Nov. 23, 2008

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Dayton posted its most lopsided win in nearly seven years on Sunday as junior Marcus Johnson scored a team-high 16 points to lead the Flyers over the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 78-38 in the opening game of the Chicago Invitational Challenge. The Flyers improved to 3-0 on the year, and have now started 3-0 at UD Arena in four consecutive seasons.

UD's victory was its largest since the Flyers handed Morehead State a 44 point loss on Dec. 1, 2001.

Additionally, the Flyers are yet to allow 50 points in a game this season. The last time a Dayton squad did this in each of the first three games was back in the 1947-48 campaign.

Assisting Marcus Johnson were freshmen Chris Johnson and Luke Fabrizius, who each posted career highs in points with 14 and nine. Senior Charles Little added 10 points.

The Flyers dominated in all phases of the game from start to finish. UD shot 27-of-53 (51 percent) while its defense held the Wildcats to just 12 field goals and 24 percent shooting. Dayton owned the paint, outscoring Bethune-Cookman in the lane 36-6.

Dayton also forced 21 turnovers. The Flyers defense has forced at least 20 giveaways in all three games this year.

Marcus Johnson came out firing on all cylinders to score seven of UD's first nine points as the Flyers opened a 13-2 lead to start the game.

Once the Wildcats finally got Marcus under control, Chris Johnson entered the game and provided an immediate spark. With 12:17 remaining in the first half, junior London Warren led a three-on-one fast break and dished to Chris, who finished with a lay-up and a trip to the line. He converted the three-point play to put Dayton up 19-4.

Three minutes later, Little got in on the action grabbing an offensive rebound and scoring in the paint over a pair of BCU defenders.

As it has all season, the Flyers aggressive defense once again paid dividends in this contest. At the 6:46 mark in the first half, Warren nabbed one of the team's eight steals when he poked the ball away from the Wildcats and dove across midcourt to recover the loose ball. He flipped it to Chris Johnson, who was fouled on the break away and scored one free throw, extending the lead to 25-11.

The Flyers took a 38-19 lead into the locker room with Marcus Johnson leading all scorers at the break with 15 points.

In the second half, Dayton extended its lead by firing away from three-point range. Fabrizius connected on back-to-back threes , putting the Flyers up 48-24 with 15:07 remaining. Moments later, junior Mickey Perry buried his second trey of the afternoon.

Dayton's first dunk came at the 11:46 mark as Warren inbounded underneath the basket to Little, who was cutting toward the hoop. He finished with a baseline slam and a foul. Although he missed the foul shot, UD recorded a four-point possession as Chris Johnson grabbed the offensive rebound, eventually leading to a pair of free throws from sophomore Chris Wright. This put UD up 57-29 with 11:28 to go.

Bethune-Cookman's Clifford Reed tried to pull the Wildcats closer when he sank back-to-back three-pointers, but Dayton finished the contest on a 20-1 run. The stretch was highlighted by a Devin Searcy fast-break dunk and seven points by Chris Johnson.

Other contributors for the Flyers were Wright with nine points and four rebounds. Searcy added eight points and three boards off the bench.

The Flyers will be back in action for their second game of the Chicago Invitational Challenge on Tuesday against Mercer. Tip-off will be at 7:30 p.m. ET at UD Arena. Fans can follow the game via live video streaming and Gametracker by logging onto www.DaytonFlyers.com.