MORE UD ARENA NCAA HISTORY
7 reasons UD Arena has been the country’s top NCAA tournament host
2015 First Four
In the first NCAA Tournament game with a home-court advantage in 28 years, Dayton didn’t disappoint the Flyer faithful filling the arena, as it pulled out a 56-55 win over Boise State on March 18, 2015.
Senior guard Jordan Sibert hit a 3-pointer to cap the scoring and a 15-5 run for Dayton, but the game wasn’t over. Boise State inbounded the ball with 4.6 seconds left (after two missed free throws by Dayton’s Kendall Pollard), and Derrick Marks’ final shot was blocked by defender Kyle Davis.
2012 First Four
Western Kentucky overcame a 16-point deficit in the final five minutes to defeat Mississippi Valley State, 59-58, on March 13, 2012, and advanced to face No. 1-seeded Kentucky as the No. 16 seed in the South Region. It was the largest comeback within the final five minutes in NCAA tournament history, and President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron were in attendance.
In the following game, BYU came back from a 25-point first-half deficit to defeat Iona 78-72 and advance as the No. 14 seed in the West Region. BYU’s comeback was the largest in NCAA tournament history.
1975 Regional Final
Kentucky beat Indiana 92-90 in a sold out regional final game on March 22, 1975 – a battle between two Midwest powers. The game was tied at halftime. Mike Flynn posted 22 points to lead the Wildcats, who overcame a 33-point effort from Kent Benson.
1981 First and Second Rounds
Dayton saw two exciting games from St. Joseph’s on back-to-back days, as the Hawks edged Creighton 59-57 in the first round March 12, 1981, and beat DePaul 49-48 in a second-round game March 13.
2011 First Four
UNC Asheville defeated Arkansas-Little Rock 81-77 in overtime to open the 2011 First Four, despite leading for only 51 seconds in regulation. The Bulldogs’ best player, Matt Dickey, asserted himself late, scoring 14 of his team’s last 18 points in regulation, including a 3 with 10.5 seconds left to tie the game. He finished with 22 points.
2009 First Round
Local Buckeye fans might not have appreciated this one as much, but Siena’s double-overtime win over Ohio State in the first round on March 20, 2009 was a thriller. Ronald Moore hit a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left in the second overtime -- from the identical spot he made one at the end of the first OT -- as the Saints beat eighth-seeded Ohio State 74-72.
In the first game that day, Oklahoma State beat Tennessee, 77-75, in the final seconds.
1986 First Round
Michigan State came back from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Washington, 72-70, in the first round of the tournament on March 13, 1986. Scott Skiles had 31 points for the Spartans and Darryl Johnson added 21.
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