Dayton beats Rhode Island thanks to 15-0 run to start second half

Ibi Watson stars with 22 points for Flyers

The Dayton Flyers took control with a 15-0 run to start the second half Saturday and beat Rhode Island 67-56 at UD Arena.

Ibi Watson scored eight of his team-high 22 points during the run. He made 9 of 14 field goals, including 4 of 8 3-pointers.

» PHOTOS: Dayton vs. Rhode Island

Dayton made 7 of 22 3-pointers (31.8 percent). It’s the first time this season it has won an Atlantic 10 Conference while shooting under 40 percent.

Dayton shot 47 percent from the field, while Rhode Island shot 38 percent and 23 percent (5 of 22) from 3-point range.

Jalen Crutcher scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half and had seven of Dayton’s points in a row in one-two minute stretch.

Jordy Tshimanga had 11 points and eight rebounds. Mustapha Amzil scored 11 points. Elijah Weaver led the team with six assists.

Dayton (10-4, 6-3) won its second straight game and joined St. Bonaventure (9-1, 7-1) and Davidson (10-5, 6-2) among the A-10 teams with at least six victories.

In the first half, it was a back-and-forth game for the first five minutes. Rhode Island pulled ahead on a jump shot by Jeremy Sheppard and then a 3-pointer by Fatts Russell.

Dayton trailed 19-16 when Rhode Island scored six straight points, taking its largest lead of the half, 25-16, with 7:36 to play. Dayton responded with a 6-0 run of its own. The Flyers trailed 32-29 at halftime because a last-second layup by Crutcher was ruled to have come after the buzzer.

Rhode Island held Crutcher to two points on 1-of-6 shooting in the half. Watson scored 10 for Dayton and had two dunks. Mustapha Amzil scored nine.

Around the A-10: Another conference game was postponed Friday. Saint Louis flew to Richmond for a game against the Spiders but left without playing, citing concerns about Richmond’s COVID-19 protocols. Neither team had a positive COVID-19 test. Saint Louis did not reveal the specifics of why it decided not to play. The Billikens (7-2, 0-1) now have had nine A-10 games postponed.

TUESDAY’S GAME

Dayton at Duquense, 9 p.m., ESPNU, 1290, 95.7

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