After 2-0 week, Dayton hopes to continue momentum in A-10

Flyers play St. Joseph’s on Wednesday in Philadelphia

Archie Miller never won a game at Hagan Arena. Neither did Brian Gregory. The youngest current scholarship player on the Dayton Flyers roster, guard Jalen Crutcher, was 6 months old the last time UD won at St. Joseph’s on Jan. 29, 2000.

Most of Dayton's players likely know little about the program's tortured history at St. Joseph's. Senior Darrell Davis and junior John Crosby are the only active players on the roster who appeared in Dayton's last game at Hagan in 2016.

The new coaching staff may know some of the history, but they haven't experienced it. Coach Anthony Grant has put all the focus on the present, even to the extent of forgetting the 106-79 victory Friday against Virginia Commonwealth.

» VCU GAME: NotesPhotosGrant reactsFreshmen step up

In practice Monday, a story he told on WHIO Radio on Monday, Grant told the players to “flush what’s in the past and control the things we can control and that’s what we do today.”

Grant liked the team's focus Monday and hoped to see it again Tuesday before a flight to Philadelphia. The Flyers (9-8, 3-2) play St. Joseph's (7-9, 2-3) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Dayton takes a modest two-game winning streak into this game. Two years ago, the last time it played at Hagan Arena, it had won nine games in a row. The Flyers trailed by double digits for most of the second half and got no closer than five points in the final four minutes in a 79-70 loss.

» WHIO PODCASTS: Flyer FeedbackGame replaysAnthony Grant Show

Of course, that St. Joseph’s team in 2016 finished 28-8 and won the Atlantic 10 tournament. The 2017-18 Hawks have battled injuries, losing junior guard Lamarr Kimble for the season to a broken foot and sophomore guard Charlie Brown to a fractured wrist.

The Hawks are 2-0 at home in A-10 play with victories against St. Bonaventure and Virginia Commonwealth but have lost on the road to George Washington, George Mason and Massachusetts.

George Mason beat the Hawks 81-70 on a last-second 3-pointer on Jan. 10. The Hawks blew a 16-point lead in the second half Sunday, losing 72-69 at UMass.

» RELATED: Ranking Dayton’s top offensive performances

This will be another game where Dayton’s young starting guards, Crutcher and Jordan Davis, play against one of the most experienced players in the league. St. Joseph’s senior guard Shavar Newkirk has 921 points in his career. He missed 19 games last season after tearing his ACL but has returned to his old form, averaging 22.0 points per game.

Crutcher and Davis had their best games against VCU. Crutcher had 12 rebounds, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Davis scored 21 points.

“The other day (Jalen) goes against a senior point guard (VCU’s Jonathan Williams) who’s been through the wars,” Grant said. “He’s had to do that pretty much every game. Jordan, same thing. He’s going against veteran guys. More than anything else, we’re trying to give them perspective in terms of what they’re experiencing and the confidence myself and the their teammates and the coaching staff have in their ability. We’re just trying to free their minds a little bit. There’s a lot coming at them. We’re 17 games into the season. This would be the time they’re pretty much winding up a high school season. What’s being asked of them is brand new.”


WEDNESDAY’S GAME

Dayton at St. Joseph’s, 6:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network, FM 95.7, AM 1290 WHIO

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