Dayton didn’t need Brea, who once again ranks among the nation’s top 3-point shooters (12 of 16 in three games at Kentucky), against Division III Capital University. It didn’t need another Flyer who entered the portal after last season: Kobe Elvis, who scored 24 points Saturday for Oklahoma. It didn’t even miss DaRon Holmes II, the No. 22 pick in the NBA Draft in June.
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Dayton (4-0) had a big advantage going into the game and knew it, and that’s why it didn’t play three fifth-year players — Posh Alexander, Zed Key and Enoch Cheeks — in a 76-55 victory against Capital University.
“I thought tonight it was great to be able to get some different guys on the floor,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said, “and to be able to get some guys some game experience and to be able to teach off of what we were able to do tonight.”
Grant greeted longtime Capital coach Damon Goodwin, his former UD teammate, with a hug before the game. This game counted on Dayton’s record, though it won’t affect its standing in the various metrics used by the NCAA tournament selection committee, but was an exhibition game for Capital.
“I thought Damon did a great job of having this team prepared,” Grant said. “Obviously, they’re an extremely well-coached team. They tested us in some areas that we needed to see. We were able to get different combinations on the floor tonight, which was good. For me, it’s all about just continuing to grow and trying to build our depth and figure out the group that we have. We were able to get some guys rest tonight, which was good as well as we prepare for next week and one more home game before we head out to Maui.”
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Here are three takeaways from Dayton’s 20th straight victory at UD Arena.
1. Dayton spread the minutes among nine players: Javon Bennett, who led Dayton with 16 points, saw the most action of the starters, just short of 28 minutes.
Freshman guard/forward Hamad Mousa played 30 minutes, 12 more than he tallied in the first three games. He scored nine points by making 2 of 5 field goals and 5 of 7 free throws.
Freshman forward Amaël L’Etang played a season-high 17 minutes and had 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting and 10 rebounds. He had five points and six rebounds total in the first three games.
Even Brady Uhl, who made his season debut after being sidelined by a sprained ankle, and Jaiun Simon, 13 minutes each, got extended playing time.
Credit: David Jablonski
2. The players who did see action treated it like any other game: This was Dayton’s first regular-season game against a lower-division opponent since the 2016-17 season when it beat Division II Saint Joseph’s College 91-59.
The Flyers play an undefeated D-I team on Wednesday, New Mexico State (3-0), and then will make a big jump in the level of competition in the Maui Invitational with games against No. 10 North Carolina on Nov. 25 and then No. 5 Auburn or No. 7 Iowa State on Nov. 26.
“We approached it like we did any game,” Bennett said. “We obviously know they’re a D-III team. But we played how we normally play against a D-I team. We kind of saw it as a way to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.”
The Flyers took a 3-0 lead on a 3-pointer by Jacob Conner, who started along with L’Etang in place of Key and Cheeks, and led from start to finish for the second straight game.
“I thought overall it was a pretty good outing for us,” Grant said, “and we were able to get a lot out of the game.”
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
3. Makai Grant scored his first career points: The son of the head coach, a sophomore walk-on guard, scored on a reverse layup with 1 minute, 45 seconds to play. It was Makai’s second career shot attempt. He missed a 3-pointer last season.
“It was awesome,” Anthony Grant said. “As a dad, I’m happy I got a chance to witness that. It was great to see the response of his teammates and hear the crowd, so, yeah, I enjoyed it.”
STAR OF THE GAME
Javon Bennett scored 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting and added five assists and five rebounds. He made 2 of 5 3-pointers after making 5 of 19 in the first three games.
STAT OF THE GAME
Dayton made 12 of 24 free throws. Through four games, it is shooting 67.1%.
LOOKING AHEAD
Dayton plays New Mexico State (3-0) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at UD Arena. New Mexico State beat Texas A&M Corpus Christi 83-82 on Thursday in its last game before playing Dayton.
Dayton and New Mexico State have not played since the 1960s. Dayton won both games at the UD Fieldhouse: 76-60 in December 1961; and 74-48 in December 1966.
New Mexico State finished 13-19 last season and 9-15 two years ago. Prior to that, it had made 10 NCAA tournament appearances in a 16-year stretch.
WEDNESDAY’S GAME
New Mexico State at Dayton, 7 p.m., Spectrum News 1, ESPN+, 1290, 95.7
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