“They were more prepared than us and I take the blame for that, along with our staff and players,” – Anthony Grant. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Was it letdown, or just a head full of themselves. The Flyers went on the road to George Washington and played like Martha…lose 82-62.
Washington, DC — The University of Dayton basketball team received a choking dose of what it’s like to have a big, round target on its back and to have a supposedly inferior opponent hit bulls-eye aftter bulls-eye after bull-eye.
George Washington University was a 9 1/2-point underdog for Saturday afternoon’s game against the Flyers.
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George Washington was picked to finish next-to-last in the Atlantic 10 Conference while Dayton’s Flyers were picked to finish second.
George Washington was without its leading scorer. The Revolutionaries lost 15 points a game when post player Darren Buchanan rolled his ankle in practice Friday and didn’t suit up Saturday.
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During pre-game introductions, a pair of TV commentators anointed the Flyers with championship oil.
“Dayton is the class of the A-10,” said the first one.
“Right now they are in the NCAA tournament with their wins over UConn and Marquette,” said the other.
Then they played the game. Then all the facts, figures and comments were moot. Then the Flyers were in deep quicksand and never pulled themselves out.
George Washington not only beat the Flyers, they beat them to pulp, beat them to tears, beat the bejabbers out of them, 82-62.
Christian Jones did not have a Christian attitude toward the Flyers. He scored 13 quick points with three three-pointers to push GW to a 16-7 lead just three minutes into the game.
The deficit swelled to 23-7 and the game was over. The Flyers mostly trailed by double digits, but gave the Flyer Faithful who made the trip faint hope with 6 1/2 minutes left.
Javon Bennett scored on a no-look, scoop-and flip basket to pull the Flyers within four at 64-60. It was a mirage in the middle of a basketball desert.
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From there, GW outscored the Flyers, 18-2, finishing with a 13-0 flourish that included three straight threes in the final minute.
Threes? It rained threes on the Flyers. The Revolutionaries (nee Colonials) were 15 for 31 from the three-point stripe. The Flyers? Their marksmanship from three continues below a passing grade with 4 of 15.
Two GW players had more threes than the entire UD team — Christian Jones was 5 for 8 and Gerald Drumgolle was 5 for 12. For good measure, Trey Autry lived up to his given name, Trey, with three treys on three tries.
Nate Santos made two of UD’s four three-pointers, but also missed five tries. Nevertheless, Santo was the only Flyer to show up scoring-wise with 23. Zed Key was the only other double-figure producer with 10.
UD’s miseries from three-point territory continue. They’ve shot under 30% in five straight games. For the season they are 115-330, a 34.8 average, 103rd in the country.
And Santos, the team’s best sniper, is 6 for 24 since going 6 for 6 against Lehigh.
Meanwhile, down in Lexiington, Ky., former UD shooting guard Koby Brea made 7 of 9 three-pointers Saturday morning in Rupp Arena, helping UK beat Florida, 106-100.
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That’s what $1.2 million in NIL money will get you on the open market. . .and when Brea is open, one can usually mark down a three.
GW had two players match Santos with 23 each — Jones and Drumgolle. And Autry added 17.
The Flyers shot 21 for 60 (25%) and were antagonized around the basket by Rafael Castro, who blocked three shots and altered the trajectories on about a dozen more.
“Give that team a lot of credit,” UD coach Anthony Grant said, referring not to his Flyers but to the 12-3 Revolutionaries, 1-1 in the A10.
“They were more prepared than us and I take the blame for that, along with our staff and players,” he added. “It’s disappointing. We’ve dug ourselves a hole with a disappointing loss.
“Their players did a good job of taking advantage of their opportunities. We failed the task, we didn’t hold ourselves accountable.”
Despite trailing in the first half by 8-0, 14-6, 16-7, 23-7, 36-21 and 43-27, the Flyers made a few runs.
They trailed 43-27 at intermission, but scored the first nine points of the second half and pulled to within 43-36.
And with a 15-5 second half run they were within 48-43. From there it was back-and-forth, forth and back, until it reached 64-60 with 6 1/2 minutes left.
“We had an opportunity to get within one or take the lead, but we didn’t take that opportunity,” said Grant. “We missed some shots, a couple of threes, and a couple of turnovers.”
What really happened at 64-60:
—Malachi Smith missed a three.
—Smith turned it over on a fast break.
—Key fumbled away a pass from Smith in the paint.
—Santos missed a three.
At that point it was 69-60 with four minutes left and UD’s troubles only mounted. GW finished on an 18-2 run that included a 13-0 spurt at the finish that included three three-pointers in the final minute.
A microcosm of UD’s day was when the Flyer trailed 73-62 and this happened on the same play: Smith missed a driving layup…Key snared the rebound and missed a putback…Cheeks snagged the rebound and missed a stickback.
That’s the kind of day it was.
And the 11-3 Flyers, 1-1 in the A10, have a short turnaround. They move up the east coast to play UMass Wednesday night in Amherst.
They’ll have an opportunity — Grant’s favorite word — to show that they are accountable.
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