Dayton Flyers: Ranking quality of annual exempt tournaments (through 2023)

Flyers head to Charleston Classic this week for three games

Credit: David Jablonski

The debate continues every year. When the Dayton Flyers learn their possible opponents in the annual exempt tournament — be it the Maui Invitational, ESPN Events Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis, etc. — fans start comparing the quality of the field to past tournaments.

Dayton returns to the Maui Invitational in November for the fourth time. The field includes four teams that ranked in the top 10 of the Ken Pomeroy ratings in the 2023-24 season. On paper, it could be the strongest field Dayton has ever seen in a November tournament.

Here’s how the fields of Dayton’s past tournaments rank. This list includes all the events Dayton has played in since 2002 — when the Pomeroy rankings began — that feature three games at one site in an eight-team tournament. All rankings listed are from KenPom.com.

1. 2013 Maui Invitational

Average Pomeroy ranking: 38.

Highest-ranked team: No. 18 Syracuse.

Champion: Syracuse.

Dayton’s results: The No. 42 Flyers finished third. They beat No. 24 Gonzaga 84-79, lost 67-66 to No. 29 Baylor and beat No. 60 California 82-64.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

2. 2019 Maui Invitational

Average Pomeroy ranking: 40.9

Highest-ranked team: No. 1 Kansas.

Champion: Kansas.

Dayton’s results: The No. 4 Flyers finished second. They beat No. 94 Georgia 80-61 and No. 104 Virginia Tech 89-62 and lost 90-84 to Kansas in overtime.

Dayton’s Scoochie Smith, left, Charles Cooke, center, and Bobby Wehrli leave the court after a victory against Iowa in the first round of the AdvoCare Invitational on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, at the HP Field House in Orlando, Fla. David Jablonski/Staff

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3. 2015 Advocare Invitational

Average Pomeroy ranking: 48.

Highest-ranked team: No. 13 Wichita State.

Champion: No. 14 Xavier.

Dayton's results: The No. 59 Flyers finished second in Orlando, Fla. It beat No. 23 Iowa 82-77 and No. 95 Monmouth 73-70 and lost 90-61 to Xavier.

4. 2021 ESPN Events Invitational

Average Pomeroy rating: 54.1

Champion: No. 45 Dayton

Dayton’s results: The Flyers beat No. 41 Miami, No. 3 Kansas and No. 86 Belmont.

Credit: David Jablonski

5. 2023 Charleston Classic

Average Pomeroy rating: 55.9

Champion: No. 2 Houston.

Dayton’s results: The Flyers beat No. 95 LSU 70-67 and No. 21 St. John’s 88-81 before losing 69-55 to Houston.

6. 2022 Battle 4 Atlantis

Average Pomeroy ranking: 56.

Highest-ranked team: No. 6 Tennessee.

Champion: Tennessee.

Dayton’s results: No. 79 Dayton finished last in the eight-team tournament, losing 43-42 to No. 61 Wisconsin, 76-64 to No. 52 N.C. State and 79-75 in overtime to No. 77 BYU.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

7. 2018 Battle 4 Atlantis

Average Pomeroy ranking: 71.

Highest-ranked team: No. 1 Virginia.

Champion: Virginia.

Dayton's results: The No. 62 Flyers finished fourth in the Bahamas. They beat No. 72 Butler 69-64, lost 66-59 to Virginia and lost 65-54 to No. 32 Oklahoma.

6. 2009 Puerto Rico Tip-Off

Average Pomeroy ranking: 77.

Highest-ranked team: No. 6 Kansas State.

Champion: No. 17 Villanova.

Dayton's results: The No. 26 Flyers finished fourth in San Juan. They beat No. 31 Georgia Tech 63-59 and lost 71-65 to Villanova and 83-75 to Kansas State.

8. 2003 Maui Invitational

Average Pomeroy ranking: 103.

Highest-ranked team: No. 53 Villanova.

Champion: No. 74 Dayton.

Dayton's results: The Flyers won the championship, beating No. 273 Central Michigan 82-63, No. 111 San Diego State 76-71 and No. 78 Hawaii 82-72.

9. 2012 Charleston Classic

Average Pomeroy ranking: 104.

Highest-ranked team: No. 28 Baylor.

Champion: No. 45 Colorado.

Dayton's results: The No. 67 Flyers finished fifth in South Carolina. They lost 67-57 to Colorado and then beat No. 107 Boston College 87-71 and No. 197 Auburn 73-63.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

10. 2017 Charleston Classic

Average Pomeroy ranking: 106.

Highest-ranked team: No. 14 Clemson.

Champion: No. 86 Temple.

Dayton's results: The No. 172 Flyers finished sixth. They lost 72-69 to No. 157 Hofstra, beat No. 193 Ohio 79-65 and lost 75-67 to No. 64 Old Dominion.

Dayton fans cheer during a game against Texas A&M in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014, at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, P.R. David Jablonski/Staff

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11. 2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off

Average Pomeroy ranking: 116.

Highest-ranked team: No. 25 West Virginia.

Champion: West Virginia.

Dayton's results: The No. 42 Flyers finished third. They beat No. 54 Texas A&M 55-53, lost 75-64 to No. 73 Connecticut and beat No. 110 Boston College 65-53.

Dayton’s Kyle Davis races ahead for a layup in the final minute after a turnover by New Mexico on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. David Jablonski/Staff

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12. 2016 Wooden Legacy

Average Pomeroy ranking: 120.

Highest-ranked team: No. 16 UCLA.

Champion: UCLA.

Dayton's results: The No. 39 Flyers finished fifth in Anaheim, Calif. They lost 80-78 to No. 107 Nebraska, beat No. 280 Portland 84-74 and beat No. 119 New Mexico 64-57.

13. 2011 Old Spice Classic

Average Pomeroy ranking: 131.

Highest-ranked team: No. 52 Minnesota.

Champion: No. 69 Dayton.

Dayton’s results: The Flyers beat No. 211 Wake Forest 80-76, No. 113 Fairfield 56-59 and Minnesota 86-70 to win the championship in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

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