A pre-season Top 25 team a year ago, Dayton was supposed to be the cream of the crop in the Atlantic 10. Instead, the Flyers floundered finishing a disappointing seventh place in a surprisingly competitive conference. They missed out on the NCAA Tournament but took home the NIT Championship… which poses the question; would you rather your team make it to the NCAA Tournament and be a one-and-done or have your team win the NIT? Discuss.
The Sports Bank’s “99 in 99” ranks the 72 power conference college basketball teams and top 27 mid-majors. Click here if you missed teams #39-#99.
By: David Kay
Dayton Flyers (7th, 8-8 in A-10, 25-12 overall)
Projected Depth Chart
F/C: Devin Searcy (Sr)/Josh Benson (So)/Matt Cavanaugh (So)
F: Chris Wright (Sr)/Luke Fabrizius (Jr)
G/F: Chris Johnson (Jr)/Ralph Hill (Fr)/Dean Oliver (Fr)
G: Paul Williams (Jr)/Brandon Spearman (Fr)
PG: Josh Parker (Jr)/Juwan Staten (Fr)
Gone: PG-London Warren, PG-Rob Lowery, SG-Marcus Johnson, C-Kurt Huelsman, G-Mickey Perry
2010-2011 Outlook:
The past few seasons, Dayton has been a deep team that loves to get in your grill on the defensive end and pressure you all 94 feet while trying to run as much as possible when the ball is in their hands. That will once again be the philosophy under Brian Gregory who is entering his eighth season as head man of the Flyers.
Half of the Dayton’s ten-man rotation is gone from a year ago. Chris Wright was probably hoping he would in the NBA by now but instead the crazy athletic, rim rocking senior is back to lead Dayton. He cannot shoot the ball worth a lick but gets after it on the glass and is practically unstoppable in transition.
Devin Searcy and Josh Benson are long, athletic bigs who will be asked to replace Kurt Huelsman inside. They do not bring much in terms of a post-up, back-to-the-basket game but they can each get up and down the floor.
Dayton loses a lot in the backcourt including dread head brothers, London Warren and Rob Lowery (I can’t be the only person who says his name like Martin Lawrence says “Mike Llllllloowwwww-rey” in Bad Boys… right?)
The team’s second leading scorer is back in Chris Johnson. He will help be Wright’s wing man. Paul Williams also steps into a full-time starting role while Drake transfer Josh Parker will take over at the point. A plethora of freshmen will battle for bench minutes including highly-ranked point guard Juwan Staten.
Player to Watch: Josh Parker, PG
The Thornton High School graduate (SICA represent) should take over the starting point guard duties but will be challenged by Staten. Parker averaged 10.7 points per game while shooting 43.2% from three during his sophomore season at Drake. Having practiced with the Flyers last season should help ease his transition back onto the floor and replace the four senior guards from a year ago. Dayton will be even deeper at the point next season when Southern Illinois transfer and Homewood-Flossmoor alum (SICA stand-up!) Kevin Dillard becomes eligible.
Key Non-Conference Games:
11/20 at Ole Miss
11/27 vs. Cincinnati
12/4 vs. Miami
12/11 at Old Dominion
12/22 at Seton Hall
12/29 vs. George Mason
1/1 vs. New Mexico
Other 99 in 99’s:
#39 Notre Dame
#40 Mississippi State
#41 Utah State
#42 Maryland
#43 Richmond
#44 UNLV
#45 Seton Hall
#46 Wichita State
#47 Washington State
#48 St. Louis
#49 Old Dominion
#50 Minnesota
#51 New Mexico
#52 UConn
#53 Northwestern
#54 UCLA
#55 Southern Mississippi
#56 St. Mary’s
#57 Texas A&M
#58 Louisville
#59 Arizona State
#60 Northern Iowa
#61 Creighton
#62 Clemson
#63 Cincinnati
#64 Texas Tech
#65 Miami, FL
#66 Charlotte
#67 UTEP
#68 Ole Miss
#69 George Mason
#70 Colorado
#71 Weber State
#72 Alabama
#73 Bradley
#74 Central Florida
#75 Wake Forest
#76 Georgia Tech
#77 USC
#78 Oklahoma State
#79 Cal
#80 Oklahoma
#81 Virginia
#82 South Carolina
#83 Indiana
#84 Stanford
#85 Oregon
#86 Penn State
#87 South Florida
#88 Arkansas
#89 Boston College
#90 LSU
#91 Providence
#92 Michigan
#93 Oregon State
#94. Nebraska
#95. Auburn
#96. DePaul
#97. Iowa State
#98. Rutgers
#99. Iowa