It was at that moment, however, that Colorado found its touch. A 3-pointer by Askia Booker on the next possession started a 16-2 run that lasted 4 minutes and carried the Buffaloes to a 67-57 victory Thursday in the first round of the Charleston Classic at TD Arena.
“It was a really well-fought game for about 30 minutes,” Dayton coach Archie Miller said. “Then their execution and pace at that point really got away from us for three or four possessions. That’s how it happens. Our team is going to learn that the hard way early until we can figure out it’s a 40-minute game, not a 30-minute game.”
The Flyers (1-1) will play Boston College (1-1) in the consolation round at 2:30 p.m. today. The Eagles lost 84-74 to No. 16 Baylor on Thursday.
Dayton will look back on Thursday’s game as one it could have won. Despite losing point guard Kevin Dillard to foul trouble in the third minute, the Flyers led 27-23 at halftime. Eight different players scored in the half, and 16 points came from the bench.
Neither team shot the ball well in the first half, and Dayton’s struggles lasted the entire game. It shot 33 percent from the field and just 24 percent from long range (5-of-21).
The Buffaloes 35 percent in the first half and 59 percent in the second. At the key moment, they picked it up. Booker made 3-of-3 3-pointers in the second half, and the team made 6-of-8. Booker led all scorers with 16 points.
“Once he makes that first one, it kind of gets his juices flowing,” Colorado coach Tad Boyle said. “He’s a guy who can get hot in a hurry.”
The Flyers weathered Colorado’s big run and even tied the game once more at 47-47 with 7:04 left, but they never led again.
“It’s a game of runs,” said Dayton junior guard Vee Sanford, who led the team in scoring for the second straight game with 17 points. “We just have to lock in more on the details. It’s a game of two Es: execution and effort. That’s something we have to continue to grasp.”
Problems on defense hurt Dayton as much as its shooting woes. Miller described the second-half performance on defense as a “total breakdown.”
“It was 37-30 with 14:40 to go, and then you give up a wide-open 3 because you don’t run back on a made field goal,” he said. “You don’t match up two plays later, and you give up another 3. The lack of concentration in certain moments can’t happen for this team. Defensively and rebounding the ball, we’ve got to be rock solid. When you’re able to take that type of lead, you’ve got to be able to respond the right way.”
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