Dayton Flyers continue to dominate SEC

Ranking UD’s 14 wins over SEC since 2008

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The Dayton Flyers are champions of the Southeastern Conference once again — unless you consider the small fact that they haven’t played Kentucky, a program head and shoulders above the rest of the SEC, since 2008.

The Flyers beat Alabama 77-72 on Tuesday in Tuscaloosa and have won 14 of their last 16 games against the SEC since 2007-08. Here's a run down of those victories, ranked in order of impressiveness. Games are judged on quality of opponent, ease of victory and the site of the game.

No. 1 — Dec. 7, 2011: Dayton 74, No. 16 Alabama 62

Chris Johnson scored 20 points. Dayton ended the game on a 17-9 run in former Flyer Anthony Grant’s first game as a head coach at UD Arena. Alabama finished 21-12 and lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

No. 2 — Dec. 9, 2015: Dayton 72, No. 21 Vanderbilt 67

The Flyers overcame a 16-point deficit to win on the road. Kendall Pollard scored 21 points. Vanderbilt finished 19-14 and lost in the First Four to Wichita State.

No. 3 — Nov. 17, 2015: Dayton 80, Alabama 48

Charles Cooke scored 21 at UD Arena. The Flyers made 9 of 21 3-pointers. This turned out to be Alabama’s worst loss of the season. The Crimson Tide finished 18-15 and lost in the first round of the NIT.

No. 4 — March 30, 2010: Dayton 68, Mississippi 53

Johnson scored 22 points and made five key free throws in the final stretch as the Flyers won at Madison Square Garden in the NIT semifinals. The Rebels finished 24-11.

No. 5 — Jan. 4, 2014: Dayton 83, Mississippi 80 (OT)

Devin Oliver scored 26 points and banked in a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left in overtime. Ole Miss finished 19-14.

No. 6 — Nov. 15, 2016: Dayton 77, Alabama 72

Scoochie Smith scored 20. Cooke added 19. The Flyers clinched the road victory on a dunk by Josh Cunningham with 5 seconds left but Cunningham suffers a serious injury on the play.

No. 7 — Dec. 30, 2014: Dayton 78, Mississippi 74

Jordan Sibert scored 21 points at UD Arena. The Flyers let a double-digit lead dwindle to three points with 14 seconds to play but held on, improving to 6-0 all time against Ole Miss. The Rebels finished 21-13 and lost in the second round of the NCAA tournament to Xavier.

No. 8 — Nov. 20, 2014: Dayton 55, Texas A&M 53

The Flyers won their opener at the Puerto Rico Tipoff on a tip-in by Devon Scott with one second left. Dyhawn Pierre scored 14 points. The Aggies finished 21-12 and lost in the second round of the NIT.

No. 9 — Nov. 20, 2010: Dayton 78, Mississippi 71 (OT)

Dayton overcame a 12-point deficit in the final eight minutes in Oxford, Miss. Johnson led the Flyers with 20 points. The Rebels finished 20-14 and lost in the first round of the NIT.

No. 10 — Dec. 30, 2015: Dayton 85, Arkansas 81 (OT)

The Flyers couldn’t hold on to a 30-7 lead but rallied in overtime. Cooke scored 18 points. Arkansas finished the season 16-16.

No. 11 — Dec. 5, 2012: Dayton 81, Alabama 76

Kevin Dillard scored 25 points in Tuscaloosa. Dayton won its seventh straight game against the SEC. Alabama finished 23-13 and lost in the quarterfinals of the NIT.

No. 12 — Nov. 27, 2008: Dayton 60, Auburn 59 (OT)

Despite missing all 24 of their 3-point attempts, setting a NCAA record for 3-point shooting futility, the Flyers prevailed in the Chicago Invitational Challenge. Marcus Johnson scored eight of his 16 points in overtime. The Tigers finished 24-12 and lost in the NIT quarterfinals.

No. 13 — Dec. 30, 2011: Dayton 62, Mississippi 50

Chris Johnson scored 16 points in a victory at UD Arena. The Rebels finished 20-14 and lost in the first round of the NIT.

No. 14 — Nov. 18, 2012: Dayton 73, Auburn 63

Dillard scored 15 points in the fifth-place game at the Charleston Classic. Auburn finished 9-23.

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