Dayton Flyers returning to Charleston in 2017

Charleston Classic field also includes Ohio Bobcats
Dayton’s Vee Sanford makes a pass during a game against Boston College at the Charleston Classic in 2012.

Dayton’s Vee Sanford makes a pass during a game against Boston College at the Charleston Classic in 2012.

The Dayton Flyers will play in the Charleston Classic in 2017, UD announced Thursday.

Dayton last played in the event in South Carolina in 2012, finishing fifth with victories against Boston College and Auburn.

The rest of the field includes Ohio, Auburn, Clemson, Hofstra, Indiana State, Old Dominion and Temple. The bracket won’t be announced until next summer. If Dayton plays the Ohio Bobcats, it will the first meeting between the two schools since 1965.

Dayton hasn’t played Clemson since 1974. It last played Hofstra in 1981. It has never played Indiana State. It played Old Dominion in 2010 and Temple in 2013.

RELATED: Dayton ranked No. 1 traveling fan base

FLYER NATION: Follow the conversation on Facebook

The games will be played on Nov. 16, 17 and 19 at TD Arena. This will be the sixth straight season UD has played in a tournament sponsored by ESPN Events. In the last four years, Dayton has played in the Charleston Classic, the Maui Invitational, the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Advocare Invitational in Orlando. It plays in the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim, Calif., next week, starting with a Thanksgiving Day game against Nebraska.

“Playing in tournaments like this serve two purposes,” UD Vice-President and Director of Athletics Neil Sullivan said in a press release. “With the strength of our basketball program and how our fans travel to support us, we are a very attractive team for these tournaments. For us, it gives us games against NCAA-caliber teams, on a neutral court, in areas of the country that we have alumni or at locations that our fans enjoy traveling to. With these games televised nationally, it is great for the basketball program and the University.”

About the Author