Dayton followed a 59-58 loss to UMass Lowell with an equally stunning — if only because of the margin of defeat — 78-59 loss to Lipscomb on Wednesday at UD Arena. This was Dayton’s most lopsided loss at home since an 84-55 loss to Buffalo in 2011.
Lowell ranks 249th in the Ken Pomeroy ratings. Lipscomb ranks 230th. Dayton ranks 93rd but is falling fast. This is the first time since Pomeroy ratings began in the 2001-02 season Dayton has lost back-to-back games to teams ranked below 200.
The Flyers trailed from start to finish and never mounted a serious comeback in the second half. The only slight rally came when Mustapha Amzil made back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the half to cut Lipscomb’s lead to nine points. The Bisons responded with an 8-0 run.
Lipscomb shot 59.2 percent (29 of 49) from the field, while Dayton shot 38.5 percent (20 of 52).
Lipscomb’s big man, 6-foot-9, 275-pound center, Ahsan Asadullah, scored 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Tommy Murr scored 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and made all five of his 3-point attempts.
Toumani Camara, Elijah Weaver and Malachi Smith all scored 11 points for Dayton. Camara missed his first five 3-point attempts but made one in the final minute.
HALFTIME RECAP
Dayton trailed Illinois-Chicago 32-25 in its season opener on Nov. 9 and won 64-54. It trailed UMass Lowell 28-21 at halftime Saturday and lost 59-58. It trailed Lipscomb 38-28.
Dayton did not lead in the first half and trailed by as many as 12 points with 7:43 to play. It trimmed Lipscomb’s lead to 31-28 with 3:07 to play and then had an airball on a 3 (Elijah Weaver), a turnover (Kobe Elvis), a rushed shot at the shot clock buzzer (Amzil) and a turnover (Elvis) in the last three minutes.
Asadullah dominated in the first half, scoring 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Murr added 10 points off the bench.
Elvis led Dayton with nine points. Smith scored seven points and made his first career 3-pointer.
Dayton shot 38.5 percent from the field (10 of 26), while Lipscomb shot 65.2 percent (15 of 23).
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