan 1,757 120 14.6 1951–55
11 DaRon Holmes II 1,745 102 17.1 2021–2024
12 Donald Smith 1,655 81 20.4 1971–74
13 Mike Kanieski 1,642 115 14.3 1978–82
14 Bill Uhl 1,627 88 18.5 1953–56
15 Jack Sallee 1,610 122 13.2 1951–55
16 Chris Wright 1,601 123 13.0 2007–11
17 Jalen Crutcher 1,593 118 13.5 2017–21
18 Johnny Davis 1,562 81 19.3 1973–76
19 Ramod Marshall 1,538 127 12.1 2000–04
20 Ryan Perryman 1,524 116 13.1 1994–98
21 Keith Waleskowski 1,515 129 11.7 2000–04
22 Jack Zimmerman 1,482 111 13.4 1976–80
23 Chris Johnson 1,467 138 10.6 2008–12
24 Mark Ashman 1,449 119 12.2 1996–00
25 Brooks Hall 1,404 123 11.0 1999–03
26 Garry Roggenburk 1,398 87 11.8 1959–62
27 Chip Hare 1,323 112 11.8 1991–95
28 Dyshawn Pierre 1,317 118 11.2 2012–16
29 Marcus Johnson 1,286 135 9.5 2006–10
30 Scoochie Smith 1,273 132 9.6 2013–17
31 Ed Young 1,253 107 11.7 1982–87
32 Mike Sylvester 1,248 81 15.4 1971–74
33 Erv Giddings 1,227 102 12.0 1974–78
34 Alex Robertson 1,212 117 10.4 1990–94
35 Ken May 1,207 80 15.1 1968–71
36 Damon Goodwin 1,191 119 10.0 1982–86
37

Frank Case

1,175 83 14.2 1957–60
38 Kendall Pollard 1,149 119 9.7 2013–17
39 Chuck Grigsby 1,105 96 11.5 1949–52
40 Gordy Hatton 1,097 80 13.7 1961–64
41 Obi Toppin 1,096 64 17.1 2018–20
42 Richard Montague 1,093 112 9.8 1977–81
43 Derrick Dukes 1,061 116 9.1 1990–94
44 Bobby Joe Hooper 1,059 87 12.2 1965–68
45 Monty Scott 1,054 111 9.5 2003–07
46 Dave Colbert 1,049 59 17.8[a] 1984–86
47 Jordan Sibert 1,030 73 14.1[b] 2013–15
48 Coby Turner 1,025 114 9.0 1995–99
49 Junior Norris 1,009 95 10.6 1949–52
50 Darrell Davis 1,008 130 7.8 2014–18
51 Sean Finn 1,003 123 8.1 2000–04
  1. ^ Dave Colbert played for Cleveland State from 1981–83 where he scored 718 points. His total points scored over his career is 1,767 for a per game average of 15.5.
  2. ^ Jordan Sibert played for Ohio State from 2010–12 where he scored 123 points. His total points scored over his career is 1,153 for a per game average of 9.5.

Rebounds

[edit]
Rank Player Years Games Reb. Avg. Total Rebounds
1 John Horan 1951–55 120 11.2 1341
2 Don May 1965–68 90 14.5 1301
3 Bill Uhl 1953–56 99 14.6 1299
4 Ryan Perryman 1994–98 116 10.0 1156
5 Henry Finkel 1963–66 83 13.3 1106
6 Keith Waleskowski 2000–04 129 8.5 1092
7 Garry Roggenburk 1959–62 87 11.8 1027
8 Roosevelt Chapman 1980–84 118 8.1 956
9 Erv Giddings 1974–78 102 9.2 935
10 Chris Wright 2007–11 123 7.2 887

Assists

[edit]
Rank Player Years Games Ast. Avg. Total Assists
1 Negele Knight 1985–90 122 5.43 663
2 Jalen Crutcher 2017–2021 118 4.95 584
3 David Morris 1998–2002 125 4.50 562
4 Jack Zimmerman 1976–80 111 4.97 552
5 Jim Paxson 1975–79 108 4.77 515
6 Kevin Conrad 1979–83 106 4.70 498
T-7 Derrick Dukes 1990–94 116 4.28 497
T-7 Ramod Marshall 2000–04 127 3.91 497
9 Scoochie Smith 2013–17 132 3.67 485
10 Larry Schellenberg 1981–85 112 4.15 465

Blocks

[edit]
Rank Player Years Games Block Avg. Total Blocks
1 DaRon Holmes II 2021–2024 102 2.11 215
2 Chris Wright 2007–11 123 1.32 162
3 Sean Finn 2000–04 123 1.13 139
4 Roosevelt Chapman 1980–84 118 1.05 124
5 Erv Giddings 1974–78 102 1.14 116
6 Mark Ashman 1996–2000 119 0.81 96
7 Anthony Corbitt 1986–90 120 0.68 82
8 Ed Young 1982–87 107 0.72 78
9 Wes Coffee 1988–92 108 0.71 77
10 Kendall Pollard 2013–17 124 0.58 72

Steals

[edit]
Rank Player Years Games Steals Avg. Total Steals
1 Alex Robertson 1989–94 117 2.36 276
2 London Warren 2006–10 137 1.28 175
3 Tony Stanley 1997–2001 125 1.39 174
4 Scoochie Smith 2013–17 138 1.25 172
5 Jim Paxson 1975–79 108 1.56 168
6 Derrick Dukes 1990–94 116 1.43 166
7 Negele Knight 1985–90 122 1.33 162
8 Kyle Davis 2013–17 134 1.19 160
9 Roosevelt Chapman 1980–84 118 1.35 159
10 David Morris 1998–2002 125 1.24 155

Three-pointers made

[edit]
Rank Player Years 3PT Att. PCT
1 Brian Roberts 2004–08 293 665 .441
2 Tony Stanley 1997–01 291 813 .358
3 Brooks Hall 1999–03 285 731 .390
4 Jalen Crutcher 2017–21 242 646 .375
5 Ramod Marshall 2000–04 241 669 .360
6 Christapher Johnson 2008–12 236 636 .371
7 Koby Brea 2020–24 224 516 .434
8 Norm Grevey 1986–91 208 481 .432
9 Darrell Davis 2014–18 191 507 .377
10 Jordan Sibert 2013–15 163 424 .384

Award winners

[edit]

National Player of the Year

[edit]
Player Year(s) Award(s)
Obi Toppin 2020 John R. Wooden Award
Naismith
Associated Press
Oscar Robertson Trophy
NABC

All-Americans

[edit]
Player Year(s) Team(s)
Alphonse Schumacher 1912 Helms
1913 Helms
Don Meineke 1952 Consensus Second Team – AP (3rd), UPI (3rd), Look (2nd), INS (2nd)
Johnny Horan 1955 UPI (3rd)
Bill Uhl 1956 Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), UPI (2nd), Look (1st), NEA (2nd), INS (2nd), Collier's (2nd)
Hank Finkel 1966 AP (3rd), UPI (3rd), NABC (3rd)
Don May 1967 Consensus Second Team – USBWA (1st), UPI (2nd)
1968 Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), NABC (2nd), UPI (2nd)
Jim Paxson 1979 Consensus Second Team – USBWA (2nd), NABC (2nd), UPI (2nd)
Obi Toppin 2020 Consensus First Team – AP (1st), USBWA (1st), NABC (1st), Sporting News (1st)
DaRon Holmes II 2024 Consensus Second Team – AP (2nd), USBWA (3rd), NABC (2nd), Sporting News (2nd)

Flyers in the NBA/ABA

[edit]

Mid Season Tournament Championships

[edit]

[69] [70]

Year Tournament Tournament Record
1999 CoSIDA Classic 2-0
2003 Maui Invitational 3-0
2008 Chicago Invitational Challenge 4-0
2011 Old Spice Classic 3-0
2021 ESPN Events Invitational 3-0

Business value

[edit]

According to a Wall Street Journal report—annual college basketball value ranking reports, University of Dayton's basketball team are ranked in the top 20 (18th) in the US with $100,010,000 value based on the financial data of 2017.[71]

References

[edit]
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  3. ^ Beaton, Andrew (1 April 2015). "What's Your College-Basketball Team Worth?". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Collett, R. (1989). The Dayton Flyers: A history of UD basketball. Dayton: Landfall Press.
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  8. ^ "The Milwaukee Sentinel – Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.[permanent dead link‍]
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  43. ^ "Dayton's Obi Toppin -- AP player of year -- heading to NBA". AP NEWS. March 25, 2020.
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  46. ^ "Anthony Grant Named Werner Ladder Naismith National Coach of the Year".
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  54. ^ "DaRon's Back!". University of Dayton Athletics. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
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  56. ^ "Malachi Smith To Miss Remainder Of 2023-24 Season". University of Dayton Athletics. 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  57. ^ "Holmes, King, Mooney Headline 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Awards". atlantic10.com. 2024-04-08. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
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  66. ^ "Dayton devotees making Memphis their own | Gatorsports.com". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  67. ^ "The Arch Baron Cup Stays Home!!!!!!!!!!!". blackburnreview.com. 11 February 2015. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  68. ^ Hauschild, Doug (November 2019). 2019–20 University of Dayton Men's Basketball Yearbook. University of Dayton, Dayton Ohio: University of Dayton Athletics Communication Office. pp. 71–77.
  69. ^ "UD basketball to get big exposure in tournament". springfieldnewssun.com.
  70. ^ "Dayton Flyers: Ranking quality of annual exempt tournaments (through 2023)". daytondailynews.com.
  71. ^ Beaton, Andrew (2019-04-08). "How Much Is Your College-Basketball Team Worth?". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2019-05-04.
[edit]
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