Dayton Flyers rout Rhode Island for record-tying victory

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Dayton (28-2, 17-0) won by 27 points on the same court where it won by 29 points a year ago. It may have been even more dominant in this game. The Flyers shot 40 percent from 3-point range (8 of 20) and held a 49-38 rebounding advantage.

Responding to some light teasing from the Rhode Island student section, Toppin threw down a tomahawk jam at the peak of Dayton’s dominance in the second half. It was his 100th dunk of the season. He had several other dunks, though his brother Jacob stopped one with a foul.

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Jalen Crutcher added 17 points. Trey Landers scored 14. Ten different Flyers scored, including walk-on Christian Wilson, who made a 3-pointer in the final minute.

Here’s what the victory means for Dayton:

• Dayton tied the school record for victories in a season. The 1951-52 team finished 28-5.

• Dayton won its 19th straight game. That’s one short of the school record for consecutive victories in one season. Dayton won 20 straight games from January to March in 1952.

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• The 19-game winning streak is the longest in the A-10 since Saint Louis won 19 straight in 2013-14, and it’s tied for the fifth longest in conference history.

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• Dayton became the first team since the A-10 returned to an 18-game schedule in 2014-15 to win 17 games.

• Dayton joined Gonzaga (29-2), San Diego State (28-1) and Liberty (28-4) as the only teams in the country with 28 victories.

HALFTIME RECAP

Jalen Crutcher, Obi Toppin and Trey Landers all scored in double figures in the first half as the third-ranked Dayton Flyers built a 46-30 halftime lead against Rhode Island on Wednesday at the Ryan Center.

Dayton outscored Rhode Island 11-3 in the last 4:03, thanks in part to a four-point possession. Rhode Island guard Fatts Russell picked up a technical foul after Toppin was fouled. Crutcher made two free throws, and then Toppin made two.

Crutcher scored 12 points and made all six of his free-throw attempts. Toppin had 10 points, including two dunks on his 22nd birthday. Landers scored Dayton’s first five points and had 10 in the half.

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Dayton shot 50 percent from the field (16 of 32) and made 14 of 25 2-point shots one game after making 27 of 28 in a victory against Davidson.

Much like the first game between these two teams, fouls mounted fast in the first half. Dayton made 12 of 13 free throws. Rhode Island made 9 of 16.

Toppin, Crutcher, Ryan Mikesell and Dwayne Cohill all picked up two fouls in the half.

Rhode Island shot 29 percent from the field and 23 percent from 3-point range (3 of 13).

MORE COVERAGE

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