Check back later this week for full coverage of the interview, in which Grant discussed offseason plans for his team and his excitement level about the upcoming season and talked about each of the 11 players on the roster.
Here are five highlights from the discussion:
1. Dayton has appealed to the NCAA in hopes of making redshirt sophomore forward Chase Johnson eligible at the beginning of the 2019-20 season instead of after the end of the first semester in December. Grant was unsure when they would find out about the NCAA's ruling. Johnson transferred to Dayton from Florida in January. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining.
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2. Guard Trey Landers, who will be one of two seniors on the roster next season along with fifth-year senior forward Ryan Mikesell, is healthy and has had no setbacks with the shoulder he injured late last season. Landers missed only one game before returning to action.
Also redshirt junior guard Jhery Matos has progressed well since his foot injury in November. He was cleared for full-contact workouts at the end of the academic year this spring. He returned home to the Dominican Republic after classes ended, and Grant said it will just be a matter of him improving his conditioning in workouts this summer.
3. The entire team, including incoming freshman center Moulaye Sissoko, will be on campus starting next week. Some of the players stayed on campus for the first summer session. Some went home for the first session.
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4. Grant is in the process of filling the position vacated when Darren Hertz was promoted from special assistant to the head coach to assistant coach. Hertz took the spot of Donnie Jones, who was named head coach at Stetson in March. Grant said there could be news on that position in a few weeks.
5. Grant was asked if he expected to add any more players to the roster. He said there’s “a possibility. We’ll see. If it makes sense for us, we’ll add. We have two (scholarships) available.”
Two of Dayton's 2019 targets this spring went elsewhere. Sean McNeil, of Sinclair Community College, picked West Virginia. Obi Toppin's brother Jacob signed with Rhode Island.
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