The 2018-19 Dayton Flyers season began in November and continues through March. Keep track of all our coverage (stories, photos and videos) at this link.

In addition, more coverage of the Flyers is available on WHIO Radio podcasts. You can find them at these links or wherever you get your podcasts: The Anthony Grant Show; Flyer Feedback; and game replays.

Preseason

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

• First dunks: Everyone remembers their first dunk. It's a flashbulb moment seared into the consciousness. Years of trying and dreaming conclude with one unforgettable moment.

The Dayton Flyers revisited their first dunks last week after posing for a team photo on Media Day at the Cronin Center. None of the players asked to look back at their first dunk hesitated before finding the memory. Some of them recalled their dunk in explicit detail.

• Photos: Dayton poses for team picture

• A-10 coverage: Saint Louis the favorite | Grant says it will be exciting year for league| Cunningham: 'We're better than sixth'

• History: Where Dayton has ranked in the A-10 poll over the years

• New look: Dayton unveils new home uniforms

• UD Arena: Arena will be ready to go for start of season

• Archdeacon features: Dwayne Cohill | Frankie Policelli

Exhibition game

Nov. 2: Dayton 89, Capital 71

• Game story: Trey Landers and Jhery Matos each scored 15 points to lead the Dayton Flyers to a victory in an exhibition game Friday at UD Arena.

• Five takeaways: Obi Toppin introduced himself to fans with with two memorable dunks, and Dayton gets what it wants from its one public exhibition game.

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• Archdeacon: None of the new faces provided more promise, more of an exclamation point, than did the 6-foot-5 Jhery Matos, who said he's been looking for a place like this since he left the Dominican Republic by himself for the United States a little more than four years ago.

• Photo gallery: Twenty five shots from game.

• Videos: First-half highlights | Second-half highlights

Non-conference games

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Nov. 7: Dayton 78, North Florida 70

• Game story: There was no drama on opening night for the Flyers this season. One year after Josh Cunningham's last-second basket beat Ball State, Dayton pulled away from North Florida in the second half Wednesday at UD Arena.

• Five takeaways: While fans started cursing their luck on Twitter, Dayton refused to let Josh Cunningham's injury affect them. Redshirt freshman Obi Toppin stepped into the starting lineup for Cunningham and helped lead the Flyers.

• Archdeacon: Obi Toppin now has something in common with Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Christopher Columbus and the Philadelphia Eagles, too. Like all of them, the Dayton Flyers' 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman believes in the power of the pickle.

• Notes: Jordan Davis enjoyed his second season opener with the Dayton Flyers. One year after coming off the bench to score two points in 14 minutes against Ball State in his college debut, Davis scored 16 points on 4-of-8 shooting, making 2 of 2 3-pointers and 6 of 8 free throws.

• Photo gallery: 26 best shots.

• Videos: Toppin dunks four times in debut | More highlights | Toppin interview | Postgame press conference

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Nov. 10: Dayton 76, Coppin State 46

• Preview: Josh Cunningham watched the Dayton Flyers open the season from the bench Wednesday. He wore sweatpants and a Dayton hoodie plus bright red high-tops — and most noticeably a black brace on his right wrist and hand. Dayton fans who want to know if he'll play in the second game against Coppin State at 7 p.m. Saturday will have to wait and see.

• What you need to know about game: Flyers, Coppin State meet for fourth time.

• Game story: Obi Toppin scored 19 points, and Ryan Mikesell added 18 as the Flyers routed Coppin State, improving to 2-0.

• Five takeaways: Dayton (2-0) held Coppin State (0-2) to 29.6 percent shooting, the lowest mark by a Dayton opponent in the last two seasons. Every opponent shot better than 37 percent last season. The 46 points scored by Coppin State also was the lowest score by a Dayton opponent in the same time span.

• Archdeacon: If you think Ryan Mikesell was happy about what he could do Saturday night at UD Arena, you should consider his mom. Lisa Mikesell probably was overjoyed.

• Notes: Obi Toppin may have grabbed a pickle as he was leaving a postgame interview Saturday. A plate of pickles left over from the pregame meal in the media room at UD Arena tempted him. Pickles helped Toppin recover from a cramping episode in the season opener three days earlier, but in this game, he avoided that issue by making sure he was better hydrated before the game

• Photo gallery: 30 pics for a 30-point victory.

• Videos: Postgame press conference | Highlights | Mikesell interview

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Nov. 16: Dayton 91, Purdue Fort Wayne 80

• Game story: The Flyers pulled away in the last 10 minutes to beat Purdue Fort Wayne, improving to 3-0 with third straight home victory to start the season

• Five takeaways: Dayton's offense showed plenty of other fancy moves — a behind-the-back pass by Jhery Matos, more dunks from Obi Toppin and plenty of post moves by Josh Cunningham in his season debut — but its defense again showed many of the same issues that plagued it last season

• Notes: Josh Cunningham made 9 of 10 shots from the field and scored 20 points in the first game of his final season with the Dayton Flyers, showing no rust after missing the first two games with a wrist injury. The redshirt senior forward also had extra incentive to perform well.

• Photo gallery: 20 best shots

• Videos: Highlights | Postgame press conference | Josh Cunningham interview

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Nov. 21: Dayton 69, Butler 64

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers recorded the most important non-conference victory of the past two seasons in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Imperial Gym.

• Five takeaways: The familiar "We are UD!" chant echoed around Imperial Gym in the final minutes Wednesday as the Flyers put the finishing touches on a victory against Butler.

• Notes: The Flyers will play three games this week a short walk away from miles of pristine beach, aquariums full of turtles, sharks and other marine life and a large casino that kept many of their fans up late Wednesday.

• Photo gallery: 35 shots.

• Videos: Jhery Matos interview | Grant looks ahead to Bahamas trip | Jalen Crutcher interview | Highlights

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Nov. 22: Virginia 66, Dayton 59

• Preview: The Cavaliers are the highest-ranked opponent Dayton has faced since 2014.

• Game story: The Flyers hung with No. 4 Virginia for 40 minutes but didn't make enough stops in the second half to get over the hump in the semifinals of the Battle 4 Atlantis at Imperial Gym.

• Photo gallery: 20 shots.

• Videos: Anthony Grant interview | Highlights

Nov. 23: Oklahoma 65, Dayton 54

• Preview: The Flyers face their third top-50 team in three days in the third-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

• Game story: The Flyers turned a 14-point deficit into a seven-point lead but still lost in the third-place game in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Friday.

• Five takeaways: There's nothing wrong with Dayton heading home from the Bahamas on Saturday with heads held high. Most of their fans will do just that. A team coming off a 14-17 season played three-top 50 teams in the Battle 4 Atlantis, beating Butler and giving Virginia and Oklahoma two tough games.

• Notes: Dayton guard Jhery Matos, a native of the Dominican Republic, enjoyed his time in the Bahamas this week despite a 1-2 finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis.

• Photo gallery: Ten best shots.

• Videos: Highlights | Grant interview

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Nov. 30: Mississippi State 65, Dayton 58

• Preview: This will be the first home game for Dayton against a ranked opponent since it lost 61-57 to No. 17 Saint Mary's on Nov. 19, 2016. Its last victory against a top-25 team at home came on Dec. 7, 2011: 74-62 over No. 16 Alabama.

• What you need to know about game: The Bulldogs lead 2-0. They beat the Flyers 56-54 in 1975 at UD Arena and 61-59 last season in Starkville, Miss .

• Game story: No. 25 Mississippi State outscored the Dayton Flyers 21-7 in the final six minutes to win at UD Arena on Friday.

• Five takeaways: The Dayton Flyers were in position to win the game until the final six minutes when they were outscored 21-7, but hanging tough with a ranked team didn't make anyone inside or outside the locker room feel better.

• Archdeacon: Jalen Crutcher was especially effective in the first half — especially when using a stutter-step or some crafty dribbling to throw his defender out of sync as he drove the lane — and that prompted a Grant assessment: "I thought at times tonight he dominated the action out there, especially in the first half.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• More stories: Davidson atop early A-10 power ratings | First sellout

• Videos: Highlights | Postgame press conference

Dec. 4: Dayton 98, Detroit Mercy 59

• Preview: Detroit brings the nation's second-leading scorer to UD Arena. Freshman Antoine Davis, a 6-1 guard, averages 30 points per game. He set a school record for points scored by a freshman with 42 against Loyola Maryland.

• What you need to know about game: The teams last played on March 13, 2002. Dayton won 80-69 in the first round of the NIT at UD Arena.

• Game story: Obi Toppin dunked eight times and scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Flyers to a victory on Tuesday at UD Arena.

• Five takeaways: The Flyers thrilled their fans for 39-plus minutes but failed them in the final 10 seconds Tuesday at UD Arena. Walk-on Christian Wilson, taking directions from coach Anthony Grant, dribbled out the clock instead of attempting a shot at the buzzer. A few disappointed fans in the crowd of 12,700 — or whatever was left of that crowd at the end — booed because they wanted Dayton to score 100 points. Instead, the Flyers settled for a 98-59 victory against Detroit Mercy.

• Notes: If anyone can provide comfort to Jhery Matos as he watches the rest of the season from the Dayton Flyers bench, it's redshirt junior forward Ryan Mikesell, who sat out last season after undergoing two hip surgeries.

• Archdeacon: Already this season there's a palpable buzz in the crowd when Toppin comes into the game. His long legs are covered by white tights, the sort of get up many comic book superheroes wear. His equally long arms are tattooed canvasses bearing uplifting messages and images and remembrances of family.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Videos: All eight of Toppin's dunks | Toppin interview | Postgame press conference

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Dec. 8: No. 8 Auburn 82, Dayton 72

• Preview: The first and only true road game on the non-conference schedule arrives at 8:30 p.m. Saturday when Dayton plays the No. 8 Auburn Tigers (7-1) in Alabama. Dayton lost to No. 4 Virginia 65-59 on a neutral court in the Battle 4 Atlantis, but this might be the most difficult game of the season because it takes place on Auburn's home court.

• What you need to know about game: The Tigers have a 90 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com, which predicts a 76-62 score.

• Game story: The Flyers made a run at the No. 8 Auburn Tigers in the second half, cutting a 19-point deficit to six but lost at Auburn Arena.

• Five takeaways: On a night in which the Dayton Flyers committed 23 turnovers at Auburn Arena, the biggest gaffe belonged to the SEC Network, which ran five mugshots of UNC Asheville players under the names of the UD starters before the game. Only Ryan Mikesell looked plausibly like the player pictured under his name.

• Archdeacon: The Dayton Flyers were getting run out of the gym.

They air-balled their first shot against Auburn on Saturday night, turned the ball over on five of their first six possessions, committed two fouls and had the partisan Auburn Arena crowd roaring with delight.

On the bench, Flyers freshman Dwayne Cohill was getting a quick tutorial.

• Notes: Anthony Grant had plenty of good things to say about Bruce Pearl's team, which has looked like a potential Final Four team in the first five weeks of the season, and Pearl returned the favor in his post-game comments on Auburn radio.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Videos: Second-half highlights | Turnover woes

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Dec. 16: Tulsa 72, Dayton 67

• Preview: The Golden Hurricane (8-3) have won three straight games, all at home. They beat Oklahoma State 74-71, No. 15 Kansas State 47-46 and New Orleans 70-60. Tulsa ranks 108th in the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) and 125th in the Pomeroy ratings. Dayton ranks 69th and 75th.

• What you need to know about game: The Flyers have a 62 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom., which predicts a score of 71-68.

• Game story: The Flyers suffered their fifth loss in the last six games Sunday, falling 72-67 to Tulsa in the Basketball Hall of Fame Holiday Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena.

• Five takeaways: After a 72-67 loss to Tulsa in the Basketball Hall of Fame Holiday Showcase, Dayton sits at 5-5. It has lost to five good teams. It would like to think of itself as a good team and still has three non-conference games and 18 Atlantic 10 games to prove it is. With the losses mounting — five in the last six games — fans are doubting whether the team will ever live up to the potential it showed in close losses to three-top 25 teams.

• Notes: The Flyers play every two seasons in the vicinity of the Basketball Hall of Fame. It's located in Springfield, Mass., 22 miles from the UMass campus in Amherst. However, those are business trips, focused on the games versus the Minutemen. Dayton doesn't often, if ever, get to visit the hall of fame. That made the team's visit Saturday extra special. The Flyers toured the hall a day before their loss to Tulsa.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Video: Dayton gets back in the game with 17-3 run

Dec. 19: Dayton 85, Western Michigan 72

• Preview: The Dayton Flyers didn't escape Connecticut until Monday afternoon. A planned trip home Sunday night after a 72-67 loss to Tulsaat Mohegan Sun Arena didn't happen because of mechanical issues with their charter flight.

• What you need to know about game: The Flyers have lost five of their last six games after a 4-0 start. It's the worst six-game stretch since January 2014 when they started 1-5 in Atlantic 10 play.

• Game story: Obi Toppin made all 11 of his field-goal attempts, tying a Dayton Flyers record for best field-goal accuracy in a game in an 85-72 victory against Western Michigan on Wednesday at UD Arena.

• Five takeaways: Anthony Grant described it as a game of "roller-coaster emotions and performances," though he could have used the same words to tell the story of the 2018-19 season.

• Archdeacon: To avoid an over-the-rim reveal, Obi Toppin resorted to some deep-sea subterfuge. After the Dayton Flyers had finally brushed aside Western Michigan, 85-72, Wednesday night – in part because of Jalen Crutcher's alley-oop passes that Toppin kept finishing off with powerful, often acrobatic dunks that left the UD Arenas crowd roaring – the 6-foot-9 freshman high-flyer was asked if there was a certain signal he and his point guard use to set these slams in motion.

• Notes: Josh Cunningham liked the 28 points and the 10-of-13 shooting in the Dayton Flyers' 85-72 victory against Western Michiganon Wednesday. There's no doubt he appreciated his 8-of-8 performance at the free-throw line most of all.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Videos: Crutcher and Toppin interview | Postgame press conference | Toppin highlights | Cunningham highlights | Cunningham interview

Dec. 22: Dayton 81, Presbyterian 69

• Preview: Like Western Michigan, which Dayton beat 85-72 on Wednesday, Presbyterian (6-6) enters this game on the heels of a impressive loss. The Broncos lost 70-62 at Michigan four days before playing at UD Arena. The Blue Hose lost 76-67 at Butler on Tuesday.

• What you need to know about game: Dayton has a 90 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com. It predicts a final score of 81-67.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team head into the holiday with a little extra cheer.

Dayton coasted to a 81-69 win over Presbyterian College on Saturday at UD Arena and now gets a well-earned break before the next game Dec. 29 at home against Georgia Southern.

• Five takeaways: The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team didn't finish as strong as it started Saturday's game, but a dominant first half proved good enough for the win.

• Archdeacon: Before he gets his Christmas present from his girlfriend, he figured he'd almost certainly get some advice from her.

Likely it would be a postgame text getting right to the point:

“Work on your free throws.”

Then again Josh Cunningham’s romantic interest isn’t just someone watching basketball from the stands.

She’s roundball royalty.

Dec. 29: Dayton 94, Georgia Southern 90

• Preview: The Dayton Flyers enter the final days of 2018 with one more chance to build momentum for 2019.

A grueling Atlantic 10 Conference schedule — 18 games in 63 days — begins Jan. 6. First Dayton (7-5) plays its final non-conference game, hosting Georgia Southern (8-4) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

• What you need to know: Dayton has a 75 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts an 83-75 score.

• Game story: Jalen Crutcher made four free throws in the final 13 seconds to help the Dayton Flyers beat Georgia Southern 94-90 on Saturday at UD Arena in the final non-conference game of the season.

• Five takeaways: Dayton Flyers forward Obi Toppin electrified his teammates, a sellout crowd at UD Arena and all of college basketball with one of the best dunks anyone has ever seen in a game. He took the ball between his legs while in the air before slamming it home with one hand on a fast break Saturday at UD Arena.

“I just felt good leaking out and getting the pass from Jalen (Crutcher),” Toppin said. “I just felt good jumping. I do it a lot in practice, so I just had the confidence to do it.”

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Viral moment: Dayton Flyers redshirt freshman forward Obi Toppin may have the dunk of the year in college basketball. Toppin took the ball between his legs while in the air before dunking in the with 6:05 to play in the second half of a 94-90 victory Saturday against Georgia Southern at UD Arena. The dunk gave the Flyers a 79-68 lead.

• Notes: Jhery Matos sat behind the Dayton Flyers bench on Saturday during a game against Georgia Southern at UD Arena. He didn't take his normal spot on the bench because he needed to protect his surgically-repaired left foot and didn't want to be in an area where a player might land on him.

• Recruiting: Chase Johnson visited the Dayton Flyers on Saturday two days after announcing he was transferring from the University of Florida.

• Videos: Toppin dunk | Toppin interview | Grant press conference

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Jan. 6: Dayton 72, Richmond 48

• Preview: The last Dayton Flyers fans heard from Anthony Grant — at least if they were listening to his post-game comments after a 94-90 victory Dec. 29 against Georgia Southern — he did not sound like a coach whose team had won three straight games and ranked among the best Atlantic 10 Conference teams on all the various analytic websites. He sounded frustrated.

• What you need to know: The Flyers have won six straight games in the series and won 87-81 at Richmond last season

• Game story: Josh Cunningham scored 25 points on 11-of-14 shooting to lead the Dayton Flyers to a 72-48 victory against Richmond in the Atlantic 10 Conference opener for both teams Sunday at UD Arena.

• Five takeaways: Any game that ends with walk-on guard Jack Westerfield driving the baseline and scoring on a layup, as his teammates erupt in excitement on the bench, goes into the good win column for the Dayton Flyers.

• Archdeacon: The High Flyer and the Bulldog. As was the case Sunday when they combined for 41 points and 19 rebounds in an easy 72-48 victory over Richmond at UD Arena, Obi Toppin and Josh Cunningham are often the 1-2 punch for the Dayton Flyers this season. And each has a name for the other.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Notes: The Dayton Flyers will hand out a new honor after this season. The team's best defender will win the Steve McElvene Award.

• Fan milestone: Janis Gudorf has been attending Dayton Flyers games since the 1960s. That's just what you do when grow up in Dayton, she said. She had an idea she might have a chance to be the 10 millionth fan Sunday but was excited to receive the honor.

• Recruiting: Chase Johnson, a 6-foot-9 transfer from the University of Florida, committed to the Dayton Flyers on Sunday, announcing his verbal commitment on Twitter. He fills Dayton's last 2019 scholarship.

• Dunk tracker: Obi Toppin has made a big splash in his first year on the court for the Dayton Flyers, racking up dunks at a furious pace.

• More on McElvene: Late Dayton Flyers center Steve McElvene's likeness will be featured on the Donate Life float in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Tuesday.

• Other stories: Dayton to hit attendance milestone | Archdeacon on the continuing impact of Big Steve | Throwback Thursday: UD's Great Midwest Debut | Best and worst of A-10 in non-conference play | A-10 power rankings

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Jan. 9: Dayton 72, George Washington 66

• Preview: George Washington's Charles E. Smith Center sits in the middle of a living history book. It's blocks away from the Watergate Hotel and the Lincoln Memorial and about as close to the White House as UD Arena is to the Cronin Center, where the Dayton Flyers practice on campus.

Of course, Dayton’s tortured history at the arena is not something it wants to revisit, but it has to be done as the Flyers (9-5, 1-0) prepare for a 7 p.m. Wednesday game against the Colonials (5-9, 1-0) in Washington, D.C.

• What you need to know: Dayton has a 76 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com, which predicts a 72-64 score.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers rallied from a 22-point deficit to beat George Washington 72-66 on Wednesday at the Charles E. Smith Center.

It’s Dayton’s first win at GW since 2009 and its fourth in 15 chances. It’s the second road victory of the last two seasons. The Flyers finished 1-8 on the road in conference play last season.

• Five takeaways: Anthony Grant didn't react when Obi Toppin threw down one of the greatest dunks in UD Arena history, but he pumped his fist in excitement with the rest of the Dayton Flyers when Jordan Davis hit a go-ahead 3-pointer Wednesday at George Washington.

• Notes: The Dayton Flyers expect more Atlantic 10 teams to concentrate on shutting down their inside game, daring them to shoot from the outside. That's what George Washington did Wednesday. It almost worked.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Other links: Flyers watch former teammate play in G League | What Dayton's roster will look like in 2019-20 | Throwback Thursday: Looking back at 2009 win at GW

• Video: Jordan Davis highlights | Highlights

Jan. 13: Dayton 72, UMass 67

• Preview: Massachusetts beat the snowstorm and arrived in the Dayton area two days before a 3:30 p.m. Sunday game against the Dayton Flyers at UD Arena. The Minutemen made the most of the extra time by visiting Top Golf in West Chester on Friday.

• What you need to know: Dayton has an 82 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 78-68 score.

• Game story: One year after missing a game-winning buzzer-beater in a loss at Massachusetts, Jalen Crutcher hit the big shot to lead the Dayton Flyers to a 72-67 victory over UMass on Sunday at UD Arena.

• More on game: Anyone who watches the Dayton Flyers walk up the tunnel at UD Arena after the game can measure by the magnitude of the victory by the decibel level of the players or the intensity of athletic director Neil Sullivan's hugs.

The Flyers can be loud — or "lowd," if you follow the younger fans who have made that misspelling part of UD basketball. Sullivan takes great joy in every victory and often greets the team as they head to the locker room. He was excited as anyone Wednesday when Dayton completed a 22-point comeback to win at George Washington and was all smiles Sunday when the Flyers beat Massachusetts 72-67.

• Archdeacon: As the two teams went through the traditional post-game handshake line following Dayton's 72-67 victory over Massachusetts, Sunday, at UD Arena, UMass coach Matt McCall didn't bother to extend a hand to two Flyers.

Instead, he hugged them both — tightly.

He first greeted UD coach Anthony Grant with a hearty embrace. Then, at the end of the line, he came upon Flyers’ point guard Jalen Crutcher, who’d scored 19 points and hit the final, go-ahead shot, a three-pointer from the top of the key with 70 seconds left.

• Notes: The Dayton Flyers will have 13 scholarship players on the bench the rest of the season. Only eight of them can play. One, Jhery Matos, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing foot surgery. Four will form one of the best scout teams in college basketball.

Florida transfer Chase Johnson, a 6-foot-9 forward, arrived on campus Saturday and sat next to Michigan transfer Ibi Watson (6-5 junior guard), Chattanooga transfer Rodney Chatman (6-1 guard) and Nebraska transfer Jordy Tshimanga (6-11 center) during a 72-67 victory Sunday against Massachusetts at UD Arena.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Other stories: Justin Raterman one of three entering UD Hall of Fame | Analyzing comeback at GW

• Videos: Highlights | Crutcher interview | Postgame press conference | Grant practice interview

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Jan. 16: VCU 76, Dayton 71

• Preview: Jalen Crutcher arrived at the post-game interviews Sunday with sparkling earrings. He confirmed they weren't real diamonds and he wasn't wearing them in the game. He threw them on fast in the locker room on the advice of teammate Trey Landers.

“Y’all be interviewing me,” Crutcher said with a laugh, “so Trey told me I have to look good.”

• What to know: Dayton has an 34 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 67-62 score.

• Game story: Virginia Commonwealth outscored the Dayton Flyers 11-2 in the last four minutes to win 76-71 at the Siegel Center on Wednesday.

• Five takeaways: The basketball left the hands of Jordan Davis, hit the backboard, rolled around the rim and then came to a rest on the back of the rim. Everyone waited for it to fall into the basket or off to the side.

Instead, the ball sat there for four seconds before the officials waved the play dead and awarded the ball to Virginia Commonwealth. It might still be sitting there had Dayton’s Obi Toppin not rushed over at that point to dunk the ball, but the play had ended, and with it, Dayton’s chances of winning at the Siegel Center died.

• More on game: Of all the empty possessions for the Dayton Flyers in the final four minutes Wednesday at Virginia Commonwealth — they scored two points in that span — none stood out more than the one that preceded the tie-breaking 3-pointer by Marcus Evans with 33 seconds to play.

• Notes: The Dayton Flyers took a 69-65 lead into the final four minutes after baskets by Ryan Mikesell and Jalen Crutcher on Wednesday at Virginia Commonwealth.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Other stories: A look back at last 10 games between UD, VCU | 2020 recruit visits UD | Gregory returns to campus | A-10 honors Davis | Gregory returns to campus with South Florida

• Video: Highlights from last four minutes

Jan. 19: Dayton 89, St. Bonaventure 86 (2 OTs)

• Preview: For whatever reason, the Dayton Flyers have played better at St. Bonaventure's Reilly Center than most Atlantic 10 Conference arenas.

Dayton has won eight of its last nine games at the Reilly Center, for example, while going 3-6 at La Salle’s Tom Gola Arena and 0-9 at St. Joseph’s Hagan Arena in the same span.

• What to know: Dayton has a 60 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 67-64 score.

• Five takeaways: The Dayton Flyers planned to return to their hotel, the Fairfield Inn and Suites, across the street from St. Bonaventure on Saturday night to relax, watch some basketball on TV and play video games.

• Game story: Jordan Davis scored five points in the last 65 seconds of the second overtime to lead the Dayton Flyers to an 89-86 victory against St. Bonaventure at the Reilly Center on Saturday.

• Photo gallery: Twenty best shots.

• Notes: All season, Dayton Flyers forward Ryan Mikesell has stood out from his teammates in one stat: the plus-minus number.

• Other stories: Dallas Mavericks promote Antetokounmpo | One close game after another for Dayton

• Videos: Postgame press conference | Highlights

Jan. 23: George Mason 67, Dayton 63

• Preview: The Dayton Flyers hit rock bottom in the 2017-18 season when they lost 85-67 at George Mason in February. The starters sat the last five minutes. The coaches watched most of that stretch with blank stares.

• What you need to know: Dayton has a 73 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 74-67 score.

• Game story: George Mason outscored the Dayton Flyers 7-0 in the last 2:06 to stun the crowd at UD Arena and win 67-63 on Wednesday.

• Five takeaways: George Mason stamped itself as a legitimate contender in the Atlantic 10. The Dayton Flyers suffered the kind of loss — blowing a late lead at home — that will make everyone question whether it can hang with the top teams in the conference with the toughest part of the schedule looming in February.

• Archdeacon: There's an old saying – especially in boxing, where the once-feared heavyweight Sonny Liston used it more than once – that goes:

“Don’t let your alligator mouth overload your hummingbird butt.”

I don't want to say that totally fits the Dayton Flyers' late-game swoon in a 67-63 loss to George Mason on Wednesday night at UD Arena – they didn't big-mouth it at the end – but they certainly did show some hummingbird tail feathers in the final minutes.

• Notes: If the Dayton Flyers had beaten George Mason on Wednesday, they would have moved into a three-way tie for first place at 5-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference with Saint Louis, Davidson and Duquesne.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: One close game after another for Dayton in A-10 play | Throwback Thursday: Looking back at five-overtime game in 1982

• Videos: Ryan Mikesell interview | Postgame press conference | Highlights from last four minutes | Mikesell practice interview } Grant practice interview

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Jan. 26: Dayton 75, Fordham 52

• Preview: Dayton is 10-3 at Fordham's Rose Hill Gym and has won six straight games there and 14 straight games in the series. However, this is also a Dayton team that loves a close game — five straight in the A-10 have come down to the final minute, including a 67-63 loss at home to George Mason on Wednesday — and a Fordham team perhaps due for a victory after losing its last five games by an average of four points.

• What you need to know: Dayton has a 69 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 69-63 score.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers enjoyed a rare tension-free game in Atlantic 10 Conference play, dominating last-place Fordham for the last 32 minutes to win 75-52 on Saturday afternoon at Rose Hill Gym.

• Five takeaways: Obi Toppin emerged from the locker room at Rose Hill Gym to loud cheers. A large group of family members, including his parents, and friends from his hometown of Ossining, N.Y., drove the 25 miles south to Fordham to see Toppin and the Dayton Flyers on Saturday, and neither disappointed.

• Notes: No one in the Atlantic 10 Conference has duplicated the game plan George Washington had against the Dayton Flyers — or more specifically against Josh Cunningham. The Colonials held Cunningham to six points and one field-goal attempt on Jan. 6, though the Flyers rallied for a 72-66 victory.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Dayton offers scholarship to 2020 recruit

• Video: Highlights.

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Jan. 29: Dayton 75, Saint Joseph’s 64

• Preview: Dayton Flyers fans who cursed their luck when Josh Cunningham missed the first two games with a wrist injury or when Jhery Matos suffered a season-ending foot injury in November need only look at the St. Joseph's roster for perspective.

• What you need to know: Dayton has an 87 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 78-65 score.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers blew a 12-point lead in the second half but then took control with a 13-2 run midway through the half to beat Saint Joseph's 75-64 on Tuesday at UD Arena.

.• How they won: Guard Charlie Brown Jr. did everything well in the first 10 minutes for Saint Joseph's on Tuesday at UD Arena except rescue basketballs stuck on the top of the backboard.

• Archdeacon: It sounded like they were making a pitch to remake the movie Trading Places.In that popular 1983 comedy, Dan Aykroyd, an upper class commodities broker, and Eddie Murphy, a homeless street hustler, trade places and Wall Street goes along for a wild ride.

After the University of Dayton's 75-64 victory over Saint Joseph's on Tuesday night at UD Arena, Ryan Mikesell and Obi Toppin, the Flyers stars in this outing, stood next to each other at the postgame press gathering and showed they were both a comedic duo and the head of each other's fan club.

• Notes: Saint Joseph's brings its mascot on the road — something no other team does — for regular-season games in Atlantic 10 Conference play. The Hawk flapped his wings all night Tuesday at UD Arena, shedding feathers on the court in the process, but it did no good.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: UD ties arena record with eighth sellout | Throwback Thursday: Looking back at 1953 game against Duquesne

• Video: Highlights | Toppin interview | Postgame press conference

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Feb. 2: Dayton 68, Duquesne 64

• Preview: The Dayton Flyers first played Duquesne, the out-of-state opponent it has played more than any other, in January 1953, winning two double-overtime games 19 days apart thanks to names well remembered 66 years later: Don Donoher, Jack Sallee, Tom Frericks, John Horan, James Paxson, etc.

• What you need to know: Dayton has an 84 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 77-66 score.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers outscored Duquesne 4-0 in the final two minutes to earn a 68-64 victory Saturday at UD Arena.

• How they won: Coach Anthony Grant fielded a question about the next game, which happens at the end of almost every postgame press conference, after his Dayton Flyers rallied to beat Duquesne 68-64 with a 4-0 run in the final two minutes Saturday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd of 13,147 at UD Arena.

• Notes: The Dayton Flyers rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat Duquesne 68-64 on Saturday at UD Arena without their top scorer on the floor.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Six game stretch could make or break Flyers | Top-100 prospect visits Dayton | A-10 at the halfway point

• Video: Highlights | Toppin interview | Postgame press conference

Feb. 5: Saint Louis 73, Dayton 60

• Preview: Jalen Crutcher fell to the court midway the second half Saturday, grabbing his ankle and wincing in pain as trainer Mike Mulcahey rushed to his side. A hush fell over a sellout crowd of 13,147 at UD Arena. Everyone knows how much Dayton depends on its sophomore point guard.

• What you need to know: Dayton leads the series 33-26 and has won eight of the last nine games.

• Game story: Saint Louis ended a four-game losing streak and handed the Dayton Flyers their most lopsided defeat of the season, winning 73-60 on Tuesday at Chaifetz Arena.

• Five takeaways: Saint Louis celebrated Star Wars Night on Tuesday at Chaifetz Arena. A Stormtrooper walked around the court before the game along with a Jawa and an Ewok, all of them looking right at home with the Billiken mascot, who wore a brown robe out of Luke Skywalker's wardrobe.

• Notes: Travis Ford painted a picture of woe for the Saint Louis Billikens in the days leading up to their matchup with the Dayton Flyers.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Toppin having one of best freshman seasons in UD history | What advanced stats tell us

• Video: Dayton's slow start

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Feb. 9: Dayton 77, Rhode Island 48

• Preview: The Dayton Flyers cut down the nets on Senior Night after clinching a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championship in 2016. They did the same in 2017 after winning the title outright, beating Virginia Commonwealth on Senior Night for the second straight season.

• What you need to know: The Rams rank 128th in the Ken Pomeroy ratings and 120th in the NCAA Evaluation Tool. Dayton ranks 72nd and 96th.

• Game story: Anthony Grant walked off the court at Rhode Island's Ryan Center with a big smile as he talked to junior guard Trey Landers. That's a rare sight for Grant, who only breaks out the biggest grins for the biggest victories.

• Five takeaways: A lot can change in a year. A lot can change in four days.

Fifty weeks after losing by 25 to Rhode Island at the Ryan Center, the Dayton Flyers won by 29, dominating the defending Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season champions on Saturday. Four days after falling behind by 20 in the first half at Saint Louis, the Flyers led by 20 in the first half against the Rams.

• Notes: Fans of the Dayton Flyers speculated in recent week about the status of Josh Cunningham.Was he just in a slump, or was there something else explaining his offensive numbers? He scored three points in back-to-back games against Saint Joseph's and Duquesne and still didn't look like his old self even though he scored 12 points in the loss Tuesday at Saint Louis.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Daniels 'truly missed' 23 years after his death

• Video: Highlights of 27-7 run | Postgame press conference | Crutcher highlights

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Feb. 16: VCU 69, Dayton 68

• Preview: Obi Toppin has played in only one game between the Dayton Flyers and Virginia Commonwealth, but he nailed the importance of the the series when he was asked Thursday if the Rams are UD's biggest rival.

• What you need to know: VCU leads the series 10-5 and 7-4 since entering the A-10 in 2012-13 season.

• Game story: Anthony Grant will remember the character and the fight of his team during a 22-point comeback most of all, but in the end, the Dayton Flyers suffered a familiar loss to Virginia Commonwealth on Saturday.

• Five takeaways: Dayton has lost four straight games in the series. All the games have been decided by five points or fewer. The Rams have won the last three on go-ahead shots in the final minute. This time, it was Marcus Evans hitting the game-winner with six seconds to play, negating Dayton's 22-point second-half comeback and a clutch shot by Obi Toppin nine seconds earlier.

• Archdeacon: Dayton's heartbreaking loss to VCU Saturday came with at least two heroes for the Flyers: The sold-out crowd at UD Arena and redshirt junior Ryan Mikesell.

• Notes: From the last week of November to the middle of February, the Dayton Flyers had good luck on the injury front. A team that couldn't afford to lose any more players after seeing Jhery Matos suffer a season-ending foot injury in the sixth game kept its eight-man roster intact for an 18-game stretch.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Flyers down one player for VCU game | How former Flyers are doing in G League | Darrell Davis talks about first season in pro basketball | Throwback Thursday: 1990 MCC championship

• Video: Highlights of 26-4 run | Postgame press conference | Highlights from final two minutes

Feb. 19: Dayton 74, Davidson 73

• Preview: Not many visiting coaches have said this after playing at UD Arena because few visiting coaches find themselves in good moods after playing the Dayton Flyers on Tom Blackburn Court, where Dayton wins much more often than it loses.

• What you need to know: Dayton has a 41 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 67-65 score

• Game story: Josh Cunningham made 1 of 2 free throws with 2.2 seconds to break a tie and give the Dayton Flyers a 74-73 victory at Davidson on Tuesday at Belk Arena.

• Five takeaways: Maybe the cutest story in college basketball — Dayton Flyers star Josh Cunningham dating WNBA All-Star A'ja Wilson — delivered a fun new chapter Tuesday.

With Wilson watching from the stands, as she has often this season, Cunningham overcame his struggles at the free-throw line to make 9 of 10. The only miss came with 2.2 seconds to play in a tie game. The last make came moments later as the redshirt senior forward Cunningham clinched a 74-73 victory against Davidson at Belk Arena.

• Notes: Trey Landers wore a black shoulder brace, a fancy-looking contraption that kept his joint immobilized, for seven days after banging the shoulder in practice Feb. 11. It wasn't a fun time, mostly because he couldn't help the Dayton Flyers on Saturday during their 69-68 loss to Virginia Commonwealth at UD Arena.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Wright excited as Toppin nears his mark | Landers back in action | Dayton, VCU both offer scholarships to Centerville junior

• Video: Cunningham highlights | Highlights of last four minutes

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Feb. 23: Dayton 70, Saint Louis 62

• What you need to know: Dayton leads the series 33-27 and has won eight of the last 10 games.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers pulled away from Saint Louis in the final 10 minutes and sealed a 70-62 victory with four free throws in the final 62 seconds Saturday at UD Arena.

• Three takeaways: Each of the 13,137 seats at UD Arena had a red towel draped over it before the game. Every player in the Dayton Flyers lineup wore their red road jerseys instead of the white home uniforms. Even the four transfers sitting out the season and the injured Jhery Matos wore the same red shirts.

• Archdeacon: Superman vs. Batman. Mariah or Whitney. Pepsi vs. Coke. The Sopranos or The Wire. LeBron vs. MJ?

They’re some of the popular debates that can stir passionate response, but have no definitive answer.

It was along those lines that Jalen Crutcher and Obi Toppin found themselves in some good-natured disagreement after their Dayton Flyers had topped Saint Louis, 70-62, Saturday at UD Arena.

• Notes: One week after sitting on the bench with a contraption on his left shoulder that made it seem as if he would be out of action for weeks, Dayton Flyers guard Trey Landers found himself in the middle of the action and playing well against Saint Louis.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Six ways Dayton has improved since last season | Toppin honored again by A-10

• Video: Dayton makes 7 3-pointers | Crutcher, Toppin interview | Postgame press conference

Credit: David Jablonski - Staff Writer

Feb. 26: Dayton 72, Massachusetts 48

• Preview: No team sums up the unpredictability of the Atlantic 10 Conference this season better than Massachusetts.

The Dayton Flyers (18-9, 10-4) play the Minutemen (10-17, 3-11) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Amherst, Mass., and on the surface, it appears to be a sure Dayton victory. It’s a matchup of the third-place team and the 13th-place team in a 14-team league.

• What you need to know: Dayton has a 74 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com , which predicts a 74-67 score.

• Game story: The Dayton Flyers won a regular-season game against UMass at the Mullins Center for the first time since 2004, routing the Minutemen 72-48 on Tuesday.

• Five takeaways: Anthony Grant led 3-year-old Delilah Riccardi by the hand down the hallway to the Dayton Flyers locker room after a 72-48 victory against Massachusetts on Tuesday. Grant cracked opened the door and called for his leading scorer.

• Notes: Fans of the Dayton Flyers have often floated a theory about their team struggling on the road because it's used to the excitement the large crowds bring to UD Arena and doesn't always get the same experience elsewhere.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Six ways Dayton has improved since last season | Toppin honored again by A-10

March 1: Rhode Island 72, Dayton 70

• Preview: Like all college basketball coaches, Dayton Flyers coach Anthony Grant has many favorite quotes he repeats throughout the year. This is one of them: "Every game has a life of its own."

Grant said that Wednesday, one day after a 72-48 victory at Massachusetts and two days before a 7 p.m. Friday game against Rhode Island at UD Arena. It's a true statement. Momentum doesn't always carry over to the next game just as a poor performance doesn't always infect a team's play days later.

• What you need to know: Dayton has an 83 percent chance of winning this game, according to KenPom.com, which predicts a 73-63 score.

• Game story: Trey Landers almost won the game for the Dayton Flyers with a tip-in at the buzzer in the second half and then missed what would have been a game-tying shot at the buzzer in overtime as Rhode Island won 72-70 on Friday at UD Arena.

• Four reasons for the loss: A Dayton Flyers season that has had a little bit of everything has lacked a buzzer-beater.

Trey Landers almost provided the first Friday. After Jalen Crutcher missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds, Landers rushed the basket, jumped and tipped the rebound back toward the rim. It rolled across the rim and fell off to the side as the buzzer sounded, sending Dayton and Rhode Island to overtime at UD Arena. At that moment, most fans in the stands and the Flyers themselves could only laugh and smile at Dayton’s bad luck.

• Archdeacon: Were the Flyers done in by Fatts Russell or fat heads?

Was it way too much of one 6-foot-8 guy inside and far too little from another 6-8 guy?

Or, was it the missed treys or the Trey misses?

• Notes: The Dayton Flyers have been as resilient as they have been inconsistent in the 2018-19 season. Every loss in Atlantic 10 Conference play — most of them coming in devastating or frustrating circumstances — has been followed by a victory.

• Photo gallery: Top 20 shots from the game.

• Other stories: Sibert makes 3-pointer in first appearance | Lunardi bumps up Dayton in latest prediction | Dayton's four transfers focused on this season | 2020 recruiting update

• Video: Highlights from final minutes and OT | Postgame press conference

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About the Author

David Jablonski

David Jablonski covers the Dayton Flyers and other sports for the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal News.