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Three times in those seven games, Dayton didn't score 66 points. Then it scored a school-record 66 points in the first half Friday. The Flyers had not scored more than than 79 points against VCU and then topped 100 in the first of two matchups this season, routing the Rams 106-79 to improve to 9-8 and 3-2 in the A-10 entering a 6:30 p.m. Wednesday game at St. Joseph's (7-9, 2-3).
It was just as surprising that VCU (11-7, 3-2) never made a serious run. It trailed by at least 22 points throughout the second half and, at times, seemed resigned to its fate.
“They really weren’t trash talking like recent teams, like Wagner,” Davis said. “They were all, ‘Good job; good shot.’”
Dayton coach Anthony Grant cautioned everyone to keep the victory in perspective. It was one game, he said. However, it's one game that goes in the record book. It tied two other 106-point performances for the 24th-highest scoring game in UD history. When you consider the quality of the opponent, this effort ranks among the top 10 offensive performances in Dayton history.
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Here’s an attempt at ranking those games, not in order of points scored but by impressiveness. This list doesn’t include games against lower-division opponents, such as Dayton’s 120-90 victory against Ashland in 1979, and leaves out most high-scoring games against teams that finished with losing records.
1. March 3, 1990: Dayton set a school record with 65 points in the first half — a mark that stood until Friday — in a 111-108 victory against Xavier at UD Arena. The Muskeeters, who finished 28-5 and reached the Sweet 16, rallied from a 26-point deficit and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds but didn't get off a shot.
“I’m sure glad this game wasn’t 10 seconds longer,” Dayton coach Jim O’Brien said after the game.
On Senior Night, Dayton’s Negele Knight scored 19 of his 30 points in the first half. The Flyers set a school record that still stands by averaging 89.7 points per game in 1989-90, O’Brien’s first season.
2. Dec. 27, 1967: Dayton set another school that has survived to the present day for points in a game with a 124-68 victory against Portland at the UD Fieldhouse. Dayton, which won the NIT that season, took advantage of a Portland team that would finish 5-21.
The Flyers scored 65 points in the second half, which was then a school record. Don May, who averaged 23.3 points per game as a senior that season, scored 24 points.
3. Feb. 21, 1991: Dayton beat Butler 116-98 on Senior Night at UD Arena. Chip Jones scored 28. Senior Norm Grevey, who made five 3-pointers in the final eight minutes, added 25.
“When you play your last home game, you want to go out in style,” Grevey said.
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The Bulldogs finished 18-11 that season. Dayton averaged 85.3 pointers in 1990-91, the second-highest average in school history.
4. Dec. 15, 1990: Dayton set a school record for field-goal accuracy, making 31 of 40 shots (75 percent) in a 116-112 loss to Southern at UD Arena. Chip Jones led the Flyers with 31 points. Derrick Dukes had eight points, eight rebounds and 13 assists.
5. Feb. 9, 1961: Dayton set what was then the school scoring record in a 112-77 victory against Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden. Seton Hall finished the season 15-9.
6. March 10, 1978: Freshman Jim Rhoden scored 26 points as Dayton beat Fairfield 108-93 in the first round of the NIT at UD Arena. Dayton set a school record for points scored in a postseason game. Jim Paxson added 25 points. Fairfield finished 22-5.
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7. Jan. 12, 2018: The Flyers set a school record with 17 3-pointers in the 106-79 victory against VCU. Darrell Davis tied his career high with 28 points. Jordan Davis set his career high with 21 points.
8. Feb. 2, 1971: Dayton shot 57 percent from the field in a 110-86 victory against Eastern Kentucky at UD Arena. Tom Crosswhite had 25 points and 18 rebounds. Ken May scored 28 points. Eastern Kentucky finished 16-8.
9. Nov. 23, 1990: Dayton scored 20 points in the first four minutes in a 109-69 victory against Illinois State in the season opener at UD Arena.
“We took the press off (midway in the second half) because we had such a big lead,” O’Brien said. “I thought it would be insulting to keep it on. I didn’t rest people for tomorrow. I think our guys are in good shape.”
Grevey scored 17 of his 20 points in the first half. Makor Shayok scored 15. The Redbirds finished 18-13.
10. March 5, 1966: Hank Finkel scored 32 points as Dayton beat Detroit 109-80 in the final regular-season game of the season. Finkel became Dayton's all-time leading scorer in the game, passing Don "Monk" Meineke's total of 1,848 points. Finkel finished his career with 1,968 points and now ranks thid. Detroit finished 17-8 that season.
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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