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Shooting at a .765 clip, the Flyers lead the Atlantic 10 in free throw percentage. UD has six players who are shooting better than 75 percent at the charity stripe. |
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FLYERS KICK OFF DECEMBER ON THE ROAD AGAINST MURRAY STATE
The University of Dayton Flyers will play away from home for the fourth time in the last five games heading to Murray State to face the Racers on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Ohio, carried by WHIO Radio and is available with live streaming video, stats and streaming audio at DaytonFlyers.com.
Dayton enters the game 5-2 overall, having played its first seven games in 18 days. When Dayton is most successful, it’s because of a potent offensive attack. In Flyer victories, UD averages 76.6 points, shooting .453 from the field and out-rebounding opponents by 3.8 per game. Conversely, in the two Flyer losses, Dayton’s averages drop to 61.0 points per game, a .384 field goal percentage and being out-rebounded by 10.0. Kevin Dillard, who earned the Old Spice Classic MVP award and the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week, leads the Flyers in several categories including scoring (13.0 ppg), assists per game (5.3), steals (18), minutes (31.4), blocks (5) and free throw percentage (15-of-16, .938). Chris Johnson is averaging 13.2 points in his last five contests.
ABOUT MURRAY STATE
The Racers (8-0) are perfect so far in the 2011-12 season and were in-season tournament champions as well, taking the Great Alaska Shootout title. Murray State is looking for its first 9-0 start since the 1998-99 campaign. Junior Isaiah Canaan, the Great Alaska Shootout MVP and Ohio Valley Conference player of the week, scored 25.3 points per game in three MSU wins last week. Canaan’s season scoring average of 20.3 points per game is first in the OVC and in the Top 25 among NCAA D-I players. Murray State is 61-9 (.871) at the CFBS Center against non-conference opponents and have won 12 straight such games dating back to their last loss to Louisiana Tech (Feb. 21, 2009).
SERIES STUFF
Dayton leads the all-time series 5-2. The two teams last met during the 1997-98 season.
CONQUERING GOLIATH
The Flyers have proved they can handle the big-name programs. Dayton is 14-5 in the last five years against BCS programs. They have won eight of the last nine and five of its last seven games against BIG EAST opponents. Dayton’s 14 victories have come against Ole Miss (twice), North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois, Louisville, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Marquette, Auburn, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, Wake Forest and Pittsburgh.
OLD SPICE CLASSIC NOTES
Dayton defeated the Minnesota Golden Gophers 86-70 to capture the 2011 Old Spice Classic championship. In that game, Dayton rewrote program records for in-season tournaments. The Old Spice Classic was Dayton’s 14th in-season tournament championship. UD has won three of the last five it has participated in and this is the first since taking the 2008 Chicago Invitational Challenge. In the program’s history, Dayton had also never beaten a Big Ten team by double-figures prior to the game against Minnesota.
SEASON’S GREETINGS
The month of December has been kind to the Flyers in recent years. Dayton has had a winning record in the month of December in the last eight seasons, going 47-14 (.770) during that time. Last year, Dayton went 6-2 in December and UD has won 26 of its last 29 dating back to the 2007-08 campaign.
PACK YOUR BAGS
Dayton is 3-1 away from UD Arena this season. In those games on road and neutral sites, the Flyers average 72.2 points per game and force an average of 15.5 turnover per contest. Kevin Dillard is Dayton’s top scorer averaging 14.3 points, while Matt Kavanaugh is UD’s top rebounder with 8.5 per game.
CHRIS CROSSING THE CHARTS
Chris Johnson, a 2010-11 Atlantic 10 Honorable Mention selection, is quickly moving up the charts in the program’s history. CJ became UD’s 43rd member of the 1,000 point club in the final regular season game of 2010-11. Johnson’s 1,149 points rank him 33rd all-time in scoring. Next up is Frank Case with 1,175 points. CJ also ranks sixth on UD’s all-time list for 3-pointers made (185). Norm Grevey is next at 208. Johnson also ranks seventh in career offensive rebounds (245).
PREMIUM PRODUCTION
Chris Johnson has earned Atlantic 10 accolades in each of his previous three seasons – All-Rookie, Chris Daniels Most Improved, Honorable Mention All-Atlantic 10. Johnson is second on the team in rebounding (5.9) and scoring (11.4). CJ opened the season with eight points and 10 rebounds versus Western Illinois. He broke out against UNC-Wilmington with 19 points and six rebounds. Johnson scored 12, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left versus Wake Forest. He added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists against Minnesota. He led UD with 12 points versus Buffalo. Johnson is tied for 15th in the A-10 in rebounding.
THAT’S SOME WILL-POWER
Paul Williams ranks fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.1 points per game. He opened the year notching 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Western Illinois. Williams added to that by scoring a career-high 20 points at Miami. In the Wake Forest win, Williams scored 18 points. Williams ranks tied for sixth in the Atlantic 10 leaders in 3-pointers made (2.3).
P-DUBYA
Paul Williams has scored double figures three times this season. He came alive on the offensive end last year, reaching double figures 14 times. Williams is second in minutes played (27.3), in 3-pointers (16) and fourth in field goals (25).
PARKER BROTHERS
After primarily serving as a backup last year, Josh Parker has been another solid veteran presence on the court. He busted out in a big way with 15 points off the bench in UD’s win over Fairfield. Parker came back the next night to score 12 points versus Minnesota. As a starter, Parker scored 11 points and had six assists to one turnover versus Western Illinois. Parker scored seven points against Buffalo.
COOL HAND LUKE
Luke Fabrizius is an incredibly accurate outside shooter. Fabrizius is second in the Atlantic 10 leaders in 3-point field goal shooting, hitting at a .529 clip. He was 3-of-3 from the field and connected on his two 3-point attempts en route to eight points against Western Illinois. He had five points at Miami. Fabrizius added nine points off the bench against UNC-Wilmington. He added seven points & two blocks against Wake Forest. Fabrizius added 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting versus Minnesota.
BOOM BOOM BENSON
After closing last year well, Josh Benson began his junior season with a career-best performance. Benson scored a career-high 21 points (8 more than his previous career best) on 10-of-13 shooting in the opener against Western Illinois. Benson scored eight points at Miami. Benson had three steals against Wilmington to go with seven rebounds. He added 10 points and eight rebounds against Wake Forest. He added 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting against Minnesota. Benson went 5-of-5 at the free throw line against Buffalo. Benson is fifth in the A-10 in field goal percentage (.566).
KD IS AN MVP
Kevin Dillard was named the 2011 Old Spice Classic Most Valuable Pplayer after a spectacular three-game run. In the tournament, Dillard led the Flyers in scoring (13.0 ppg), assists (37), steals (18), blocks (5) and converted 15-of-16 free throws (.938). He has scored in double figures and had a steal in six consecutive games.
DILLARD NAMED A-10 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
On Nov. 28, Dayton junior point guard Kevin Dillard was named Co-Player of the Week in the Atlantic 10 Conference for his performance in leading the Flyers to the championship of the Old Spice Classic.
DILLARD DISHING DIMES
Kevin Dillard is quickly making a name for himself as one of the top point guards in the Atlantic 10. He scored 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting versus UNC-Wilmington. In the opener against Western Illinois, Dillard had nine assists with zero turnovers. Dillard then added 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals at Miami. Against Wake Forest, Dillard scored 12 points. Dillard also scored 12 versus Fairfield with three steals. Against Minnesota he dazzled with his first double-double in a Flyer uniform tallying 19 points and 10 assists. Dillard scored 11 versus Buffalo.
ON POINT
Kevin Dillard not only leads the Flyers in many statistical categories, he is among the Atlantic 10 leaders as well. Dillard ranks third in the conference in assists per game (5.3) and tied for fifth in steals per game (2.6).
KAVAN-AUGHSOME
Matt Kavanaugh is a true road-grader down low. He leads the Atlantic 10 in offensive rebounding with 4.4 per game. Kavanaugh opened the year with 15 points and seven rebounds versus Western Illinois. Against UNC-Wilmington, seven of his eight boards were on the offensive glass. Kavanaugh recorded his first career double-double with 15 points & 13 boards versus Wake Forest. He came back with 11 rebounds, seven on the offensive end, against Fairfield. Kavanaugh scored nine points against Buffalo.
OLIVER TWIST
Devin Oliver continues to show an uncanny ability to rebound the basketball. He corralled seven boards to go with three points against UNC-Wilmington. Oliver opened the year with four points, a career-high four assists and two rebounds versus Western Illinois. He added four points and five rebounds at Miami and three rebounds apiece against Wake Forest and Fairfield. Oliver hauled in a team-high seven rebounds in just 14 minutes against Minnesota. Oliver had seven points and a team-high seven rebounds against Buffalo.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Alex Gavrilovic was the first recruit signed by Archie Miller. He was a member of the French U-20 team that won the European championship in 2010. Gavrilovic opened the season with two points and two rebounds against Western Illinois. Gavrilovic followed that up with three points and three rebounds at Miami. He finished with four points and five rebounds against UNC-Wilmington. Gavrilovic had a bucket and a block against Wake Forest.
KING OF THE HILL
Ralph Hill looks to improve upon a freshman season where he averaged 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. Hill had a rebound against Western Illinois. He connected on a 3-pointer and had two assists against UNC-Wilmington. Hill had a rebound versus Buffalo.
IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT NOTES
The University of Dayton has won three of the five early-season basketball tournaments it has played in since 2003. The Flyers won the EA Sports Maui Invitational in 2003. In 2008, Dayton defeated No. 15 Marquette in the finals of the Chicago Invitational Challenge. Dayton then knocked off Minnesota to take the 2011 Old Spice Classic. The Flyers’ in-season tournament history goes all the way back to 1949 when they placed second in the National Catholic Invitational in Denver. UD has won 14 in-season tournament championships, including the 1955 University of Kentucky Invitational and the 1999 CoSIDA Classic played at The Pit in Albuquerque.
COACHING TREE HOUSE
Archie Miller is part of the most prolific active coaching tree in college basketball. A total of nine of Arizona State coach Herb Sendek’s former full-time assistant coaches (not former players, managers or GA’s) are currently Division I head coaches. They are Jim Christian (TCU), Charlie Coles (Miami of Ohio), John Groce, (Ohio), Larry Hunter (Western Carolina), Ron Hunter (Georgia State), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Archie Miller (Dayton), Sean Miller (Arizona) and Mark Phelps (Drake). Rick Pitino has seven branches on his coaching tree, while Jim Calhoun and Mike Montgomery each have six.
UD ADDS SANFORD & DERENBECKER
Continuing to add to the Flyers’ talent pool, head coach Archie Miller added transfers Vee Sanford (Georgetown) and Matt Derenbecker (LSU) over the summer. At Georgetown, Sanford played in 27 games in his sophomore year averaging 6.6 minutes a game. Derenbecker, a two-time Louisiana High School Gatorade Player of the Year, played in all 32 of LSU’s games in 2010-11. He started 16 games and averaged 6.5 points and 2.1 rebounds a game.
MILLER ANNOUNCES 2011 RECRUITING CLASS
Head Coach Archie Miller has announced the signing of three top high school players to letters of intent. They are 6-foot-9 high school teammates Jalen Robinson and Devon Scott from Ohio powerhouse Columbus Northland High School, and coveted 5-foot-11 point guard Jevon Thomas from Queens, N.Y. by way of Quality Education Academy in Winston-Salem, N.C.
IT’S ALL ABOUT WINNING
The 2010-11 Dayton Flyers recorded 22 victories. That team became just the 19th squad in the program’s history to have won 22 or more games. The Flyers also reached the postseason in four consecutive seasons. The last time that happened was during a stretch between the 1999-2000 and 2003-04 campaigns.
YOUNG GUN
Dayton’s Archie Miller is the fourth-youngest NCAA Division I head coach. At age 33, Miller is behind Robert Morris’ Andy Toole (31), Appalachian State’s Jason Capel (31) and Wisconsin Green Bay’s Brian Wardle (32). Tony Jasick at IPFW is 33 as well, but has an earlier birthday than Miller.
DAYTON PICKED SIXTH IN ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
The University of Dayton men’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10 this season in a poll of coaches and media. Senior forward Chris Johnson was a preseason Second Team All-Atlantic 10 pick.
TO INFINITY & BEYOND THE ARC
Dayton ranks second the Atlantic 10 in three-point field goals made per game connecting on 8.7 per contest. UD has hit 61 shots from beyond the arc and shooting at a .361 clip.
BALL CONTROL OFFENSE
One of the building blocks to coach Archie Miller’s offense is sharing and taking care of the basketball. In the Flyers’ opener against Western Illinois, Dayton dished out 25 assists with only eight turnovers. In Dayton’s loss at Miami, the Flyers committed 22 turnovers. That’s the most UD has turned the ball over since their 22 miscues against Georgia Tech on Nov. 19, 2009. The Flyers got back on the plus side with 17 assists versus UNC-Wilmington. In the Minnesota win, UD had 18 assists. This season the Flyers are 4-1 when forcing more turnovers than their opponents.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
While UD’s offense has garnered the headlines, the defense has been impressive as well. Against Western Illinois, the Flyers clamped down in the second half limiting the Leathernecks to 5-of-26 shooting from the floor and 0-for-7 from 3-point range. The Flyers came out with great resolve defensively against UNC-Wilmington, holding the Seahawks to 4-for-20 shooting in the opening 12 minutes. Fairfield went 2-of-11 (.182) on 3-point attempts against UD. Opponents this season are shooting just .323 (42-of-130) from beyond the arc against UD.
THIRD IS THE WORD
Dayton has hit at least one 3-point shot in 88 straight games.
EYE 75 ON THE SCOREBOARD
The Flyers are 56-8 in the last nine seasons when they score 75 or more points. The Flyers are 3-0 this season and went 7-2 in 2010-11 when reaching the 75 point mark. UD has a 26-4 record the previous four seasons.
POSTSEASON STRING OF SUCCESS
Dayton has advanced to the postseason in four consecutive seasons. UD went to the NIT three times and NCAA Tournament once. The last time that happened was when the Flyers made it to the postseason in five straight seasons from 1999-2000 to 2003-04.
LINE THEM UP
Shooting at a .765 clip, the Flyers lead the Atlantic 10 in free throw percentage. UD has six players who are shooting better than 75 percent at the charity stripe. Luke Fabrizius (1.000), Kevin Dillard (.938), Josh Parker (.933), Paul Williams (.833), Matt Kavanaugh (.818) and Chris Johnson (.769) lead the way. Last season, the Flyers shot .677 at the free throw line.
DOUBLE THE PLEASURE, DOUBLE THE FUN
Numerous players scoring in double figures has been a regular occurrence for Dayton this season. In the Wake Forest win, all five starters reached double figures in points. Dillard leads the team in double figure scoring efforts with six. Next up are Chris Johnson (4), Josh Parker, Josh Benson and Paul Williams (3), Matt Kavanaugh (2) and Luke Fabrizius (1).
ATLANTIC 10 RANKINGS
Dayton is among the conference’s best in several categories. Dayton is first in free throw percentage (.765), second in 3-poiners made per game (8.7), third in assists (15.1), fifth in scoring margin (+6.7) and steals (8.6) and sixth in scoring offense (72.1 ppg).
VICTORIOUS AGAINST THE VALLEY
Dayton is 52-12 all-time against member schools from the Ohio Valley Conference.
THE EUROPEAN UNION
This summer, Dayton went on an 11-day European exhibition tour, where the Flyers went 4-0 in games against the Netherlands National U-23 team and three professional teams from the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Dayton had four players who averaged in double figures: Kevin Dillard (13.0 ppg), Chris Johnson (11.8 ppg), Josh Parker (11.5 ppg) and Luke Fabrzius (11.0 ppg).
GRADUATION SUCCESS AT UD
The NCAA Graduation Success Rate report on Division I student-athletes released places the University of Dayton in familiar territory – among the nation’s best in graduating its student-athletes. UD’s 95 GSR in this year’s report places the University tied for 21st in the nation and tied for first in the Atlantic 10. The Flyer men’s and women’s basketball teams both have 100 GSR scores. UD’s men’s team is the only one in the Atlantic 10 with a perfect GSR, while the women are one of five. Dayton is one of just four institutions whose men’s and women’s basketball programs have perfect GSR numbers and both won at least 20 games last season.
ANALYZING THE ATLANTIC 10
The Flyers will be entering their 17th season in the Atlantic 10 and possess a 143-177 overall record in conference play. Dayton has finished .500 or better in 10 of the previous 12 seasons. The Flyers clinched a bid to the 2011 A-10 Championship for the 16th consecutive season. Dayton also advanced to the A-10 Championship Final last season.
AMONG THE BEST IN NCAA ATTENDANCE
The University of Dayton finished in the Top 30 in men’s basketball attendance for the 14th straight season in 2010-11. The Flyers finished 27th in the NCAA in attendance with an average of 12,567 fans a game, after averaging 12,259 a year ago. Since UD Arena opened in 1969, Dayton has been in the NCAA`s top 35 in attendance every season. The Flyers led the Atlantic 10 in attendance for the 14th straight season. UD averaged more than 2,400 fans a game better than any other team in the conference.
AND THE CROWD GOES WILD
More than 8 million fans have attended UD Arena in the last 43 seasons. UD’s last 188 regular season home games have had attendance of at least 11,000 fans. In the last 15 years, 99% of UD’s home games have drawn at least 10,000 (427 of 430), including the last 226 regular season games.
UD LOCKED IN TO REGULAR SEASON INVITATIONALS THROUGH 2013
Continuing a commitment to enhancing the non-conference schedule and increased national exposure, the University of Dayton Flyers were announced as a part of the 2012 DIRECTV Charleston Classic eight-team field. Dayton will be a part of a competitive field that includes Baylor, Boston College, Charleston, Colorado, St. John’s and Southern Illinois. An eighth team will be announced at a later date. The Flyers will return to the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational in 2013, 10 years after the Flyers won the event.
HOME SWEET HOME
Over the last six years on Tom Blackburn Court, the Flyers are 80-12 The 80 victories are the eighth-most in the NCAA since the 2006-07 season. Just ahead of UD are Ohio State (94), Kansas (92), Pittsburgh (89), Syracuse (88), UNLV (84), Florida (83) and Texas A&M (84). Dayton won its 500th game at UD Arena on Dec. 29, 2009 and is 522-188 in 41 seasons at the Arena. The Flyers have a home all-time winning percentage of .780 (779-220).
FORTUNE 500
The Flyers celebrated their 500th win at UD Arena on Dec. 29, 2009. The Arena opened in 1969. UD Arena is one of just 27 active facilities to have hosted at least 500 wins for its home team, and only one of two built since 1969. The list includes Cameron Indoor Stadium, The Palestra, Pauley Pavilion, Freedom Hall, Allen Fieldhouse, The Pit and Hinkle Fieldhouse. Only four facilities – Pauley Pavilion, The Pit, Freedom Hall and the Huntsman Center – had 500 wins faster than UD Arena.
THE FLYER FAITHFUL
For years, UD has claimed it has had the best fans in the nation. In 2001, The Sporting News conducted an unscientific poll of college basketball coaches, media and SIDs. In the Jan. 8, 2001 issue of the magazine, UD’s fans were tabbed as college basketball’s best. And they prove it to everyone the Flyers play. UD Arena has had 99 sellouts in its 40-year history. The record for sellouts is eight in the Arena’s first season (1969-70). The Flyers finished the 2010-11 regular season averaging 12,567 fans a game.
DAYTON THE HOST FOR THE NCAA FIRST FOUR ONCE AGAIN
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee announced that the Road to the Final Four will begin once again at the University of Dayton Arena this year. In fact, it will begin in Dayton for at least the next two years as the NCAA’s “First Four” event will be held in at the Arena March 13-14, 2012 and March 19-20, 2013. UD served as the host for the inaugural First Four last March. The games drew more than 10,000 fans each night to UD Arena, and a national viewing audience of over five million people.
MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
The University of Dayton Arena has hosted NCAA tournament events in 25 of the 42 years since opening its doors in 1969. The NCAA First Four games made UD Arena the most-used tournament venue in NCAA history. To date, UD Arena has hosted 86 NCAA men’s tournament games, tying it with Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.
DID YOU KNOW?
UD won more games than any other school in both the 1950s and `60s. UD won 435 games between 1950 and 1969 and ranks among the top teams of the 1950s and 1960s in Division I history. The Flyers’ .763 (228-71) winning percentage in the 1950s ranks fifth in the decade. Their .729 (207-77) winning percentage ranks eighth in the 1960s.
