Flyers repel Spiders

Coming off of a convincing victory over the Charlotte 49ers, the University of Dayton Flyers were able to continue their winning ways by defeating the Richmond Spiders 78-74. Kevin Dillard and Devin Oliver led the home team in scoring with 21 and 19 points respectively. Oliver was also able to secure 10 rebounds as the Flyers out-rebounded Richmond 32 to 19.

 

For Oliver, the double-double was his second straight, and seventh of the season.  His 19 points matched his career high. 

 

Richmond only led twice in the game, holding brief one-point leads with 18:35  and 5:31 left in the first half, but the Flyers were only able to get out farther than a two-possession game for a total of 76 seconds out of the 40 minutes.

 

Dayton led 34-27 lead going into the half, but Richmond scored the first five points coming out of the break to cut the Flyer lead to two.  A Matt Derenbecker trey gave UD another seven-point advantage (54-47 with 10:43 left), but Richmond responded with another 5-0 run to get back to a two-point game.

 

When Richmond cut the Dayton lead to three, 65-62 with 4:04 to go, the Flyer freshmen took over.  Rookies Dyshawn Pierre, Jalen Robinson and Khari Price scored UD’s final 13 points of the game.  Pierre started it with an emphatic two-hand slam, and added a pair of free throws with one second remaining.  Price scored his only two points of the game at the line with seven seconds to go and Dayton nursing a two-point lead. 

And Robinson scored seven straight points (out of his nine for the game) on an offensive rebound and three-point-play, a reverse dunk and another offensive board and put-back.

 

Dayton has now won three of four as the Flyers battle their way to Brooklyn, where the A-10 men’s basketball championship will be played.  The win moves the Flyers to 16-12 overall and 6-8 in the Atlantic 10.  Richmond saw its three-game win streak snapped, as the Spiders fell to 17-12, and 7-7 in conference. 

The game was Dayton’s annual Hall of Fame Game.  UD’s Athletic Hall of Fame grew by three when Brian Harlamert (baseball, 1991-94), Chris Harris (men’s basketball, 1951-55) and Ted Kissell (Director of Athletics, 1992-2008) were inducted into the Hall.

 

Dayton will host St. Bonaventure on Senior Night in the final home game of the regular season Wednesday, March 6 at 7:00 p.m. ET.