The 2009-10 University of Dayton men's basketball team kicked off the upcoming basketball season with its annual media day at the Donoher Basketball Center.
Flyer fans will get their first look at the men's and women's basketball teams on Saturday, Oct. 24 at the Red & Blue Game from UD Arena.
Admission is free and open to the public. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. ET and the first 500 fans in attendance will receive complimentary donuts and milk.
2009-10 SEASON PREVIEW
With a record-setting 27-win season and a trip to the NCAA tournament still fresh in the minds of the Flyer Faithful, expectations are at a high level with the 2009-10 University of Dayton Flyers.
Dayton returns four starters and 10 of its top 11 scorers from last year's 27-8 team that reached the NCAA Second Round. The Flyer returnees include all four players who earned Atlantic 10 postseason honors in 2008-09: Chris Wright, Marcus Johnson, London Warren and Chris Johnson.
Wright is on the prestigious John Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List, was also First Team NABC All-District, led UD in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (6.6), and set a school single-season record for dunks (54) last year as a sophomore.
Senior Marcus Johnson finished last season second on the team in scoring averaging 11.8 points per contest. Johnson closed out the year strong scoring in double figures in 21 of his last 26 games.
Sophomore Chris Johnson, a 2008-09 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team selection, moved into seventh all-time for most rebounds by a freshman in a season with 177. He led the team in free throw shooting (.772) and was second on the team with 71 offensive rebounds.
In 2008-09 Warren's defense provided a spark for the Flyers. Last season, Warren had at least one steal in 29 out of 34 games, including three against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament. Warren was named to the 2008-09 Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team and led UD in steals (55) and assists (145).
As one of the most team-oriented players to wear a Flyer uniform, senior Kurt Huelsman returns and looks to be counted upon more as a leader on both ends of the floor. Huelsman ranked second on the team last year in blocks with 22 and third in rebounding at 4.1.
Sidelined by a knee injury that cost him the final 11 games of his junior season, senior Rob Lowery returns to the squad after avergaing 7.5 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Another guard, senior Mickey Perry, eventually filled in Lowery's spot at the point guard position and played the best basketball of his Flyer career. Perry stepped up his production to average 7.1 points per game in the final 10 contests of the year.
Junior forward Devin Searcy is back to patrol the paint and provide the Flyers with versatility and athleticism in the post. In 2008-09 Searcy was second on the team in field goal percentage (.493) and averaged 2.8 and 2.4 rebounds per game.
A versatile player that can play either the two guard or the wing, sophomore Luke Fabrizius comes back with good range from the outside. In his last six games of the season, Fabrizius shot .519 (14-27) from the field and 12-of-25 (.480) from three point range.
Sophomore Paul Williams brought a reputation as a clutch shooter and lockdown defender to the Flyer backcourt. After being slowed by a foot injury and a hamstring injury, Williams averaged 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Two new Flyers will continue to add depth as redshirt freshman Josh Benson and freshman Matt Kavanaugh join the team. Benson redshirted last year with UD, while Kavanaugh is a former All-Ohio selection during his high school career.
Last year the Flyers finished tied for 17th nationally in winning percentage (.771), 25th in the NCAA in field goal defense (.397), 30th in three-point field goal defense (.312) and tied for 35th in scoring defense (61.4).
With most of the team returning, several 2009-2010 preseason polls, including those associated with Blue Ribbon, Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com, CBS College Sports.com, NBC Sports.com and The Sporting News.com, have the Flyers ranked next season.
