“It was a home game,” Dayton coach Archie Miller said. “I think I said this at the press conference the other day: ‘I don’t know how we’ll play, but our fans will be the loudest and they will stand out.’ What I didn’t know at the time was how many were going to be here. They’ve been that way all the time.
“I keep telling everybody. No one understands it. It’s the best fan base that a basketball community can be.”
Game plan: The Dayton Flyers attacked the basket throughout the game and outscored Stanford 36-32 in the paint despite Stanford's height advantage.
Jordan Sibert had another big game, leading the Flyers with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
“They were definitely a long team,” Sibert said. “Ball pressure was definitely high on their part. But I felt we had a chance to (get the ball in the paint), and we did a good job of finishing around the basket and making everybody else better.”
Foul trouble: One of Stanford's top players, center Stefan Nastic, played only 20 minutes because of foul trouble. He fouled out with 7:03 to play.
“When he came out, that was difficult for us,” Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins said. “He was anchoring what we were doing, and that kind of disrupted our offense because he’s someone we go to quite a bit.”
Curran absent: UD President Daniel Curran, who made headlines by crowdsurfing with students on campus after the victory over Syracuse, was not able to attend the game in Memphis. He left earlier this week for Suzhou, China, where he will visit the University of Dayton China Institute, according to university spokesman Cilla Shindell.
Sanford's loss: Dayton Flyers senior Vee Sanford said his parents, girlfriend and girlfriend's parents would be at the game Thursday. One of the most important people in his life was not.
Sanford’s grandma died of cancer in November. After the victory over Syracuse on Saturday, Sanford wrote on Twitter: “Really wish my grandmother, Viola Johnson, was here to see this. I miss you so much. To God be the glory.”
On Wednesday, Sanford said it’s the biggest loss he’s ever experienced, and he’s not over it yet.
“I lived with her,” Sanford said. “She came to every home game. It just took a lot out of me during the year. It’s starting to get better, and I just wish she was here.”
Flyer spirit: Many people used Twitter to show their support for UD before the game Thursday. The Xenia High School baseball team and the Wee-Haven Children's Center in Kettering posed for photos with signs wishing the Dayton Flyers luck.
University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono wished UD luck with the hashtag “ohiolove.”
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