UD Flyers: A wild, wild winner in double overtime

By Hal McCoy

For the first 20 minutes Saturday afternoon, it looked as if the University of Dayton basketball team’s trip to Atlanta was to practice its turnovers in a facility other than UD Arena.

In their first three games this season, the Flyers won two, despite bundles and bundles of turnovers.

And it was much the same in the first half Saturday against Mississippi State in something called the Holiday Hoopsgiving Bonanza.

The Flyers mostly stumbled and fumbled their way through the first 20 minutes and trailed by eight points.

Then came the second half, Then an overtime. Then came a second overtime.

And when it finally concluded, the Flyers owned an incredible 85-82 double overtime victory, as hard-earned as a victory will ever come.

And it took a miss on a wide-open ‘3’ by Mississippi State’s Iverson Molinar at the buzzer that would have tied it and sent it into a third overtime.

During 50 minutes, there were 19 lead changes and 11 ties and several times it looked as if one team or the other was in full command.

After trailing, 33-25, at the half, the Flyers came out with more aggression and fewer turnovers to start the second half. And with a 9-0 blitz to open the half, UD took a 34-33 lead.

From there it was hand-to-hand combat, a back-and-forth affair, a you-win-it, no, you-win-it, no, you-win it.

Ibi Watson, a non-entity in the first half, poked himself awake midway through the second half to save this one.

Watson hir back-to-back ‘3’s late in regulation, then knocked down a pair of free throws with five seconds left to give the Flyers a 64-62 lead.

But just as they did in their loss to SMU, the Flyers permitted a player to drive the length of the floor and score. The SMU shot beat the Flyers. On Saturday, Molinar drove the length and tied it with an off-balance, falling-to-the-floor shot.

The Flyers fell four points behind in the first overtime, 70-66, with two minutes left. Jalen Crutcher hit a ‘3’ at 1:55 to draw the Flyers to within one.

MSU’s Abdul Ado scored his only basket of the game to push the Bulldogs in front, 72-69, with 32 seconds left.

The Flyers more than matched it in the same way. Reserve R.J. Blakney hadn’t scored, either, but he swished a ‘3’ from the left corner with 15 seconds left to tie it, 72-72. Molinar missed a game-winning attempt at the top of the key at the buzzer.

And it was off to overtime number two.

At 78-78, Jordy Tshimanga hit one of two free throws, MSU was called for a travel, and Watson drove for a basket. After an MSU air ball, Jalen Crutcher made two free throws.

Dayton 83, Mississippi State 78, 15 seconds left.

Mississippi State managed two baskets in the last nine seconds, but Crutcher went to the line twice and made one-of-two each time.

But by making only one of two both times, it gave Mississippi State the chance at the tying three that Molinar missed at the buzzer.

Crutcher and Watson led the UD point parade with 23 and 21, although both were off the mark on ‘3’s, both going 3 for 8. Chase Johnson and Rodney Chatman each contributed 15.

The Flyers once again were pencil-thin off the bench, getting the big three-pointer from R.J. Blakney, one basket from Moulaye Sissoko and nothing more.

Crutcher played all 50 minutes, while Johnson and Watson played 48. Chatman would have been right with them in minutes except for a bizarre play early in the first overtime.

MSU’s Cam Matthews was called for a foul against Chatman. But officials checked replay and ruled that Chatman performed a hook-and-hold on Matthews.

The call was reversed and the foul given to Chatman, his fifth foul, eliminating him from the game.

The Flyers, though, had no answer for 6-foot-6 sophomore D.J. Stewart. He doubled his scoring average with a career-best 32. Sophomore guard Iverson Molinar, averaging 18, scored 20, but needed 23 shots to make 10.

His shot at the buzzer sent the game into overtime, his miss at the end of the first overtime send the game into the second overtime, his miss at the end of the second overtime made UD a winner.

Mississippi State (3-3) came into its sixth game of the season shooting barely 50 per cent from the foul line., They didn’t even reach that Saturday, making only 9 of 22 (40.9 per cent) and it cost them dearly.

After committing 22 turnovers in its previous game, a 66-62 win over Northern Kentucky, UD cut that down to 17 Saturday, still far too many to sustain success.

“It was really frustrating,” said Chase Johnon after the 22 turnovers against Northern Kentucky. “Twenty (22) turnovers was 33 per cent of our possessions. It is definitely something we have to fix moving forward.”

The Flyers (3-1) have a week to fix it before they host the University of Mississippi Saturday afternoon in UD Arena.

OBSERVATIONS: ‘The Sounds of Silence’ in UD Arena

By Hal McCoy

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, exhilirated that the Cleveland Browns get to play on Monday Night Football in a big game against the Baltimore Ravens — the team that is the REAL Cleveland Browns, moved to Baltimore by Art Modell, the grinch who stole football from Cleveland.

—The University of Dayton, with athletic director Neil Sullivan pulling a full-court press and a fast break to find opponents, has played three home games.

That is, if you want to call them home games. It is more like watching pick-up games at the YMCA. In fact, they could play the games at the YMCA

As a member of the media, I have been fortunate t0 attend all three and, frankly, it is not fun, not enjoyable at all.

With COVID-19 ruling all our lives, things just aren’t the same.

UD investerd $70 million to refurbish UD Arena and it is a glistening jewel, a nearly empty glistening jewel.

Fan are limited to 300 and there have been 100 or fewer at the games, mostly family members of the team.

With the Flyer Faithful filling the 13,400-seat Arena, the Red Scare student section under the north basket and the lively and loud pep band, UD Arena is one of the most difficult venues for visiting teams.

Not now. No Flyer Faithful, no Red Scare, no pep band, no home court advantage.

All one hears are squeaking sneakers, coaches shouting at their players and the infernal and shrill whistles of the officials.

And it has shown on the floor. The Flyers have been involved in three close games. They beat Eastern Illinois, 66-63, and Northern Kentucky, 66-60. They lost to SMU on a buzzer-beater, 66-64,

One wonders what it would have been like, especially the SMU game, if there had been a full house of UD backers standing and screaming in the final minute of play.

There is just no energy in the place.

Bob Huggins feels the same pain at West Virginia. Huggins played at WVU and lives in Morgantown, just as Dayton coach Anthony Grant played at UD and lives in Dayton. Both know what it’s like to coach in front of a screaming mob supporting their teams.

Is there value now in having home games?

“What makes the difference if we’re not going to be allowed to have fans?” Huggins said in a piece written by Chuck Landon of the Huntington Herald-Dispatch.

“We miss that. Usually I want to play as many as I can play (at home), so our fans can see us play. But now it doesn’t matter.”

It doesn’t much matter in UD Arena, either. It is necessary but it is total sadness. And it is the same sad tale down the street at Wright State.

—Xavier University whipped in 19 three-point baskets this week against Oklahoma, so is it safe to call them ‘The Three Musketeers?’

—Before it was canceled: Las Vegas had immense faith in Ohio State or ye of little faith in the University of Michigan.

The Buckeyes were favored by 30 points to rub U-M’s noses in the Ohio Stadium turf for The Game That Won’t Be. It is the most points in which a Michigan football team would have been the underdog since they began keeping such things in 1979.

So, OSU coach Ryan Day won’t have the opportunity to slap a hundred on TTUN.

And now that the Buckeyes have been issued a hall pass into The Big Ten championship game, they are 14-point favorites to beat Northwestern. While Northwestern is a good team, the Wildcats won’t come within 25 points of OSU. Justin Fields & Company are on a mission.

—It is a toss-up over whether the best college football story this year is the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers or the Cincinnati Bearcats.

While I love what unbeaten UC is doing, unbeaten Coastal Carolina has quickly surfaced from the sands 0f Myrtle Beach. S.C. and has become the nation’s darlings.

Faced with a COVID-19 cancellation from Liberty University, the Chanticleers invited unbeaten big boy Brigham Young to play. BYU was a 10-point favorite and as CC coach David Bennett said, “Everybody asked me why we were doing this and said we’d get killed.”

FINAL: Coastal Carolina 22, BYU 17. Even if you are a Mormon you have to admire the Chanticleers.

Both CC and UC could finish unbeaten and neither will be invited to the final four CFP for the national championship.

It is why Cincinnati athletic director John Cunningham favors an eight-team field.

“First they should add our conference (American Athletic Conference) to the Power Five, make it a Power Six,” he said. “The AAC has proved itself a cut above the other non-Power Five conferences like the Mountain West, Sun Belt, Mid-American Conference, Conference USA. Then they could have the Power Six and two at-large teams in the CFP.”

—Did I see a pig fly over my house? Is that ice forming over hell? Break dancing has been added as an event for the next Olympic Games.

Next? Chinese Checkers, tie-knotting and bubble gum blowing.

—Finally, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and the boys did something right. There will be no designated hitter in the National League for the 2021 season.

Are they unhappy in Cincinnati? Remember former Reds executive Dick Williams saying the team was built for the DH?

Based on early returns, the 2021 Reds now are being de-built. Instead of DH, it is SD, as in salary dumping. Proof will surface if they trade pitcher Sonny Gray.

—QUOTE: From Casey Stengel when he managed the 1962 New York Mets, losers of 120 games: “The only thing worse than a Mets game is a Mets doubleheader.”

—The Thom Brennaman Comeback has begun. He has been hired to broadcast games for the 18-game winter Puerto Rican League.

He is doing games remotely from Cincinnati with his analyst, former major leaguer Ivan DeJesus.

Brennaman, of course, resigned late last season as a Reds TV broadcaster after using a slur on the air during a broadcast. He has worked hard to re-establish himself.

—QUOTE: Provided by Louisville Courier-Journal columnist Tim Sullivan, a former Cincinnati Enquirer columnist: “See Matthew 23:12: Those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

—Former major league catchers Joe Garagiola and Yogi Berra grew up on the same street on ‘The Hill,’ an Italian conclave in St. Louis. Somebody once asked Garagiola about his big league career and he said, “I wasn’t even the best catcher on my block.”

—QUOTE: From comedian Henny Youngman: “I might be drinking too much. My last urine test had an olive in it.”

OBSERVATIONS: Obi’s mom drove him, now she drives her own car

By Hal McCoy

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, where it brought to tears myself when I saw Obi Toppin sobbing with joy after the New York Knicks select him No. 1 in the NBA draft:

—What kind of son is the former University of Dayton’s ‘Dunkin Delight’ Obi Toppin? A mother’s delight.

Toppin doesn’t have a car and neither did his mother. So even before the NBA draft, Obi used some of his pre-draft endorsement money to take his mother, Roni, to a dealership and tell her, “Pick out what you want?”

His mom picked out a Mercedes with red (what else?) interior. Why not? Throughout his career at UD Obi’s mother drove her son. Now she can drive herself.

After The Mouth That Roars, Stephen A. Smith, said the Knicks should have drafted a guard instead of Obi Toppin, former NBA center Kendrick Perkins stomped on Smith with both feet, and those are mighty big feet.

“This is the best thing the New York Knicks have done in the last 10 years,” said Perkins. “This kid is electrifying. He is box office. He is going to fill up seats. He is must-see TV.

“The young man led college basketball last year with 171 dunks,” Perkins added. “And I’m not talking about Kendrick Perkins-type dunks, one and two-hand pushes. He did it between the legs, windmills. . .and he can stretch the floor. He’s ferocious, he’s ready.

“The New York fans will have something to be proud of, something to be happy about. They can get the popcorn poppin’ again in Madison Square Garden. I’m all in on Obi Toppin. I think the Knicks hit a home run.”

—QUOTE: From Jacob Toppin, Obi’s brother who transferred from Rhode Island to Kentucky on the jumping ability of him and Obi: “My dad can still dunk it. He’s 40 years old, so yeah, it’s just in our genes. It’s genetics.”

—A jog of memory from University of Dayton’s outstanding Director of Media Relations Doug Hauschild: With Obi Toppin joining the Knicks, he becomes the fifth former Flyer to wear a Knicks uniform — Don May, Chuck Grigsby, Jim Palmer, Sedric Toney and now Toppin.

—Shame on NBA commissioner Adam Silver. While revealing the New York Knicks first round pick, he said, “Obi Toppin from Dayton University.” Inexcusable. Would he say the University of Ohio State or College Boston or Notre Dame University. UD awaits an apology.

—Much was made over the fact that Trevor Bauer was the first Cincinnati Reds pitcher to win the Cy Young Award, with the grand total of five victories in this truncated 60-game season.

Why no Reds? How about Jim Maloney’s 1963 season — 23-7, 2.77 earned run average, 33 starts, 13 complete games, six shutouts, 263 strikeouts in 250 1/3 innings?

What happened? Sandy Koufax happened. HIs numbers in 1963 were staggering — 25-5, 1.88 ERA, 40 starts, 20 complete games, 11 shutouts. 306 strikeouts in 311 innings.

There was only one Cy Young back then, no National League and American League separation. And Koufax won it, hands down.

—QUOTE: From Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax, modifying Leo Durocher’s famous saying that nice guys finish last: “Can nice guys win? Sure, nice guys can win – if they’re nice guys with a lot of talent. Nice guys with a little talent finish fourth and nice guys with no talent finish last.”

—Call it a Crum-my performance this week by Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum.

Crum was 17 for 17 for 300 yards and three touchdowns…in the first half during a 69-35 annihilation of Akron. Crum finished 22 for 25 for 348 yards and three touchdowns.

And when Crum wasn’t flinging it, he was winging it on the ground — 13 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Crum accounted for 452 yards and five touchdowns on snowy field in Kent.

The 69 points tied a school record and the team’s 750 total yards tied a school record for the 3-and-0 Golden Flashes.

—When I was a kid, I lived a mile from the Akron Rubber Bowl, which was then home to the University of Akron when the Zips played in the Ohio Conference.

A few friends and I used to sneak into games by crawling under a fence. We would line up in the stands behind the goal posts. When a team kicked an extra point, if one of us grabbed the football, we would lateral it to each other up the grandstands and sprint out of the stadium and we had a nice football to play with on the empty lot behind my house.

Hey, footballs didn’t cost that much then and it was only a misdemeanor. And we never got caught.

—The seventh-ranked University of Cincinnati gets its toughest conference test Saturday at Central Florida. The Knights average 619 yards of total offense, tops in college football.

The Bearcats are six-point favorites. They’ve played three common opponents. UC beat Houston, 38-10 and UCF beat Houston, 44-21. UC beat East Carolina, 55-17 and UCF beat East Carolina, 51-28. UC beat Memphis, 49-10 and UCF lost to Memphis, 50-49.

Central Florida also lost to Tulane, 34-28, a team UC hasn’t played. While Central Florida covers more ground than the length of the state of Florida, it hasn’t played against a defense like UC’s. Prediction: UC 44, UCF 21.

Ohio State is a 20 1/2-point favorite of unbeaten and No. 9-ranked Indiana. Too many points. Ohio State wins, but not by more than 20 1/2 points. Prediction: Ohio State 35, Indiana 20.

Now take those predictions, write them down, then tear up the paper and enjoy watching the games.

—Spent Wednesday morning at Mom’s Restaurant in Franklin for her annual Big Blue Basketball Kickoff breakfast, an event celebrating University of Kentucky basketball.

Owner Hilda ‘Mom’ Ratliff serves blue gravy. I had my usual awesome Western Omelette, but skipping the gravy, although I’m told it’s scrumptious. I’ll stick to brown gravy in honor of he Cleveland Browns.

Speaking of Franklin, Luke Kennard, a Franklin legend, was traded Wednesday night by the Detroit Pistons to the Los Angeles Clippers. Had breakfast earlier this year at Mom’s with Luke and his family. Great people.

OBSERVATIONS: Votto practicing his ‘batting eye?’

By HAL McCOY

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, proud as a papa peacock that I live in the Ohio College Basketball Capital with the mammoth success of the Dayton Flyers and the Wright State Raiders.

—One thing is certain, Joey Votto is working on drawing walks this spring. His batting average is .077 but his onbase average is .383. Tucker Barnhart also is hitting .077, but his onbase average is .183.

Aristides Aquino is hitting his way back to Class AAA Louisville at .059. Mike Moustakas is hitting .286 and Nick Castellanos is hitting .250.

Nick Senzel made his spring training debut Thursday as a designated hitter against Milwaukee and went 0 for 3 as the Reds lost, 6-5.

After 10 games, the Reds are 4-and-6 and, remember these words of wisdom, “It’s only spring training.”

But none other than Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax said this: “People who write that spring training is not unnecessary never tried to throw a baseball.” (Yes, spring training is mostly for pitchers to get their arms in shape and their duffel bags full of illegal substances.)

—QUOTE: From Newark sports columnist Jerry Izenberg: “Watching a spring training game is as exciting as watching a tree form its annual ring.”

—Of the many records being set by UD’s Obi Toppin, there has to be one not listed on the stat sheet: Most times appearing on ESPN’s Top Ten Plays of the Day.

Toppin has been on it so many times this year he should be up for an Emmy…or at least an ESPY.

—Former Dallas quarterback Tony Romo signed a contract worth $180 million over the next 10 years, not to throw a football, but to talk about it. CBS is paying him that ghastly amount to broadcast games.

That’s more money than Romo ever made calling signals for the Cowboys and it drew a tweet from Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.: “I’m done playin’ football. I just wanna be an announcer now.”

Some say Beckham quit playing football early last season when he was wearing an orange helmet.

And now you know why your cable bill is so high.

—QUOTE: From Chicago Black Hawks broadcaster Pat Foley: “If you have only one day to live, come see the Toronto Maple Leafs play. It’ll seem like forever.”

—Major League Baseball wants to eliminate 42 minor league franchises, take away teams from many small cities that have no other professional sports event to attend.

Is it financial? The guess is that the $10.7 billion in 2019 revenue wasn’t enough for MLB.

—QUOTE: How do we know baseball is the nation’s pastime? “Because kissing a girl is called getting to first base, not getting a first down.”

—Have you seen Zion Williamson play basketball for the New Orleans Pelicans? He is what one calls Instant Superstar.

If you’ve noticed the struggles Duke has had this year you know how badly ZW is missed in Durham, N.C. Williamson is to the NBA what Obi Toppin is to the Atlantic 10. Unfortunately for Flyers fans, Toppin will join Williamson next year in the NBA.

—QUOTE: From New Orleans teammate Lonzo Ball: “Zion gets out on the break, he’s a big physical body, he screens and rolls.” (Is Ball describing Zion Williamson or Obi Toppin?)

FAVORITE BASEBALL SONGS: Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Jack Norworth), Centerfield (John Fogerty of CCR), Talkin’ Baseball – Willie, Mickey and The Duke (Terry Cashman), Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio (Les Brown & His Band of Renown), Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball? (Count Basie), Van Lingle Mungo (Dave Frishberg), Nolan Ryan (Jerry Jeff Walker), Third Base, Dodger Stadium (Ry Cooder), That’s the Way Baseball Go (Merle Haggard).

UD puts a severe beating on Rhode Island, 84-57 —17-0 in A-10

By HAL McCOY

The message was ear-splitting loud and as clear as mountain stream water — like a foghorn blaring on Narragansett Bay off the coast of Rhode Island: In the Atlantic 10 Conference, there is the University of Dayton and there are 13 other teams two or three levels below deck.

If there was a scary game on the schedule for the Flyers, it was Wednesday night’s game at the University of Rhode Island.

The Rams were 20-and-8 and desperately needed a signature victory to gain consideration for the NCAA tournament. The game was in enemy confines, a packed Ryan Center. And it was Senior Night for Rhode Island with rampant emotions.

It didn’t matter to the Dayton Flyers. It never seems to matter. The Flyers made it look like Freshman Night for the Rhodies.

Despite foul trouble that would sink nearly every team in the country, the No. 3-ranked Flyers put a 27-point crush on the Rams, 84-57.

It would have been easy for the Flyers to mail this one in. They already clinched the A-10 title and they’ve already clinched a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Mailing in anything but their income tax returns isn’t in this team’s DNA.

*They want a perfect A-10 record and they are one win away from an 18-0 league record, a goal achievable Saturday when they play a bad George Washington team in UD Arena.

*They want to continue their winning streak, which reached 19 straight.

*They want to set the school record for most victories in a season and tied it Saturday with 28 and can set the record Saturday.

*They not only want to keep that No. 3 national ranking, they want to make it to No. 2 or No. 1.

It didn’t matter that Ryan Mikesell picked up his fourth personal foul early in the second half and played only 17 minutes.

It didn’t matter that Obi Toppin had three fouls at the half and played only 23 minutes.

It didn’t matter that Trey Landers picked up four fouls and still played 30 minutes.

It didn’t matter that Jalen Crutcher picked up three fouls early in the second half and still played 33 minutes.

It didn’t matter because URI couldn’t take advantage of all those fouls, making only 17 of 35 free throws.

It didn’t matter because UD’s Gorilla-glue defense held the Rams to 29 per cent shooting on their home court.

Toppin still scored 20 points, with three debilitating slam dunks to silence the crowd. Crutcher still scored 17 with five assists. Landers, the enforcer in a game that got chippy at times, scored 14 and snatched 14 rebounds.

“Landers was incredible,” said UD coach Anthony Grant. “There were some balls bouncing around and you see him going up and up and up. He kept grabbing ‘em, just kept getting ‘em. He wasn’t going to be denied on the glass.”

And while Toppin, Crutcher, Mikesell and Landers were all on the bench together at one time, the rest of the Flyers showed that UD’s second team might be the second best team in the A-10.

Ibi Watson, as usual, came off the bench to be a major contributor with seven points. And Jordy Tshimanga was a force during his 15 minutes of play, especially midway through the first half.

The Flyers led 18-14 with Toppin on the bench. After Mikesell hit a three, Tshimanga blocked a shot and hustled down the floor to score a layup. On the next possession he scored again during a 7-0 UD run that pushed the Flyers to a 25-14 lead.

In addition to the four timely points, Tshimanga grabbed seven rebounds, his best game of the season.

“Jordy did a good job,” said Grant. “During that time (he was in the game) the game was still in the balance. They cut our lead to three possessions and we were able to open it up and he had a big part of it with what he was able to do defensively and being able to get a couple of big scores for us.”

By halftime, Toppin, Crutcher and Landers were all in double figures and the Flyers were on top, 46-30. And they lead kept growing like weeds in an empty lot from there.

As usual, Rodney Chatman did his defensive assignment with stifling verve. Fatts Russell, averaging 19 points a game, was 2 for 13 and scored nine. Senior Cyril Langevine scored only six. Tyrese Martin, averaging 14, was 3 for 12 and scored six.

The Flyers were an add for Sherwin Williams in the paint, outscoring Rhode Island, 38-22, and outrebounded the Rams, 49-38.

In other words, it was a brutal beatdown.

There were five members of the Boston Celtics front office in attendance and it wouldn’t be surprising if they said, “We’ll take all the Flyers, even that kid who came off the bench late and hit a three (walk-on Christian Wilson).”

“We were really good defensively and our guys were able to take the challenge,” said Grant. “It was Senior Night for them and it is a team that is, in my opinion, an NCAA team.

“There was a lot of emotion in a sold out building and our guys accepted the challenge,” he added.

Don’t they always?

Flyers fend off another would-be spoiler, 62-55

By HAL McCOY

The target on the backs of the University of Dayton basketball team gets larger and larger — about the size of an archer’s target right now.

The Flyers, the No. 4 team in the nation, are the object of every team’s intentions these days.

Another wannabe spoiler surfaced Tuesday night in Fairfax, Va., in the personage of George Mason University.

The Patriots came in with a 4-and-10 record in the Atlantic 10 Conference and an 11-point underdog.

But just as several teams have done recently, George Mason put its best foot forward before falling, 62-55, in the Eagle Bank Arena.

And the positive numbers keep mounting for the Flyers: 26-and-2, 15-and-0 in the A-10, 17 wins in a row.

UD is tied with New Mexico State for the nation’s longest winning streak. Ironically, George Mason beat New Mexico State earlier this season. And the Patriots own a win over Virginia Commonwealth.

But those two accomplishments are the only upticks on the GMU resume. And they tried mightily to add the Flyers to that short list.

With 1:19 to go, UD led by two, 57-55. But super-sub Ibi Watson drove across the lane for a bucket with 48 seconds left.

The Patriots immediately committed a turnover and were forced to foul Obi Toppin and he made one of two free throws at 0:24 and Jalen Crutcher made one of two at 0:20.

The Flyers outscored GMU 5-0 in the final 44 seconds to preserve the victory. And it came ruggedly because UD made only 3 of its last eight free throws and only 9 of 18 on the night.

Only two Flyers hit double digits on this night, the roommates. Obi Toppin led with 19 points (three dunks) and Jalen Crutcher contributed 13.

Watson’s off-the-bench contribution was nine points and the big, big basket in the final minute. Both Ryan Mikesell and Trey Landers snagged eight rebounds and Toppin grabbed seven.

A.J. Wilson, whose grandmother lives in Dayton, scored 18. The only other Patriot in double figures was Jordan Millers with 13. But he was 6 of 17 from the field and 1 for six from three.

The Flyers shot 50 per cent on 25 for 50 while holding GMU to 38 per cent on 22 for 57. Neither team was adept at long range. UD made 3 of 16 threes and the Patriots hit 3 of 19.

The Flyers played sharply in the first half and never trailed. The started with a 7-2 lead and owned an eight-point 22-14 lead after a spin move under the basket by Ryan Mikesell.

At intermission, the Flyers had things under control at 30-25.

But as happens so often with UD this season, the second half didn’t go so well. GMU scored the first five points of the second half to tie it, 30-30.

And they took their first lead of the game when Wilson scored twice in 20 seconds to give the Patriots a 34-32 lead.

After Toppin hit two free throws to tie it, Miller scored in the lane for GMU’s second — and last — lead of the gamer, 36-34, with 15:10 left.

Watson buried a three to regain the lead for the Flyers and he scored again at 12:10 to push the UD lead to 39-36.

Wilson converted a conventional three bucket-and-free-throw to tie it again, 39-39, and the crowd sniffed a monumental upset. And it was 41-all at 9:35 and the crowd sniffed a monumental upset.

It was not to be.

Dwayne Cohill, suddenly almost as important off the bench as Watson, scored on a fast break and Toppin silenced the crowd with a slam dunk. Toppin’s two free throws pushed the margin to 47-41 and the Patriots puffed from behind the rest of the way.

The Flyers, trying to become the first Atlantic 10 team to go 18-and-0 in league play, host Davidson Friday night, a game that will be televised on ESPN2 with Dick Vitale in the house.

Flyers survive off night by Toppin, nip VCU, 66-61

By HAL McCOY

What Virginia Commonwealth University did to Obi Toppin Tuesday night in Richmond, Va., is a felony in 38 states.

It was one degree below a public mugging and the Rams did everything but yank Toppin’s shorts to his ankles.

While it knocked Toppin’s game off-balance, it did VCU no good. The University of Dayton prevailed, 66-61.

What it did was show how good the Flyers are. VCU successfully took the Flyers best player out of the game, but Toppin’s teammates stepped up and showed why they are the No. 5 team in the nation.

And the beat goes on. The Flyers won for the 15th straight time, extended their league-leading Atlantic 10 record to 13-0 and their overall record to 24-2.

It was evident the Rams were not, at all costs, going to permit Toppin to beat them. Toppin hit the first shot of the game, a three-pointer, then nothing the rest of the half — zero points and zero rebounds.

And it was evident Toppin was frustrated with a bag full of turnovers, bad passes and misses under the basket. And he didn’t have a dunk, not one.

But his supporting cast stepped up with giant steps.

And how many games does a team win when it scores only two field goals in the last nine minutes. That’s exactly what the Flyers did.

Remember a few games ago when guard Dwayne Cohill was playing very little. And one game he never set foot on the floor.

But on this night, Cohill played 21 minutes. He hit one of the two baskets the Flyers made in the final nine minutes, a three. It was the only shot he took, but he contributed three of four from the foul line, grabbed four rebounds, recorded one assist and committed only one turnover.

In those final nine minutes, the Flyers stayed a half-step ahead of the Rams by converting 15 of 20 free throws.

The Flyers made only six field goals in the second half against a VCU defense that shut down UD’s offense with eyebrow-to-eyebrow defense, a defense that seemed as if every VCU player had four arms waving in UD’s faces.

VCU was within three, 62-59, converting a basket when they had five shots at point blank range before one dropped with 27 seconds left.

Cohill swished two free throws with 22 seconds left and Jalen Crutcher clinched it was two free throws with nine seconds left. Crutcher was 8-for-8 in the second half from the foul line.

Cohill’s three-pointer came with 9:00 left when VCU had crept to within 46-40. UD’s only other basket in the final nine minutes was a back-to-the-basket bucket by Toppin with 2:45 left that gave the Flyers a 60-55 lead.

Toppin finished with a hard-earned 12 points and five rebounds. Crutcher scored 18 and Trey Landers chipped in with his usual 11 points and seven rebounds.

UD jumped to a 6-0 lead, but VCU scored seven straight to take a 7-6 lead, putting the Siegel Center crowd into a frenzy.

It was VCU’s only lead of the night, although they yipped at the Flyers’ sneakers all night.

The Flyers scored six straight to take a 12-7 lead they never relinquished, but it was always harrowing.

UD’s biggest lead was nine points, 51-42 with 8:15 left. But that’s when they forgot how to make field goals and VCU sneaked its way back into the game.

It was the second victory this season for the Flyers over VCU, the first time Dayton has swept the regular-season series. And it is likely the two teams could meet again in the Atlantic 10 tournament.

Talking about his team’s resiliency with team play-by-play broadcaster Larry Hansgen after the game, UD coach Anthony Grant said, “It was big-time.

“You know coming in these guys (VCU) returned a team that dominated the league last year — 16-2 and won the league championship. They’ve had some adversity, but we knew what we were walking into tonight.”

One of VCU’s best players, Marcus Evans, warmed up with a knee brace, hoping to play. But he sat the entire game in his warm-up.

“We knew there would be a heavily partisan crowd and we knew they would give us everything they had,” Grant added. “Our guys were ready and handled the adversity. And that adversity came at us in a lot of different ways.”

VCU calls its defense ‘Havoc,’ and that’s what it looked like up and down the floor as the Rams contested every dribble, every pass, every shot.

“They do a heck of a job disrupting what you are trying to do offensively,” Grant added. “They had a real good game plan. We uncharacteristically missed some things, left some things out there offensively that made it a little harder for us.

“Our guys stayed with it and were able to move on to the next play time after time after time,” he said. “We got some big-time efforts off the bench and Dwayne Cohill was huge for us. We showed a lot of character in doing what we call being ‘Dayton Strong.’”

As Grant put it, “I don’t think anybody had a stellar offensive night in terms of shooting the basketball. It wasn’t a pretty night offensively, so we had to find ways to win the game.”

The Flyers didn’t shoot their usual 50 per cent, but made 19 of 42 (45 per cent). Toppin was 5 for 11, Crutcher was 4 for 9 and Trey Landers was 4 for 7.

The difference was at the foul line, where UD converted 22 of 31 to only 13 of 23 by VCU.

The Rams were led by freshman Nah’shon Hyland with 18 and senior Marcus Santo-Silva had 12 points and 17 rebounds.

And on this night it was the Survival of the Fittest and the Flyers, once again, were the Fittest.

Flyers lethargic and sloppy, but stop UMass, 71-63

By HAL McCoy

There is a song out there by Mark Cohn called, ‘Walking in Memphis.’

And for 31 minutes Saturday afternoon in Amherst, Mass., it looked as if Memphis native Jalen Crutcher was walking the streets of his hometown.

The University of Dayton’s highly talented point guard had two points in the first 31 minutes against Massachusetts, and those two points came on a goal-tending call in the first half.

In the end, though, a 71-63 Flyers victory came from the hands of Crutcher, who flipped off his shirt to reveal the big ’S’ on his chest.

With Obi Toppin on the bench with three fouls, the Flyers were clinging to a six-point lead with 8:50 left in the game, 46-41.

It was as if over the next two minutes, Crutcher flipped on a Hero Switch. In less than two minutes, he scored 11 points, personally outscored UMass 11-2.

That built a 14-point lead, 57-43, and the Flyers hung on during a sluggish and listless afternoon. The eight-point win came after the Flyers beat UMass at UD Arena, 88-60.

All that proves is that winning on the road in the Atlantic 10 Conference is not an easy assignment.

In the end, the Flyers won their 14th straight, pushed their overall record to 23-2 and 12-0 in the A10.

And with Louisville losing earlier in the week, it is likely the Flyers will move to the No. 5 spot in the national rankings.

This is how Crutcher bailed out the Flyers.

°Dayton 46, Massachusetts 41.

°Crutcher hit a three at 8:50 as the shot clocker buzzer went off. 49-41.

°After missing two free throws, Crutcher hit another three at 8:14. 52-41.

°After UMass scored a basket, Crutcher drove the lane for a floater at 7:37. 54-43.

°Crutcher hit another three at 6:50 (11 points in two minutes) for a 57-43 lead.

The Flyers were in 16-point control, 63-47, with 4:11 to go before their batteries went dead.

They didn’t score another basket the rest of the way while UMass went on a run, outscoring UD 14-4 and cutting the lead to four, 67-63, with 15 seconds left.

The Flyers saved the day by making eight of 10 free throws in the final four minutes, four straight by Crutcher.

So after not making a basket in the first half (two points on a goal-tending call), Crutcher finished with 17 points. . .11 of perhaps the most crucial of his many-storied career.

“We didn’t play our best and, obviously, that’s on me as the head coach to make sure our guys are ready,” said coach Anthony Grant on his post-game show with Larry Hansgen.

“The second half we needed to come out and understand what we came here to do and that was go get the win,” he added. “No matter what we needed to get that done, no matter how pretty or ugly it was, we had to make sure we made plays on both sides of the ball. You have to be able to win when you don’t play well, and today was one of those.”

Thanks to Jalen’s crutchability, it was accomplished, with zero style points.

“Jalen Crutcher was big-time,” said Grant in the weekend’s biggest understatement. “He really stepped up, made some huge plays.

“We all struggled, not one of our best games, but the mark of a real good player is that when that moment that is required you are able to step up in that moment. And he was able to do that in a big way.”

The Flyers were sluggish from the start and trailed, 15-10. That’s why Jordy Tshimonga came off the bench to score six straight points during a 15-0 UD run that netted a 25-15 lead.

At that point, it was expected the Flyers would show nothing but their tail lights to the Minutemen.

It didn’t happen, mainly because of UMass freshman Tre Mitchell, a man among men. He dominated the paint and led all scorers with 26.

UMass was within two just before the half when Obi Toppin swished an NBA-distance three at the buzzer for a 31-26 halftime margin.

Even though he scored 19 and grabbed seven rebounds, it wasn’t an eye-popping performance by Toppin. He did slam home three dunks, to give him 83 on the year, breaking his own single-season UD dunk record.

Toppin scored 19, his average, as he and Crutcher were UD’s only double figure participants. Toppin was 8 for 13 from the field and spent considerable time on the bench the second half with three fouls.

While the Flyers scored 34 points under the basket, UMass scored 40, mostly due to the domination of the 6-foot-10 Tre Mitchell. His 26 points came on 11 of 22 shooting, including three of five from the three-point line.

Other than Mitchell, the Minutemen were 1 for 15 from three. And Mitchell had a double-double with 10 rebounds

UMass, though, shot only 38 per cent on 24 of 63. The Flyers were on target for their usual plus-50 per cent shooting, as the nation’s top percentage shooters. They made 27 of 51 for 53 per cent.

Although they didn’t resemble the No. 6 team in the country, they did lead by 16 with four minutes left, then suffered Inferior Foe Relapse.

“We got sloppy when they were in desperation mode, turned it over two or three times at the very end,” said Grant.

Nevertheless, it was a road victory and one step closer to winning the A-10 championship with an important game Tuesday night at Virginia Commonwealth.

UD blows 19-point lead, but survives Duquesne, 73-69

By HAL McCOY

As Ringo Starr of the Beatles sung, “It Don’t Come Easy.”

That’s a song the University of Dayton basketball team should have been listening to on their return home from Pittsburgh Wednesday night.

They played Duquesne University as nine-point favorites and nearly let this one get away in what seemed like a blowout early in the second half.

In the end, despite giving up 15 offensive rebounds and turning the ball over 17 times, the Flyers prevailed, 73-69.

The important stuff: The Flyers, ranked No. 7 in the country, won their 10th straight game, improved to 8-and-0 in Atlantic 10 Conference, are 5-and-0 in true road games and pushed their overall record to 19-and-2.

Duquesne, after a 5-and-0 start in the Atlantic 10, lost for the third straight time, but they put the fear of oh-my into the faces of the Flyers.

It appeared to be all over, another UD blowout, another coast home, when the Flyers built a 19-point lead, 57-38, with 11 minutes left in the game.

Quicker than anybody could say, “What’s happening,” Duquesne exploded on a 19-4 run to cut UD’s lead to 61-57. And it was 64-60 with six minutes left.

That, apparently, jolted the Flyers to attention. They scored seven straight points, four by Obi Toppin and three by Trey Landers on a conventional three-point play — a bucket and a free throw.

Just that quick, the Flyers were back in front by 11, 71-60 with four minutes left. Once again it looked as if UD had this one wrapped with a blue ribbon.

Duquesne, though, was having none of it. UD did not score another basket in the final four minutes.

And how many teams play the final four minutes without a basket and still win? Only good teams, very good teams.

Duquesne, fittingly dominated the paint in PPG Paint Arena, The Dukes scored four straight from point blank at the rim and a free throw — a 9-0 run to scramble to within 71-69 with 25 seconds to go.

Toppin buried two free throws with 15 seconds left, UD’s only points in the final four minutes.

From there it was a stumble party with Duquesne committing two turnovers and Dayton one. Time expired when Duquesne missed a three-point try.

Even UD coach Anthony Grant was perplexed over this one, saying he couldn’t dissect it until he watched tape.

“The last 10 minutes of the game, the whole game changed,” he said during his post-game interview with Flyers broadcaster Larry Hansgen. “We’ll go back to the film to see why that happened.

“When you have a 19-point lead with 13 minutes to play and four minutes go off the block and the lead is down to single digits, something went wrong.”

A lot of what went wrong was the play of 6-8 junior center Michael Hughes. Normally he starts and averages 8.7 points a game. Coach Keith Dambrot didn’t start him.

Perhaps infused with fury for an early benching, Hughes came off the bench to dominate the paint en route to 19points.

“We’ll have to go back to the film and evaluate, so I’ll withhold judgement,” said Grant. “We have to fix it. You see them getting 15 offensive rebounds and we making 17 turnovers. . .and they got 10 more shots than we did at the rim. Those were the culprits.

“I’m just glad we were able to make enough plays to win,” he added. “As a group, we have to be a lot better.”

Obi Toppin made his usual “enough plays,” as did his roommate, Jalen Crutcher. Toppin scored 22 and four of his nine baskets were dunks. And he recorded another double-double with 10 rebounds.

Toppin, as always, spread the accolades, said after the game, “We share the ball and feed off each other. We’re the best team in the country in assists. We share the ball, try to get the ball to everybody.”

Crutcher scored 19, making six of nine shots (four of six from three), had five rebounds and six assists.

Trey Landers, beset with foul troubles, played only 28 minutes, but contributed 12 points on five of seven shooting.

Not only did Duquesne’s Hughes score 19, he had six offensive rebounds and made two of three three-pointers after making one three-pointer the rest of the year.

Marcus Weathers had 17 and Sincere Carry scored 11, but made only 2 of 10 from three.

Despite the rest of their ugliness, the Flyers did their normal percentage of marksmanship, shooting 60 per cent (29 for 48. . .8 of 18 from three).