Dayton men’s basketball adds third-generation Flyer to roster

Walk-on guards Brady Uhl, an Alter graduate, and Justin Lovette, a Cincinnati La Salle graduate, were added to the official roster on the UD website earlier in the day. They joined 13 scholarship players and two returning walk-ons, Christian Wilson and Drew Swerlein, on what is now a 17-man 2021-22 roster.

“They went through the tryout process, and they’ve been with us a few days since we started practice,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said. “I’m really happy with both of them.”

Credit: David Jablonski

Credit: David Jablonski

Uhl, a 6-1 guard, led Alter in scoring with 18.7 points per game as a senior in 2020. He surpassed 1,000 points in February of his senior year. He played last season at the University of the Cumberlands, a NAIA school in Williamsburg, Ky. He averaged 4.0 minutes in eight games.

Uhl is the grandson of Bill Uhl, Dayton’s 13th all-time leading scorer (1,627 points). Bill, a 7-foot center, played for Dayton from 1953-56, averaging 18.4 points per game as a senior when he was a Look Magazine first-team All-American.

Brady’s father, Bill Uhl Jr., played for Dayton from 1986-90. He scored 531 points in his career and averaged 5.8 points as a senior for a team that finished 22-10 and won the Midwestern Collegiate Conference tournament. His career overlapped for one season with Grant, who was a senior when Uhl Jr. was a freshman.

“I’ve known (Brady) and the family for a while,” Grant said.

The Uhls become the second third-generation family in Dayton history, following the Zimmermans. George Zimmerman played for the program in the 1912-13 season. His son Jack Zimmerman played for Dayton from 1947-50, and Jack Zimmerman Jr. was a Flyer from 1976-80.

Lovette, a 6-3 guard, led the Greater Catholic League South Division in scoring last season with 18.5 points per game.

NOTES: Eleven of the 13 scholarship players participated in the practice Thursday. Zimi Nwokeji and Malachi Smith watched from the sideline. Grant didn’t mention if Nwokeji was injured when he spoke before the practice but said Smith, who wore a protective boot on his right foot, has been sidelined for a couple of weeks with an injury. “We hope to get him back here soon,” Grant said. ... A game time for Dayton’s road game against Mississippi was announced Thursday. The Flyers and Rebels will play at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18 in Oxford, Miss. The SEC Network will televise the game.