Ready For Prime Time

BEVERLY HILLS (MI) – The University of Dayton Flyers will face the #6 rated Houston Cougars in the championship game of the Charleston Classic on ESPN in prime-time Sunday evening. It has been an interesting extended weekend already with two come-from-behind thrillers in the books. While we wait for the UH game, let’s savor what the guys have already accomplished.

The win expectancy chart for the LSU tilt is kinda interesting, no?



The game featured tremendous defensive pressure by the Fly Guys which enabled them to come back twice and eventually tie it back up via this Koby Brea three:

https://twitter.com/DavidPJablonski/...92985233891714

And then win it on this Nate Santos triple with 4 seconds remaining:

https://twitter.com/DavidPJablonski/...94914429223189

A look at the advance stats makes for intriguing reading:

https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=494369

While he only scored 6 points, Enoch Cheeks had 2 blocks and 10 rebounds, while Santos was a highly efficient 6-9 from the field (3-6 on threes) for 19 points, to go with 9 boards and 3 steals.

The St. John’s game presented its own problems in the personage of one Joel Soriano, the 6’11” 250 lb. transfer from Fordham. The box score for this one is equally captivating:

https://daytonflyers.com/sports/mens...boxscore/16358

Santos again rose to the challenge with an impressive stat line of 18 points on 6-8 shooting paired with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. In the second half, he repeatedly drove to the rack for the hoop and the harm:

https://twitter.com/DavidPJablonski/...21290982130049

DaRon had a much more productive outing, as he tallied 21 points, 5 caroms, 2 blocks and this trey:

https://twitter.com/DavidPJablonski/...13416935489932

UD as a team shot 82% (23-28) from the FT line and got meaningful minutes from Petras Padegimas, Isaac Jack and, much to Chris Rieman’s delight, even Zimi Nwokeji!

The win over the Johnnies prompted this reaction from Dickie V:

Dayton Flyers r going to be really trouble - they have multiple talents & r well coached by Anthony Grant. Beat LSU Thurs. & today St Johns 88-81. Have a special duo in Nate Santos who is a 3 level scorer & DaRon Holmes who gives them a strong inside presence & had 21.

According to the New York Post, following the game, Slick Rick was upset with his SJU charges, feeling that they “didn’t pay attention to the scouting report”:

https://nypost.com/2023/11/17/sports...oss-to-dayton/

The St. John’s MB makes for interesting reading:

https://red.fans/quad/threads/charle....323498/page-3

ICYMI, here is the full replay for the game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tR6FmztY24

As I mentioned in the game thread (and ESPN’s Seth Greenberg echoed) the Big East can consider the St. John’s game our application for admittance to the conference.

HOF writer Hal McCoy of the DDN relates how UD actually saved the Charleston Classic from extinction:

https://www.daytondailynews.com/spor...AJPHOITWTNIAY/

The MVC (Most Valuable Crowd) so far in Charleston has to be the Flyer Faithful. They have made a huge difference in inciting the Red and Chapel Blue to rally from deficits in both games and drown out the opposition’s fandom.

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson admitted as much when he said the upcoming Flyer tilt will be the “First road game of the year Sunday” and Dayton “has awesome fans!”

While the Coaches’ Poll has Houston as #6, Ken Pom ranks them #1 in the country:

https://kenpom.com/

Time for the Flyers and the Flyer Faithful to make some noise in prime time on Sunday evening!

That’s it “From the Swamp.”
You can email me at: swampy@udpride.com