April 1, 2010 | AP Press

NEW YORK – Dayton players danced at midcourt and then lingered on ladders as they cut down the nets at Madison Square Garden.

Forgive these Flyers for taking a little extra time to soak it all in. They’re not as accustomed to trophy ceremonies as the North Carolina team they had just beaten.

Marcus Johnson scored 20 points and Dayton denied last year’s national champs another title, topping the Tar Heels 79-68 Thursday night to win the NIT.

“This game kind of is a capsule of our season,” coach Brian Gregory said. “Started off great, had some tough times and then just kind of fight through, and ended up very successful at the end.”

NCAA vice president Greg Shaheen said Thursday no decision has been made about the future of the postseason NIT, which is operated independently by the NCAA.

“Might be a fitting way to end it, for us to win it,” Gregory said.

How down-and-out were these Tar Heels heading into the postseason? When the 32-team NIT draw was announced, they opened at 35-1 odds to win the title.

And while Dayton has been a regular in this event, it was strange to see North Carolina on the college basketball undercard this time of year. One of the sport’s true heavyweights, the Tar Heels own five NCAA national championships, including an 89-72 victory over Michigan State in last year’s title game.

Tom Izzo and the Spartans are back in the Final Four, set to play Butler in Indianapolis on Saturday. North Carolina was left to chase a consolation prize following a 16-16 regular season wrecked by injuries, leaky defense and a string of embarrassing losses.

The blue bloods from Tobacco Road still have one NIT title, which came in 1971.

Every time North Carolina got close in the second half, Dayton had a response.

Tar Heels guard Marcus Ginyard missed a contested layup that could have tied it at 59, and Paul Williams hit one of his four 3s on the other end with 7:46 left.

A 3-pointer by Graves cut UNC’s deficit to 67-63 with 3:37 remaining, but Chris Johnson countered with a 3 of his own and a follow-up dunk to put Dayton up by nine with 2:50 to go.

North Carolina, which committed 15 turnovers, never got closer than five the rest of the way.

“Our guys played with great toughness and desire,” Gregory said. “We answered everything they threw at us.”

This was Dayton’s 22nd appearance in the NIT, second only to St. John’s (27). The Flyers also won it in 1962.

March 22, 2010 | AP Press

CINCINNATI – Rob Lowery led an early 3-point barrage that built a 17-point lead, and Dayton held on for a rough-and-tumble 81-66 victory over Cincinnati in the second round of the NIT on Monday night.

The Flyers (22-12) made eight of their first 12 shots from behind the arc to get the big lead, and survived a second-half Cincinnati comeback before pulling away to their most lopsided win over the Bearcats in 25 years.

It was only their third win over Cincinnati in their last 17 games in the southwest Ohio rivalry.

“I had fun out there,” said Chris Wright, who scored 11 points. “When you’re playing against guys you know, you know they’re going to play a lot harder. It’s for bragging rights. It felt like high school all over again.”

Dayton will play at Illinois in the quarterfinals Wednesday, extending a season that held a lot of disappointment. The Flyers were picked to win the Atlantic 10, but blew a lot of leads and suffered a lot of close losses, finishing seventh.

“They’ve been knocked down so many times and they keep getting back up,” coach Brian Gregory said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of these guys. We told them this would be a test of character and pride and how much the program meant to them. They’ve answered that and today they might have put an exclamation on it.”

Cincinnati (19-16) was prone to long shooting slumps all season, and managed only two field goals during a 10-minute span in the second half. After cutting the 17-point deficit to 44-43, the Bearcats could never make that final push.

“Same story again,” coach Mick Cronin said. “Once we got close, we couldn’t make a shot. We kept missing open shot after open shot.”

The Bearcats set the NCAA tournament as their goal — a place they haven’t been since 2005 — but faded down the stretch and finished 11th in the Big East.

Dayton brought its pep band, cheerleaders and a lot of fans, turning it into a high-energy game in front of 6,479 fans. The Flyers got the best of it early, pulling ahead 34-17 by hitting open 3s. Senior guard Deonta Vaughn scored Cincinnati’s last 11 points in the half, cutting it to 41-36.

Vaughn finished with a season-high 28 points and passed Danny Fortson for third on the school’s career scoring list. He got a standing ovation when he left the floor in the final minute.

“My four years have been great,” said Vaughn, who finished with 1,885 points. “I learned a lot about basketball. I matured a lot since I came here and did a lot of great things to try to help this program get back to where it needs to be.”

The Bearcats were caught flat-footed at the start, outplayed by a Dayton team that had a lot more enthusiasm.

“We definitely underestimated them,” said freshman Lance Stephenson, who said he would return for another season. “We knew they played hard, but we didn’t know they played with that much intensity.”

March 17, 2010 | AP Press

DAYTON, Ohio – Chris Johnson scored 13 points and Dayton used a 19-1 second-half run to pull away and beat Illinois State 63-42 in the opening round of the NIT on Wednesday night.

Chris Wright grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Dayton (21-12) to a 42-27 advantage on the boards. The Flyers will play at Cincinnati in the second round.

“How we went out there and played today and how we approached this tournament was really more a test of our character and pride in who we are and what we do,” Dayton coach Brian Gregory said. “I didn’t have any doubt how they would respond.”

Dayton was coming off a conference tournament loss to Xavier that was typical of many of its losses this season. The Flyers squandered a 15-point lead in the second half, but this time the formula of a deep bench, relentless man-to-man defense and rebounding worked. The Flyers held the Redbirds to 33.3 percent shooting.

Osiris Eldridge, the Missouri Valley Conference’s leading scorer, shot only 4 of 15 but led the Redbirds (22-11) with 12 points.

Dayton saw its 13-point lead cut to 42-37 with 10:27 to play, but Johnson started the Flyers’ huge run with a 3-pointer.

Four minutes later, Marcus Johnson hit a 3-pointer and a pull-up jumper on consecutive trips to put the Flyers up 54-38 with 6:07 left. Dayton scored the next seven points before Eldridge hit a 3-pointer to end a nearly eight-minute field-goal drought for the Illinois State.

“We really defended well and rebounded well,” Dayton’s Chris Wright said. “That’s a team that never quits. Down the stretch we knew we were going to have to play a lot harder.”

Gregory said his players studied film more than usual the past couple days and were ready for Eldridge and point guard Lloyd Phillips.

“Yes, we had a very poor offensive night and certainly we had some shots that could have easily fallen,” Illinois State coach Tim Jankovich said. “But over time, they deserve a lot of credit because they keep a great deal of pressure on you. They’re very athletic and they’re very deep. And it’s a good recipe.”

AP Photo

March 22, 2009 | AP Press

MINNEAPOLIS — The long arms of Cole Aldrich forced the Dayton Flyers down for a rough landing.

Aldrich, the 6-foot-11 Kansas sophomore, posted a triple-double with 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocked shots to lead the defending NCAA champions past the 11th-seeded Flyers 60-43 in the second round Sunday.

Shaquille O’Neal set the NCAA tournament record with 11 blocks in a game for LSU in 1992. Shawn Bradley had 10 in 1991 for BYU. Aldrich’s feat was, officially, the sixth triple-double in the history of the tournament.

Sherron Collins had 25 points to pace the third-seeded Jayhawks (27-7), who moved on to play the USC-Michigan State winner in the Midwest Region semifinals next Friday in Indianapolis.

Chris Wright had 10 points for Dayton, which shot a woeful 22.2 percent for the game.

This was Dayton’s lowest scoring total of the season. The Flyers shot 9-for-40 in the first half, and the misses didn’t stop there. Mickey Perry’s layup cut the Kansas edge to 35-30 midway through the second half, but with Aldrich getting a brief break on the bench Tyrel Reed sank a 3-pointer and Collins followed with a layup to stretch the lead back to 10.

During a 10-minute stretch, with Aldrich gobbling up those wayward shots and swatting some of them away before they even got to the rim, the Flyers went 3-for-20. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks — who weren’t in rhythm offensively and sure needed Aldrich’s altering presence underneath on defense — ran away.

The Flyers (27-8), one of four teams given at-large bids from conferences other than the big six, already had their first NCAA tourney win since 1990 but they were after more than that.

A few dozen Michigan State fans wearing dark green got an early start on their cheering, standing and clapping with Dayton’s fight song. Flyers coach Brian Gregory has deep ties to MSU, having served as an assistant under Jud Heathcote and then Tom Izzo. He found inspiration from their presence at the Metrodome this weekend, the latest stop on his attempt to rebuild this program into a perennial tournament team.

Wright and Charles Little shot a combined 16-for-27 in the first round, a 68-60 victory over West Virginia, but all of the Flyers were way off at the beginning of this game. They’re so fast and such high jumpers that sometimes they play out of control, and few of their early looks at the basket could fairly have been called good shots.

UD was 1-for-12 from the floor at one point, going more than 6 minutes without a make, until freshman Luke Fabrizius swished the first of his two 3-pointers to cut the Kansas lead to 13-7. The TV microphone on Dayton’s rim was cranked way up for a few possessions, exaggerating each brick with a fittingly amplified clang.

The Jayhawks didn’t seize their opportunity to build a big advantage. Collins was in his usual get-to-the-lane high gear, scoring 14 points before halftime, but Kansas missed nine of 11 attempts from 3-point range and, worse, seven of 10 foul shots.

Aldrich was all over the boards, but after an early series of putback, tip-in and up-and-under layup on three straight possessions, he stopped attacking the basket with the same aggression and had two passes out of the post go for turnovers. He did, however, convert a three-point play after relentlessly staying with the rebound of his own miss and give the Jayhawks a 29-23 lead at the break.

The official list of NCAA tournament triple-doubles dates to 1986, when steals and blocks were formally added as statistics. Assists were added in 1984. Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson had a handful of unofficial triple-doubles before the stats were streamlined. The last one was in this building, actually, by Dwyane Wade for Marquette in the 2003 regional final win over Kentucky.

AP Photo

March 19, 2009 | AP Press

DAYTON, Ohio — Dayton says it has reached an oral agreement with basketball coach Brian Gregory to extend his contract five years through the 2017-18 season.

Athletic director Tim Wabler says both parties will hammer out a written contract after the season. Gregory told the Dayton Daily News on Wednesday that a long-term commitment is essential for recruiting.

The 42-year-old Gregory has led the Flyers to 49 victories the past two seasons, their highest two-year total since winning 50 from 1954 to 1956. He has a 124-67 record in six seasons at Dayton, which plays in the Atlantic 10.

Gregory is in Minneapolis preparing his team for a first-round NCAA Tournament game against West Virginia on Friday.

AP Photo

March 13, 2009 | AP Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Duquesne is a win away from its first NCAA tournament berth in 32 years, just 2 1/2 years after five basketball players were shot in the school’s worst incident of on-campus violence.

Aaron Jackson and Melquan Bolding scored 24 points each and the seventh-seeded Dukes won their third game in as many days with a 77-66 victory over Dayton in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament on Friday night.

Duquesne (21-11) will play fourth-seed Temple (21-11) on Saturday night for the A10 title and an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. The Owls upset No. 19 Xavier 55-53 in the opening semifinal at Boardwalk Hall in this casino resort.

“When you sit in the locker room and the coach says ‘Bring it in,’ you realize you are playing for a championship,” said Jackson, a senior guard and the only player who was shot who remains on the team. “It’s something basketball players dream of their whole career.

“I won two championships in high school and I thought about it after my freshman year in college that I might not get a chance to win a championship again,” he added. “Now we’re playing for a championship tomorrow, a college championship in a good conference. I’m so excited.”

Jackson even joked that he would get a Duquesne tattoo if the team wins, a violation of coach Ron Everhart’s rules.

When Everhart reminded him during the postgame news conference, Jackson laughed.

“I’m out of here,” he said.

The postseason run is a welcome bright spot for a program that endured a dark moment on Sept. 17, 2006, when players Sam Ashaolu, Kojo Mensah, Shawn James, Stuard Baldonado and Aaron Jackson were injured when they were shot as they left an on-campus dance.

Eric Evans added 12 points as Duquesne won its third straight tournament game and posted its second straight upset in knocking off the third-seeded Flyers (26-7). They beat second-seeded Rhode Island in the quarterfinals.

If Duquesne wins, it would give the city of Pittsburgh three teams in the NCAA tournament with the Dukes joining Pittsburgh and Robert Morris.

“The good part is we made it a realistic situation for us,” Everhart said. “Hopefully our guys understand that. They have had a great grasp on how to handle tournament play. If you would have told me a month ago, two months ago that this group of guys with eight freshmen and Aaron as our only senior would handle this situation that way I would have doubted that seriously. It’s amazing to me how fast this ballclub has grown up.”

Duquesne has not been to a postseason tournament since 1994, when it made the NIT.

Mickey Perry had 15 points to lead Dayton, which beat Duquesne twice during the regular season. Charles Little added 13 points and Chris Wright had 12 for the Flyers, who will have to wait until Sunday to find out whether they will get their first NCAA tournament berth since 2004.

“Hopefully we’ll get a chance to do something special next week,” Dayton coach Brian Gregory said.

Bolding hit two of his career-hit seven 3-pointers during a 14-5 first half spurt that gave Duquesne a 29-19 lead. The Dukes took a 35-29 lead to the locker room and they never lost it in the second half.

“I just felt like I couldn’t miss today,” said Bolding, who was 7 of 10 from long range. “My teammates did a great job of passing me the ball and I just knocked down the shots.”

February 25, 2009 by Chris Frechette | A10CollegeHoops

KINGSTON, RI – URI was pretty in pink tonight at the annual “pink out” game as they defeated Dayton 93-91 in overtime on a last second driving layup by point guard Marquis Jones as time expired.  

After Dayton shooting guard Marcus Johnson tied the game at 91-91 on a 3 pointer with Rhody guard Jimmy Baron in his face with 12 seconds left, Jones brought the ball upcourt, worked off of a pick from forward Kahiem Seawright, drove the lane and put up a layup with his back to the basket that rattled around the rim and fell through as the buzzer went off sending the 7,218 Rhode Island fans into a frenzy.

“I got a screen from Kahiem and what happened, happened,” Jones said.  “I was trying to get fouled as I went up (for the shot)”.   The overtime win puts the Rams’ record at 3-1 in overtime games this year, 12-1 at home,  and brings their overall record to 21-8, 10-4 in the A-10 which is good for third place in the conference.

Kahiem Seawright puts the last play of the game in different perspective.  “I wanted the last shot so bad.  We did a pick and roll, they switched, I rolled and I had a little guy on me and I looked at him like you better give me the ball,” he said.  “Marquis made a move and I was still looking at him saying you better give me the ball, and he made the shot.  So he didn’t have to give me the ball.”

Rhode Island was led by a balanced scoring attack  where five players reached double figures.  Jimmy Baron, Kahiem Seawright, and Keith Cothran all had 19 points, while Delroy James chipped in 18 points and Marquis Jones added 13 points.

URI was on fire in the first half, shooting 17-29 from the floor (59%), and 8-11 from three point range (73%).  The Rams finished the last minute of the first half with a 7-0 run on two free throws from Delroy James, a three pointer from Jimmy Baron, and Delroy James dunk off of a steal from Marquis Jones which gave the Rams a 52-44 halftime lead.  URI’s 52 halftime points was just 7 shy of the 59 points per game the Flyers average on defense. 

“Our defense was just awful in the first half,” Dayton coach Brian Gregory said.  “With that being said, they’re (URI) the most efficient offensive team in the league.”  The Flyers tightened up their defense in the second half and allowed only half the points they allowed in the first half (26).  Led by a game high 21 points from Marcus Johnson, Dayton (23-5, 9-4 A-10) clawed back into the game to force overtime on a layup by point guard London Warren (6 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals).

“You saw a great indication on how good the (A-10) league is,” Gregory said.  “You saw a team with 21 wins and a team with 23 wins, and you saw why (they both have that many wins)”.  Gregory added, “You lose on the road in this league and you don’t have to apologize to anybody, and I don’t apologize for our effort tonight”.

“This is the greatest moment I’ve had at URI,” said Jimmy Baron.  “We didn’t win these types of games last year, or early this year.  We’re all on the same page now, setting ourselves up for success”.

Coach Baron agreed that URI’s recent success has to be attributed to its senior leadership.  “The senior leadership has been tremendous,” he said.  “I couldn’t be more proud of our kids, they played with great tenacity”.

Jimmy Baron was also named to the second team Academic All-American team by ESPN the Magazine.

The University of Rhode Island community raised over $19,000 dollars for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation with their annual “Pink Out” game.

Sunday, November 2, 2008 by WH | A10collegehoops Contributor

I am not an expert on the coaching of basketball and make no such claims. But here is one layman’s assessment of the 14 league coaches and generally the order in which I would hire them – with one change. (If I were hiring a coach, I would put Mooney and Everhart ahead of Baron.)

Sean Miller, Xavier Musketeers

Miller has improved dramatically after some shaky moments in his first two seasons. He is not the A-10’s best game-day coach, but he’s not far off. And now he’s recruiting at a higher level than anyone else. Is No. 1 too high? It’s hard to argue with Xavier’s success under Miller (70.5% winning percentage).

Phil Martelli, St. Joseph’s

Martelli does more with less than any of his A-10 counterparts. His teams are mentally tough and fundamentally sound and seem to peak every year come A-10 tournament time. The challenge for Martelli is to do more with more – the Hawks are often short of quality depth. Perhaps a renovated FieldHouse will allow Martelli to recruit more good players.

Fran Dunphy Temple Owls

Perhaps no other coach in the league except Martelli could have turned Temple around as fast as Dunphy. The Owls are much more efficient offensively compared to the late Chaney years and now the defense is coming around. Dunphy has a great eye for talent and excels at developing players.

Rick Majerus, St. Louis Billikens

Majerus gets a high ranking based on past performance, not on results of his first season in the A-10. The Billikens were competitive despite a thin roster, but it remains to be seen whether Majerus still has the coaching magic. A very good sign is the incoming recruiting class, one of the best in the league on paper.

Karl Hobbs, George Washington Colonials

Hobbs gets high marks for three straight NCAA appearances before last season’s meltdown. Clearly the bad publicity about GW’s admissions policy a few years ago constrained Hobbs’ recruiting – the loss of Jeremy Wise still stings – and the talent level has dropped off.

Yet Hobbs still does a good job of getting long, lean kids and molding them into A-10 caliber players. GW rebounded down the stretch last season and was playing very good ball in the last month (just ask Xavier and UMass) using a 5-8 walk-on as point guard. That’s coaching. Hobbs also kicked three talented players off the team, including Mo Rice, for being disruptive. That’s showing the players he’s still the boss and won’t let things get out of hand.

Brian Gregory, Dayton Flyers

The Flyers would have earned their second NCAA under Gregory if Chris Wright did not get hurt. Gregory has steadily upgraded the talent level and his teams are fundamentally sound. The Flyers play solid defense and crash the boards. The offense has not been especially creative, but higher talent should alleviate that problem. Gregory has had particular difficulty recruiting good point guards.

Bobby Lutz. Charlotte 49ers

Lutz turned the program around last season by reintroducing defense and effort to the players’ vocabulary. Charlotte had been shaky fundamentally since joining the A-10 and the offense was undisciplined. Big improvements occurred in almost every phase last year. Lutz, a good recruiter, also upgraded the talent base. When he’s motivated, Lutz can match wits with any coach in the league.

John Giannini, LaSalle Explorers

Giannini has already shown he can win in the A-10 with just a handful of good players. Now he’s showing he can recruit lots of quality players to LaSalle. Last year, he admitted to a big mistake – no easy thing for a coach – by scrapping a patterned offense after it failed early in the season. LaSalle began to play well once the coach revved up the offense. Knock on wood, but it looks like the Explorers might make a breakthrough in the next few years.

Jim Baron, Rhode Island Rams

Baron gets this ranking based on past achievement, but last year’s late-season collapse has opened him up to deserved criticism – not for the first time, either. Reaching 20 wins was a big accomplishment, but ceding an all-but-guaranteed NCAA bid was a big disaster.

Like Giannini, Baron changed his offense a few years ago when his old ways weren’t working. He gets credit for that. Problem is, the new-look Rams have been mediocre defensively, an area in which Baron’s teams once excelled, and shot selection has been iffy. Add a few demerits. Baron has had a good career at some difficult places to win, but not too many people in Kingston are in his corner these days.

Chris Mooney, Richmond Spiders

If Richmond builds on last year’s success even without the services of injured center Dan Geriot, Mooney would move up the list. He’s quickly restored Richmond to competitiveness with excellent recruiting and coaching. Like Fran Dunphy, he seems to have a great eye for not-so-obvious talent and his players get better under his coaching. There’s no reason to believe the Spiders won’t continue to improve.

Ron Everhart, Duquesne Dukes

Master rebuilder delivered a winning season at Duquesne for the first time since 1994, but his second season wasn’t entirely successful. Everhart substituted players too liberally and he mishandled the point position. It was a good year that could have been better. Now the Dukes are starting over again with almost an entirely new roster. Fortunately Everhart seems to be a demon of a recruiter. The team is very young, but there’s a lot of talent.

Dereck Whittenburg, Fordham Rams

Whit did a good job of stabilizing a shaky program and making it respectable, but he failed in the ultimate task of producing a winner. Last year’s senior-laden team was a huge disappointment. Much of the problem stems from the coach’s inability to recruit a good point guard as well as quality depth – problems exacerbated by the school’s poor facilities. Whit didn’t help matters with a pouty performance on the bench. Body language does matter, Dereck.

Whittenburg is never going to outcoach anyone, so he better get better players and get the Rams back to playing hard every game.

Mark Schmidt, St. Bonaventure Bonnies

Schmidt’s coaching ability looks somewhat better after his old school, Robert Morris, surged to 26 wins. It says Schmidt recruited talented players and did some good coaching. On the other hand, one wonders if a veteran RMU team would have won as many games if Schmidt were coach. Whatever the case, the Bonnies actually overachieved in Schmidt’s first year even though the roster was one of the least talented in A-10 history. And now Schmidt appears to have done a fantastic job of upgrading the talent base in just one year. Only time will tell if the players are any good, though. If they are, then we’ll get a better idea of Schmidt’s coaching ability.

Derek Kellogg, Massachusetts Minutemen

Incomplete. Rookie Minutemen boss is viewed as a great recruiter and he’s learned under one of the best college coaches in the nation. He was given a good roster to start. Let’s see what he makes of it.

Location: Dayton, Ohio

Enrollment: 6,800

Founded: 1850

President: Dr. Daniel J. Curran

Athletic Director: Ted Kissell

Nickname: Flyers

Colors: Red and Blue

Arena: University of Dayton Arena

Capacity: 13,266

Average Attendance: 12,479

Head Coach: Brian Gregory

Overall Record: 98-60 (62.1% Winning Percentage)

Record at Dayton: 98-60

2007-2008 Record: 23-11 (8-8) NIT

Assistants: Billy Schmidt, Jon Borovich, Cornell Mann

ROSTER

0 Mickey Perry R-JR G 6-2 197 Maywood, IL/Wisconsin
1 London Warren JR PG 6-0 180 Jacksonville, FL
3 Rob Lowery JR PG 6-2 165 Forestville, MD/Cecil CC (MD)
4 Chris Johnson FR G-F 6-5 176 Columbus, OH
11 Stephen Thomas SO PG 6-1 170 Indianapolis, IN
15 Charles Little SR F 6-6 247 Cleveland, TN
22 Paul Williams FR WG 6-4 213 Detroit
23 Luke Fabrizius FR WF 6-9 205 Arlington Heights, IL
*32 Marcus Johnson JR F/G 6-3 196 Akron, OH
*33 Chris Wright SO F 6-8 226 Trotwood, OH
34 Devin Searcy SO F/C 6-10 226 Romulus, MI
*41 Kurt Huelsman JR C/F 6-10 245 St. Henry, OH
44 Josh Benson FR PF 6-9 205 Dayton, OH

*Returning starters (3)

OVERVIEW

The story has been well told. The Flyers glided to a 14-1 record, a top 15 national ranking and a certain bid to the NCAA tournament. Then stud freshman Chris Wright broke his ankle. A few games later, forward Charles Little fractured a foot. Minus its top two forwards, Dayton stumbled to a 7-9 regular-season finish and seventh place in the A-10. A semi-effective Little actually returned during that stretch, but the damage was done. The school ended up in the NIT.

Fast forward to the 2008-09 season. The Flyers only graduate one key player from last year’s squad, but a big loss it is. Deluxe scoring guard Brian Roberts led the team in scoring, free-throw percentage, assists – and clutch shots.

The good news is Wright and Little are healthy and the Flyers welcome a strong recruiting class. Wright, the explosive 6-8 sophomore, has First Team A-10 potential and can do things few players in the league can match. His star is on the rise and he’ll be expected to carry the load.

He’ll get plenty of help from a good supporting cast that includes Little, swingman Marcus Johnson and junior center Kurt Huelsman. The high-flying Johnson is ready for a breakout season and could join the league’s elite.

What’s unclear is where the shooting will come from. Coach Brian Gregory has a fleet of fine athletes who are capable of scoring from 15 feet in, but he needs a few players to stretch defenses and open up the middle for Wright and Co.

Another major concern is point play. Roberts was forced into the primary ball-handling role because of the erratic play of London Warren. It could be the team’s Achilles heel.

DEPARTED PLAYERS

Brian Roberts (18.4 ppg, 45.5% 3PG, 86% FT). The three-year starter, an A-10 First Team selection, will be remembered as one of Dayton’s greats. A highly efficient and versatile scorer, Roberts carried the team his entire career. He made teammates better (117 assists), hit countless big shots and was one of the most dangerous offensive players in the country. It’s unfortunate Roberts never had a supporting cast good enough to get him to the NCAA tournament.

Andres Sandoval (6.4 ppg, 30% FG, 33 steals). Combo guard was inconsistent during his two-year stay in Dayton. Sandoval oozed athleticism and potential when he joined the Richmond Spiders five year ago, but his career was hurt by academic problems, injuries and inadequate conditioning. A one-year hiatus at a junior college did nothing to improve his game between two stops in the A-10.

Jimmie Binnie – Small forward never rediscovered the shooting touch he showed as a freshman and was a role player in his final three seasons. Binnie played hard and didn’t make many poor decisions, but he was limited offensively (6.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 35% 3PG) and did not defend especially well.

Thiago Cordeiro (2.4 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 53.5% FG). The 6-9 Brazilian juco teased coaches with a surprisingly accurate jumper and his shot-blocking ability (team-leading 16), but he quickly fell out of favor because of his penchant for careless turnovers, ill-advised shots and poor positioning. He did not play in the final six games and transferred to a Division 2 school.

RETURNING PLAYERS

Charles Little (8.0 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 50% FG). Chiseled 6-6 power forward took a step back as a junior. Assigned the role of sixth man, Little did not adjust quickly to the presence of freshman sensation Chris Wright. Once his game started to come around, he suffered a fractured foot in January that caused him to miss three games. It hampered his performance the rest of the year. He only scored in double figures nine times and grabbed 10 rebounds just twice. His free-throw shooting was abysmal again (45%) and his defense above average at best.

Gregory needs and expects more from Little as a senior. Though not a traditional post player, he’s a good scorer around the paint. Little prefers to catch the ball 10 to 15 feet from the basket and make quick dribble drives to score on layups and short jumpers. He’s also a good weakside rebounder who soars to deliver thunderous dunks. Even if Wright is the budding star, Little has much to contribute with his athleticism and experience. Few players in the A-10 possess his combination of strength and explosiveness.

Marcus Johnson (10.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 48% FG, 38.8% 3PG, 76% FT). The third-year swingman is a classic slasher with big hops and an attack-the-rim mentality. Though just 6-3, Johnson gets a surprising number of baskets on tip-ins and putbacks. He also finished second on the team in rebounds.

Even more important, Johnson showed an improved jumper, especially late in the season. He hit 11 treys in the last seven games to equal the number he hit in the first 27 games. Johnson hit a few bombs off the dribble and others after the catch. If he keeps improving his shot, Johnson could pick up a sizable portion of the scoring that departed with Roberts. A good ball-handler, Johnson would also be able to take defenders off the dribble if they had to guard him on the perimeter. In the past opponents generally left him alone beyond 15 feet.

Johnson’s defense might the best part of his game. Already one of the top defenders in the league, he can guard three positions and shut down the other team’s main perimeter scorer. The situation is ripe for Johnson to blossom. Don’t be surprised if he makes a strong bid for one of the A-10’s all-conference teams.

Chris Wright (10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 60% FG, 80% FT, 14 blocks). The league’s best freshman last year broke his ankle early in league play and was sidelined him from mid-January to late March. Before his injury, Wright showed exactly what made him so special. He scored 22 points in his first college game and 26 in his third, while winning the A-10 newcomer award in four of the season’s first six weeks. His inside scoring, rebounding and defense – combined with Roberts’ shooting – led the Flyers to a 14-1 mark and a top 15 national ranking. Dayton faltered badly after his injury, going 9-9 in games without him.

A healthy Wright will be expected to lead the team as a sophomore. He says he’s grown 2 inches to a legitimate 6-8 and he’s also bulked up. Arguably the most athletic player in the A-10, he scores in a variety of ways around the basket, using his quickness and leaping ability to explode by, or over, defenders. Despite his incredible gifts, Wright doesn’t always rely on sheer athleticism. He plays with more poise and intelligence than most players his age and appears to possess a natural ability to lead.

Like all sophomores, Wright’s game needs polish. He has to refine his back-to-the-basket skills, improve his handle and shoot better from deep (1-5 3PG), all of which he worked during the summer. If he improves in those areas, Wright would have all the tools to become a great inside-out forward and eventually a pro prospect.

London Warren (4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 44% FG). The 6-0 “Jacksonville jet” should be called Mr. Incredible. For every incredible pass and assist (65), Warren makes an incredibly stupid turnover (75). That explains his 0.8 assist-to-turnover ratio, a pitiful mark for a point guard. Throw in poor free-throw shooting (51.5%) and a nonexistent outside shot and it’s a wonder that Warren ever plays. When he’s bad, Warren is very bad.

When he’s good, though, Warren is very good. As fast as any guard in the league, he puts tremendous pressure on other teams by pushing the ball or hounding ball-handlers (45 steals). And even though defenders lay off him, Warren is still quick enough to knife into the lane to feed teammates for easy scores.

His passing and defense alone are enough to make him a topflight A-10 point guard, if only he could reduce turnovers and made smarter decisions. And that’s the rub. There’s little evidence Warren can do that. Although he played better as a sophomore than as a freshman, his assists went down and his turnovers rose. Warren’s brain cannot keep up with his feet and it would be unwise to believe otherwise. Gregory can only hope that with maturity comes growth, but just to be safe, he recruited a point guard from junior college.

Kurt Huelsman (5.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 53% FG). Workmanlike 6-10 center is not a big leaper, but his game took a leap as a sophomore. Stronger and more confident, Huelsman became adept at using his big body to back defenders down. He scored more frequently with dropsteps toward the baseline or half-hooks in the middle. By making himself a threat in the paint, opponents even began to double team him. If Huelsman continues to improve, it will help create space for his teammates on the perimeter to shoot.

The best parts of his game are less evident. Huelsman boxes out, clogs the middle on defense and opens lanes for teammates to get to the basket. He plays solid interior defense, always hustles and doesn’t make many bad mistakes. The one area where he could make another leap is rebounding. Huelsman grabbed fewer boards than three of his smaller teammates, including the 6-3 Johnson. Although he’s not especially quick, Huelsman should be able to grab 5 or 6 boards a game. He reportedly worked on his conditioning in the off-season to improve his quickness and mobility.

Mickey Perry (2.8 ppg, 39% FG, 23% 3PG). The 6-2 Wisconsin transfer, known as a terrific shooter in high school, mostly misfired after he gained eligibility in December. Yet Perry made the best of limited minutes, taking care of the ball and playing good defense. With Roberts gone, he’ll see more time and perhaps settle into a role of third or fourth option. He lacks Roberts’ ball-handling skills and ability to create his own shot, but he’s more comfortable in the Flyers system and can better focus on what he does best.

Devon Searcy (6.6 mpg, 1.0 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 9-23 FG). The 6-10 sophomore has a knack for offensive rebounds and a decent touch near the basket, including a nice half-hook. His biggest problem was that he wasn’t big enough. Searcy lacked the strength to hold his position. More disappointing, he failed to show much explosion, blocking a mere 4 shots. Searcy could turn into a good player, though, if he works hard in the weightroom, and improves his post game. Preseason reports suggests he has done both, which is good news. The A-10 doesn’t have many 6-10 players with his length, athleticism and energy.

Stephen Thomas. The 6-1 point played sparingly as a frosh despite Dayton’s glaring need for someone who could protect the ball and hit open shots. Thomas made only 6 of 22 attempts and just 3 of 14 treys. It didn’t help that he was somewhat frail at 165 pounds and did not appear ready to play the sort of defense Gregory demands. Over the summer Thomas reportedly gained strength and improved his game. The Indianapolis native is a good ball-handler with above-average quickness, and like Perry, he was viewed as a topnotch shooter in high school. The jury is still out on whether Thomas is an A-10 level player, but Gregory has suggested the sophomore might seen an expanded role.

NEWCOMERS

Chris Johnson – One of the best players in Ohio, the 6-4 Johnson (No. 236, HoopMasters) was named to the state’s Division 1 First Team. He’s a high-flying swingman who does most of his scoring near the basket, and he rebounds and blocks shots well for his size. He’s not a great outside shooter, however, and will need to work on that part of his game. Based on preseason reports, Johnson is expected to be an immediate contributor. He adds to Dayton’s rapidly growing level of athleticism and Gregory’s penchant for players who can dig in on defense. “He’s going to be a big difference-maker for us this year,” teammate Chris Wright told The Dayton Daily News.

Paul Williams – The 6-3 lefty, considered one of the top players in Detroit (No. 100, PrepStars), might be the most physically ready to play among the freshmen. The 200-pound Williams is a good athlete with deep range and advanced defensive capabilities for his age. He’s also known to be an intense player who rarely slacks off. A preseason foot injury, however, prevented him from practicing and it’s unclear when he will suit up.

Rob Lowery – Juco point guard, a first-team Division II All-American, was recruited to give Dayton depth at point in case Warren falters. The 6-2 Lowery likes to push the ball and penetrate and he improved a weak jumpshot, hitting more than 40% of his treys last season. Such a high level of accuracy rarely translates well in the A-10, but Lowery should pose more of an outside threat. What Dayton needs most is good decision-making from its point guards. Lowery is thin for his size and it should be noted that very few transfers from his junior college (Cecil) have left a mark in Division 1.

Luke Fabrizius - Illinois native (No. 218, HoopMasters) was recruited by some Big 10 schools and is viewed as one of the best-shooting big forwards in the country. He’s a 40%-plus 3-point shooter whose game is strictly perimeter oriented, somewhat similar to Xavier’s Justin Doellman when he was a freshman. Fabrizius is mobile for his size and knows how to rub off defenders to get open. He could learn some low-post skills in time, but he’ll have to gain a lot of strength. Although Dayton could use his shooting right away, the physical rigors of the college game are likely to challenge Fabrizius as a freshman, especially at the defensive end.

Josh Benson – Touted 6-10 freshman dislocated a shoulder in preseason and is likely to redshirt. Voted to First Team Ohio in Division II, Benson (No. 161, HoopMasters) might be the most talented bigman Dayton has signed since joining the A-10. He is long and athletic, a solid faceup shooter with improving post moves. He’ll need time to fill out, polish his game and meet the intensity level of college ball, but Benson could be a fine player in a few years. Redshirting could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

SCOUTING REPORT

Gregory has laid the bedrock for success. Dayton was one of the better defensive teams in the A-10 and finished second in rebounding (+4.9 margin). The loss of Roberts, a mediocre defender and rebounder, won’t hurt. A more athletic Flyers squad could improve in both areas; Gregory has assembled a bevy of long and quick players who cover plenty of space.

The post game is in great shape. Little plays big inside, Huelsman improved dramatically as a sophomore and Wright is primed to become a prime-time performer. That’s why the Flyers had one of the highest field-goal percentages (46.9%) in the A-10.

What’s less certain is who’ll provide the outside firepower. Roberts hit nearly half of Dayton’s 3-pointers (100 of 203) and shot 45.5% despite a high degree of difficulty, especially after injuries struck. The rest of the team shot a miserable 32% behind the arc – equal to the worst teams in the A-10.

A healthy Wright, however, will demand double teams and give his teammates better looks than Roberts got. Johnson showed improved range late in the season and Mickey Perry hasn’t forgotten how to shoot. It would help greatly if one of the newcomers, Paul Williams, makes an impact. It’s also hard to believe point guards Stephen Thomas and Rob Lowery can shoot any worse than London Warren.

Speaking of Warren, the junior guard faces a make-or-break season. Not just for himself but for the team. If he falters and Thomas and Lowery can’t provide an antidote, Dayton could be doomed to a middle-of-the-pack A-10 finish.

The bet here is that Gregory will obtain enough production from his point-guard trio to complement Dayton’s topflight frontcourt, arguably the second best in the A-10. Each guard brings a different set of offensive skills and all three can pressure the ball defensively.

Aiding Dayton’s cause is one of the best home-court advantages in the league. The Flyers have averaged six wins in conference play at UD Arena since the program joined the A-10 in 1996. The schedule appears particularly favorable for the upcoming season.

What’s more, Dayton’s experience should help the team on the road. The Flyers, with five seniors and juniors in the regular rotation, are one of the older teams in the league.

PREDICTION

After injuries swept through Dayton’s lineup last season, Roberts tried to carry the team, but the load was too great. The Flyers grew predictable on offense and most opponents were able to contain the star guard.

Ironically enough, the departure of Roberts is likely to infuse the Dayton offense with more creativity and give other players a chance to shine. With all the athletes at his disposal, Gregory could step up the full-court pressure. And in half-court sets, the Flyers will focus on an inside-out attack. It was the other way around during the reign of Roberts.

The Flyers still need better point play and a few shooters to grease the gears of the offense. Without a solid perimeter game, Dayton is unlikely to score enough to contend for the league title or punch a ticket to the Big Dance.

Yet with a bigtime talent like Chris Wright, the Flyers can beat anyone in the conference. Players with his combination of skill and world-class athleticism are rarely seen in the A-10. He impacts a game in so many ways opponents are forced to build defensive game plans to stop him. When the game is on the line, the ball will be frequently in his hands.

In that sense, he’s the perfect heir to Brian Roberts.

WH’s

NONCON PREDICTION: 11-4

W – WOFFORD
W – DELAWARE STATE
W – BETHUNE COOKMAN
W – MERCER
L – Auburn (Chicago)
L – Marquette (Chicago)
W – TROY
W – At Akron
L – At Creighton
W – COPPIN STATE
W – UNC GREENSBORO
W – MARSHALL
W – GEORGE MASON
L – At Toledo
W – MIAMI (OH)

This is a typical Dayton sked: Lots of home games vs. mediocre to decent midmajors, mixed in with a few high-profile opponents. I could see the Flyers losing as few as two noncon games, but I double the number to be safe.

The Flyers should win the first four games; Mercer is probably the toughest of the bunch. Auburn is quite beatable, small and not as talented as other SEC teams. I go conservative and call it a loss. Marquette has a great backcourt; Dayton doesn’t.

Back home a win over Troy and then a win at Akron, which suffered steep graduation losses. Creighton is good as usual and rarely loses at home to noncon foes. Dayton could beat every remaining team on the sked, but I expect one or two losses. Marshall has added a bunch of transfers and sharply improved its talent level. Playing at home, Toledo returns four starters and is good enough to beat the Flyers. Miami Ohio is solid again and usually gives Dayton fits. On the other hand, George Mason has now lost everyone from its Final 4 team. This should be a win.