Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2025/1/ ... ayton.aspxDayton Stats and Intel - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /2025.html Record: 11-6 (1-3, 14th in A-10 MBB)
Coach: Anthony Grant
PS/G: 75.3 (181st of 364)
PA/G: 68.7 (102nd of 364)
SRS: 11.50 (66th of 364)
SOS: 5.81 (45th of 364)
ORtg: 113.5 (70th of 364)
DRtg: 103.5 (206th of 364)
Preseason Odds: Championship +25000
Loyola Chicago Ramblers (11-6, 2-2) at Dayton Flyers (11-6, 1-3) – 3:00 pm CST @ UD ArenaJust one month ago, the Dayton Flyers were sitting in a good spot, appearing to have a tournament bid potentially secured with strong non-conference victories over Northwestern, Uconn, and Marquette, with very close losses to UNC, Iowa State, and Cincinnati. But since December 20th they’ve dropped off immensely, losing 4 of their last 5 and are trying to pull themselves out of a hole the Dayton program has not experienced in quite some time.
Visiting them in game-1 of this season’s 2-game series is Loyola, who looks to carry momentum from Wednesday night’s thrilling 81-77 victory over Rhode Island into UD Arena with hopes of helping Dayton dig themselves into a deeper hole. Considering Dayton opens as -9.5 favorites in this one, Loyola should expect to play against a team fighting for its life, and to get the best version of Dayton early in the game – or else we could have another quick ending and disappointment like we saw last Saturday at Joe’s.
Dayton has not lost 4 straight games since January of 2014, when Archie Miller was their coach, and that year they advanced as far as the Elite Eight.
Dayton leads the all-time series with us 25-16 and has won two of the three games since Loyola joined the A-10 in the 2022-23 season. Meeting for the first time since 1993, Dayton defeated Loyola 85-81 in overtime at UD Arena (the Ted Valentine game) and then gave us a pounding on an ESPN Friday night game, 65-49 at Loyola.
Last season when we defeated them on our floor 77-72 before a sold-out capacity crowd and nationally televised audience at Gentile Arena, we let Dayton know that we are here, we are good enough for them, and we're going to be your rivals.
Anthony Grant has had Dayton as one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 the past six seasons and was picked to finish second in the A-10 preseason poll. Grant’s consistency mixed with a bunch of returning talent for the Flyers could end up making this team the potential favorites to win the conference despite the current 3-game losing streak.
Senior forward Nate Santos headlines the Flyers, a solid rebounder and elite floor spacer (41.8% 3P) who also leads them in scoring at nearly 15 ppg. Santos originally entered the transfer portal but ended up returning to the program, giving a huge boost of experience and consistency.
The Flyers return a trio of key guards along with a couple of deep bench pieces in the backcourt. Junior guard Malachi Smith (11 ppg, 5.6 apg) has returned after missing all last season due to injury. Smith gives the Flyers a natural starting point guard, something they did not have at all in some games last season. He also hits 42.5% of his threes. Enoch Cheeks, their second leading scorer at 12.4ppg and 6.8rpg, is a two-way veteran guard who needs to get watched closely. The lineup also features a third guard, Javon Bennett, a great defender for the Flyers who averages 9 ppg.
Despite key returnees, Dayton lost several integral pieces from last season’s squad. Most notably, Daron Holmes II (20 ppg, 9 rpg) pursued the NBA draft after a tremendous junior year at Dayton. Additionally, two crucial backcourt members, Koby Brea (11 ppg, 4 rpg), and Kobe Elvis (9 ppg, 4 apg), both went portaling following their junior seasons as well, transferring to SEC schools.
To replace the lost production, Grant landed Butler transfer Posh Alexander (6.6 ppg and 2.7 apg), who is a good defender and physical guard who brings four years of high-major experience with him. Alexander gives the Flyers another ball-handler alongside Bennett and Smith and levels up the defensive side of things.
New in the Flyers frontcourt is Ohio State transfer, Zed Key, who averages 11.4 ppg and 4.2rpg. Key’s production fell off in his senior year at Ohio State after averaging 11 ppg and 8 rpg as a junior, but transferring into the Atlantic 10 has benefited him. Key brings a physical presence to the paint and is an elite rebounder at just 6-8.
The Flyers have gone 10-1 in home games this season, which is something to be mindful of. Their main rotation only consists of 7 guys too, so fatigue and foul trouble could become a late game factor. Dayton is seventh in the A-10 at limiting opponent scoring, giving up 68.7 points while holding opponents to 42.8% shooting.
As the legendary JCT wrote previously on Dayton in last season’s game preview -
Quote:
It’s a really difficult thing to beat Dayton. You’ve got to hold them to under 42% field goal shooting, and hope they are also having an off night on threes or at the free throw line (they’re a 71% free throw shooting team). Generally, they seem to struggle more at a deliberate pace with long possessions.
^^^^^ (That’s how George Mason ALWAYS BEATS THEM!)
Dayton will run a starting lineup of 6-7 F Nate Santos, 6-8 F Zed Key, 6-3 G Enoch Cheeks, 6-0 G Malachi Smith, and 5-11 G Javon Bennett.
Loyola’s starting 5 should then feature JQ, Dawson, Watson, Rubin... and DeLoach, Nwaokorie, or Houinsou... who knows.
LAST 10 GAMES FOR BOTH SQUADSDayton: 6-4, averaging 72.1 points, 29.6 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.7 points per game.
Loyola:4-6, averaging 70.1 points, 29.2 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.0 points.
Watch / Listen – Saturday’s game is nationally televised on CBS Sports Network, with Tom McCarthy and Chris Walker on the call, and can be listened to Rambler Sports Network with our friends Sudikoff and CT.
Postgame Show - Tune in to Sudikoff on RSN, followed by TalkinBlers Spaces on the X:
https://x.com/blerstalking?s=21Odds: Dayton -9.5