Dayton Flyers will return to Orlando event in November for first time in six years

Kansas, Alabama among the top teams in tournament
Dayton fans cheer before a game against Monmouth in the semifinals of the AdvoCare Invitational on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, at the HP Field House at ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. David Jablonski/Staff

Credit: David Jablonski/Staff

Credit: David Jablonski/Staff

Dayton fans cheer before a game against Monmouth in the semifinals of the AdvoCare Invitational on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, at the HP Field House at ESPN's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla. David Jablonski/Staff

The Dayton Flyers will play in the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational — an event formerly known as the Advocare Invitational and Old Spice Classic — in November along with Alabama, Belmont, Drake, Iona, Kansas, Miami (Fla.) and North Texas.

The complete field and name of the tournament was announced Thursday. Part of the field was leaked in April. The bracket has not been announced

The event will take place at the HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Fla. Dayton played there in November 2015 when the tournament was called the Advocare Invitational and beat Iowa and Monmouth before losing to Xavier.

Dayton also played in Orlando at the same arena in 2011 when the event was called the Old Spice Classic. It beat Wake Forest, Fairfield and Minnesota to win the championship that year, which was also the last time it won a November tournament.

Dayton will play its first game in this tournament on Thanksgiving (Nov. 25) and then play Nov. 26 and Nov. 28.

Four of the teams in the field played in the 2021 NCAA tournament: Kansas; Alabama; Drake; and North Texas. Kansas reached the Elite Eight. Alabama made it to the Sweet 16. North Texas upset Purdue in the first round before losing to Villanova.

Two of the teams in the field have won the Orlando tournament: Dayton in 2011 and Kansas in 2014.

Dayton last played Kansas in the championship game of the Maui Invitational in 2019. Dayton played Drake and North Texas in back-to-back games in December 2019, winning 78-47 and 71-58. Dayton has never played Belmont and last played Miami in 1989, Iona in 2013 and Alabama in 2016.

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