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Home > Blogs > Flyer Connection: University of Dayton sports > Archives > 2009 > January > 26 > Entry
Flyers stay home for two more
UD Basketball: The Week Ahead
Games: vs. Saint Louis (11-8, 2-3 Atlantic 10) 8 p.m. Thursday (CBS-College Sports Network); vs. Saint Joseph’s (11-7, 4-0) noon Sunday (WHIO-TV).
Scouting Saint Louis: First, the game will be broadcast on the network formerly known as CSTV, which is available only to cable subscribers who purchase the special sports-tier package.
The Billikens are one of the A-10’s top defensive teams, and they have two proficient offensive players in seniors Kevin Lisch and Tommie Liddell III, who are averaging about 13 points apiece. But those two are surrounded by youth as coach Rick Majerus tries to rebuild the program.
Scouting Saint Joseph’s: The Hawks reached the NCAA tournament as an at-large team last season and have perhaps the league’s top player in burly center Ahmad Nivins, who is averaging 20.5 points and 11.3 rebounds while playing 39.6 minutes per game.
Coach Phil Martelli and UD’s Brian Gregory have had two different philosophies on playing time this year. Martelli believes in keeping his starters on the floor — four played more than 50 minutes in a triple-overtime win over Rhode Island — while Gregory is giving 12 players quality minutes.
UD and St. Joe’s have a common foe in Duquesne. The Flyers grabbed a 78-69 win on the road against the Dukes, while the Hawks prevailed, 99-98, in overtime at home.
Scouting Dayton (18-2, 4-1): When St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt was asked whether he thought Dayton was an NCAA tournament-caliber team, he replied: “If they shoot the ball.”
That’s always an uncertainty with the Flyers. For all their marvelous traits — their rebounding prowess, athleticism and competitiveness — they still are suspect on the perimeter. But they shot 53.1 percent in the second half in an 80-68 win over the Bonnies on Sunday (43.1 overall), and they’ve been able to compensate for that weakness so far.
The Flyers staged anniversary celebrations for the accomplishments of the 1983-84 team (Elite Eight appearance) and 1973-74 squad (NCAA second round — back in the day when only 25 teams made the tourney). And Gregory hoped all those old-timers left confident the current Flyers are upholding the UD tradition.
“When you look at those teams and the camaraderie those (past) players still have, I don’t think there’s any question, if you watch our team, we have great chemistry among our players,” Gregory said. “Guys are looking for each other. Guys who would be playing the same positions are cheering for each other.
“In the true sense of the word, this is a team. … I hope they would have walked out of here and said, ‘You know what, that game was really important to them. They wanted to get that win.’ “
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Comments
By Critic #1
January 26, 2009 7:59 AM | Link to this
I’ll continue to give BG a pass on his liberal substitution rule for now even though I hate it and disagree with his strategy. But if this team doesn’t get a bid to the big dance because of their close wins against mediocre teams that they should have blown away, then I would feel justified in saying that he did not do what is best for the team and his strategy was a failure.By FaithfulFlyer65
January 26, 2009 8:06 AM | Link to this
Unfortunately at a time when UD’s best players need to stay on the floor longer (i.e. against Xavier) they may not be able to perform at their best because they’re not conditioned to play that long. It’s like a race horse who always runs 6 furlong races. If the trainer enters him in a mile race, he would collapse in the stretch.By Rman
January 26, 2009 8:12 AM | Link to this
BG needs to do something about the schedule. After the SB game, our SoS in the Sags is 278. That SoS is the worst in the A10, worst in the Horizon, and only one MAC team has a weaker SoS. We have only 2 losses, but our schedule strength is just pathetic.By sec 312
January 26, 2009 8:41 AM | Link to this
get off the SOS, there is nothing you can do about now. Some of the teams we beat have under achieved. We are winning I never have seen such whiners..18-2 people. One other thing Coach of SB…we rang up 80 on your team we must be able to shoot a little..clownBy amy katz
January 26, 2009 8:52 AM | Link to this
Last year UD had one of the toughest sos in the country and still didn’t get a bidBy UD Hoops
January 26, 2009 9:13 AM | Link to this
Agreed. Can’t do anything about the sos, and it doesn’t matter anyways. Go 8-3 in the final 11 conference games. That will get them in, especially if one of those wins comes against X. It won’t be easy, and its the toughest part of our schedule. But if this is any NCAA team, they should be able to do that. 6 of them are at home.By Mongoose
January 26, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this
Before you Wright State guys make your useless comments and wishful desires…ponder on this for a while if you can copy and paste that is http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/headToHeadTeamResults?statsId1=157&statsId2=660&By UD Cryers
January 26, 2009 11:02 AM | Link to this
Blah blah blah… we are so insecure and threatened by WSU basketball and the WSU fans.By Alan
January 26, 2009 11:40 AM | Link to this
The former CSTV is also available on DirecTV channel 613.By Joe
January 26, 2009 2:57 PM | Link to this
Check the personal foul column in the boxscores. CW and MJ have limited their own playing time. Guys tend to foul more when they get winded (reaching for the ball instead of moving their feet) so I think the substitution pattern is helping to keep them on the floor at the end of the game by preventing them from fouling out. RL is now getting 23 minutes to LW’s 17 and that is a good mix. CJ’s minutes have been increasing and DS really hasn’t earned any more than he is getting. Hopefully CJ’s minutes will increase further (with the added benefit of less minutes for CL and maybe KH if they go with a small lineup a few minutes a game). I also think the Marquette win was directly related to the deep bench as the game was played with no days of rest. Being able (as a team) to play that well without rest means good things for the A-10 tournament which is all back to back days and UD will be in great shape to win it going in as a 2 or 3 seed. Maybe game to game you don’t like seeing so many substitutions but when you look at the bigger picture it is a big positive. BG has this team on the verge of great success and I think some fans just can’t see it. Imagine next year when CJ’s minutes increase and Benson is getting minutes instead of Little (and maybe taking some of KH’s minutes). Then imaging the next year when Staton replace the LW/RL combo. This years team will finish the regular season no worse then 26-5, they will make it to the A-10 tourney final and they will make it to the NCAA tourney and next year they will be better than they are now!By localUDstudent
January 26, 2009 6:57 PM | Link to this
Joe I want to see the team do well just as much as anyone, but with the way they crushed everyone’s hopes last year, I’m going to keep my fingers crossed every game and pray for wins.By Charlie
January 26, 2009 7:25 PM | Link to this
Joe may be right about everything, but one thing. They will lose more than 5 games. They have yet to play any of the decent teams in the A-10 and will lose at least 6 and probably 7 games. It looks to me like another NIT appearance.By Francis
January 26, 2009 8:16 PM | Link to this
The reason that we are not in the top 25 is that our Schedule Strength is so bad. There are teams with 6 losses in the top 25. BG needs to get his act together when it comes to scheduling.By asdf
January 27, 2009 8:07 AM | Link to this
Why are people so dumb if you dont know what you are talking about dont post. Coachs do not make up the schedule the athletic director and his department do that. Its not like you can just pick any team you want to play and schedule them. Its a business there is a contract and money issues. UD needs to play so many home games in order to fund there athletic programs. I order for big name programs to give you a home and away series you have to have respect. Until UD earns that they will have take what they can get.By jeff
January 27, 2009 9:28 AM | Link to this
By seasons end UD’s SOS is projected to be around 100 and their RPI with some wins will be right around 40. I think they are 3-1 against top 50 rpi teams. If they beat the teams they should they will be fineBy sec 312 fan
January 27, 2009 1:03 PM | Link to this
Don’t you belong over on the WSU blog? I see you over there an awful lot.By Ken
January 27, 2009 6:35 PM | Link to this
There is no way our Strength of Schedule is going to to anywhere near top 100. If we can make the top 200, I’ll be very pleased.