Dayton earns first non-conference regular-season road win in seven years

Koby Brea leads Flyers to win over SMU with 22 points
Dayton's Isaac Jack, Nate Santos and Koby Brea leave the court after a victory against Southern Methodist on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas. David Jablonski/Staff

Credit: David Jablonski

Credit: David Jablonski

Dayton's Isaac Jack, Nate Santos and Koby Brea leave the court after a victory against Southern Methodist on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, at Moody Coliseum in Dallas, Texas. David Jablonski/Staff

DALLAS — The Dayton Flyers ended an eight-game losing streak in non-conference regular-season road games, beating Southern Methodist 65-63 on Wednesday at Moody Coliseum.

Here’s a quick recap of the game:

What it means: Dayton (5-2) won its second straight game since a loss to Houston in the Charleston Classic championship game.

Dayton beat SMU for the second straight season and avenged a loss at SMU two years ago. The teams have split four games over the past four seasons.

This is Dayton’s first victory against a non-conference opponent on its home court, since it won 77-72 at Alabama on Nov. 15, 2016. The losing streak included a 71-66 loss at Northwestern on Nov. 110.

Stars of the game: Koby Brea scored 22 points for Dayton, making 8 of 13 field goals. He made his first five 3-point attempts.

DaRon Holmes II scored 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He made 7 of 9 free throws.

Big shots: Brea broke a 60-60 tie on a short jump shot just before the shot clock expired with 1:47 to play. On Dayton’s next possession, he made a 3-pointer to give the Flyers a 65-60 lead entering the final minute.

Deciding plays: With Dayton leading 65-63, SMU’s Zhuric Phelps missed a layup with six seconds remaining. The Mustangs retained possession as the ball went out of bounds off Dayton. Phelps then missed a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired.

Key stat: Dayton made 10 of 20 3-pointers, while SMU made 5 of 22.

Famous fan: Former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush sat courtside during the game. Bush, the 43rd President, has his Presidential Library on the SMU campus, across the street from Moody. His wife Laura Bush, the former First Lady, is a SMU graduate.

Looking ahead: Dayton plays Grambling State (2-5). at 2 p.m. Saturday at UD Arena.

George W. Bush, second from left, and Laura Bush, second from right, sit courtside at Moody Coliseum on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, before a game between Dayton and SMU in Dallas, Texas. David Jablonski/Staff

Credit: David Jablonski

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Credit: David Jablonski

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