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Free throws aside, UD’s play good enough
Sophomore forward Chris Wright didn’t think Dayton’s lack of sharpness against Richmond could be blamed on having an emotional letdown after the Xavier upset. Instead, he gave the Spiders credit for making the Flyers work for their 69-63 win.
“You’ve got to understand, Richmond is a very good team,” he said. “They’re very disciplined and very sound, and you can’t just go wild. You’ve got to run the things we’ve been working on all week.
“I know we had energy — the energy we were supposed to bring.”
Wright may have a point. Sometimes a team can give the impression that it lacks a little zest when, really, poor shooting is the culprit. The Flyers were horrendous at the foul line, going 21-of-39, and if they had made a few more and won by double digits, no one would have suspected them of having trouble getting motivated again after giving their all against Xavier.
The Flyers are 23-3 overall and have a share of first place with Xavier in the Atlantic 10 at 9-2. After their upset of the Musketeers, they landed in the ESPN.com power ratings at No. 23 (Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale, Hubert Davis and Doug Gottlieb are among a group of 10 writers and broadcasters who vote in that poll), and they could climb into the Associated Press or coaches Top 25 when those ratings are released Monday afternoon.
They have five regular-season games left, and all of them will be challenges. And while Wright won’t promise the Flyers will always play well, he’s confident they’ll always play hard.
“We’ve got nine wins in our conference, and we’re happy right now, but we’ve got to keep moving forward every game,” he said. “A lot of people are still in the state of mind of the Xavier game, and I’m not talking necessarily on our team. We’ve got to work every day and grind every day. If you’re worried about the game you played the last time, you’re not improving.”
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By the rosser
February 15, 2009 4:49 AM | Link to this
Didn’t see the game here in Taiwan, but sure happy that they won. Now I hope that they crack the top 25. Go Flyers!!!By sammy
February 15, 2009 8:11 AM | Link to this
We finally cracked the top 200 is Strength of Schedule in the Sags. We are at 199. BG needs to get working on that now for next year. You just are not going to get much respect when the SoS is that weak. www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkc0809.htmBy Jerseyflyer
February 15, 2009 8:42 AM | Link to this
Nice win over Richmond. Spiders are a difficult team to play against. They run Pete Carril/Billy Carmody’s Princeton/Northwestern Univ offense. Backdoor cuts all night. BG’s sub rotation now looks to be paying big dividends with loss of Lowery. Thomas is stepping up and brings good decision making to backcourt. We’ll be ranked by Monday afternoon.Go Flyers…By Xavier Dave
February 15, 2009 8:47 AM | Link to this
Here are the Strength of Schedule. Xavier (46), Miami (84), Wright State (94). Those are all respectable. UD at 198 is laughable. They are “Raider Scared”.By Flyer Fan
February 15, 2009 9:08 AM | Link to this
To Xavier Dave: Let’s see… We beat Xavier (strength of schedule 46), we beat Miami (84). Do you see a trend?By Joe
February 15, 2009 9:55 AM | Link to this
Laughable is the lengths to which the detractors will go to find something wrong with UD. The Sagarin rating is meaningless (used by no one, impacts nothing). UDs SOS is 123 (from the RPI that is actually used by the selection committee). Their RPI is 25. The SL game won’t help the SOS but the remainder of the schedule will and it will end up around 100 (it may ever drop to double digits). Last year UD had the best SOS of the A-10. Why don’t we talk about a real issue like the performance of London Warren against Richmond? 10 points (6-7 from the line) 6 assists and only 1 turnover. That was an excellent performance and it is just what UD needs with Lowery out. Stephen Thomas can shoot the ball and he needs to shoot the 3 if he is open but for his first game as the backup point guard I think he did fine.By Joe
February 15, 2009 9:59 AM | Link to this
btw, if you want to see the RPI updated in real time check out http://warrennolan.com/basketball/2009/rpiBy Jenkins
February 15, 2009 10:53 AM | Link to this
I have heard that BG is looking to upgrade the schedule for next season. Hopefully it is true. We Shall see.By FlyerGuy
February 15, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this
Thanks for the link Joe. We have only played 5 teams this season with an RPI better than Wright State. I’d like to have WSU on the schedule for two reasons. 1) We can beat them and no longer have to say we are scared of WSU. 2) It should help our RPI. If we beat WSU, then we could say that we have beaten 5 teams in the RPI top 100.By 21
February 15, 2009 11:26 AM | Link to this
To X Dave, I am sure we are scared to play WSU, man mighty X got it handed to them by a fellow Horizon league team at the Shitas Center! Also as far as scheduling, UD basketball has to pay for every other sport that UD offers including the VERY EXPENSIVE Football team. UD Basketball is the only sport which makes the money. UD can’t afford to go on the road and play teams because of that. That is why they schedule so many home games against bad teams, because the good teams (Pitt, UC, X, L’ville, etc.) don’t want to come here because they would leave with a LOSS. Now X doesn’t have a fooball team to ay for as well as most of the A10. I hope this clears things up.By tj
February 15, 2009 11:33 AM | Link to this
Why do these posts always turn into “look at me..I’m Wright State” get over it…RPI is simple… UD needs money to run a program…that’s the way the system works…just that simple…no conspiracy theory…no goblins under your bed…By Xavier Dave
February 15, 2009 12:07 PM | Link to this
Is tj retarded? I have no idea what he just wrote. Can somebody translate his gibberish? UD education? Really classy post there 21. I posted facts about your weak schedule compared to other local teams and I read some BS about football.By Flyer Steve
February 15, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this
Hey Xavier Dave You need to pay attention to the real time rpi ratings dayton is moving up. Dayton will make the big dance Go flyersBy Randy
February 15, 2009 12:52 PM | Link to this
Hey Xavier Dave - UD 71 - XU 58. Score board. So shut your mouth. You just look ignorant. Nobody in Cincy cares about XU. Get over it.By Chris
February 15, 2009 1:15 PM | Link to this
WHY DO X FANS CONTINUE TO OPEN THERE PIE HOLES WHEN NOTHING LOGICAL COMES OUT??? X wishes they had a sports program as successful as Dayton. Xavier Dave….take that purple blob you call a mascot and whiney a*s Sean Miller and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine!!! Get a clue!!!By Chris
February 15, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this
Perfect Randy!!! Should we even ask why X Dave is on a Dayton web site?By Xavier Dave
February 15, 2009 2:58 PM | Link to this
For a school that has not won an NCAA tourney game in the past 1/4 century, UD fans sure are arrogant. Do you realize that 130 schools have won at least one NCAA tourney game in the past 25 years and UD is not one of those schools. Where that arrogance comes from makes you look foolish. You should learn to be humble when your program has not accomplished squat in 25 years.By Dave
February 15, 2009 3:19 PM | Link to this
Xavier Dave, I’ll remember your advice when I shoot off my mouth on a Xavier blog.By Greg Tampa Fl.
February 15, 2009 3:37 PM | Link to this
I just figured out where xavier Dave lives is it over the rhine or whine????????By amy katz
February 15, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this
next year’s schedule (so far) includes a renewal of the George Mason Series, a nedw series with New Mexico, games with Creighton and Miami and the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic (this year had Memphis, xavier, Missouri, Virg. Tech)By Brian
February 15, 2009 5:36 PM | Link to this
Another example of Dayton playing to its competition level. Now Richmond is not a bad team, but from my vantage point (mid-court) Dayton was easily the more physical team and should have put this team away when they had them on the ropes. They did not, and fundamentally played so-so. Their defense was good, but foul shooting was atrocious and painful to watch. The refs didn’t help much-can someone tell me how you can stand underneath your own basket and fall down to cause a charging foul? In two straight games Chris Johnson has scored baskets that have been taken away by poor calls by the officials. These poor refs were making calls that were unbelievably bad. Now I know that this is supposedly the “toughest call in basketball” but most of the time from the national games I see, the refs get it right. Not last night. UD now faces a very tough stretch after a well-deserved week off. The St. Louis game could go either way- @ Rhody will be extremely difficult and Temple @ home could blemish the home record. However, UD plays to its competition so they will be up to the challenge, as long as they can hit free throws. If I’m an opponent I’m doing 2 things in the first half-I’m making UD shoot 3’s and putting them on the line. if they hit, change it up- if they miss- keep doing it. I hope UD can make believers out of everyone who thinks they are not deserving- they will need to play better than they did against Richmond to do it.By FlyerInCleveland
February 15, 2009 7:09 PM | Link to this
St Louis is god awful, they lost to the worst team in the Horizon League. That game could go either way? Surely you jest.By Xavier Dave
February 15, 2009 10:06 PM | Link to this
I would like to apologize to all the Flyer fans for rediculing their team on this website. The Flyers are a tough team that has had a great year, including beating the snot out of Xavier this past Wednesday. I also need to apologize if my english isn’t that good. My Xavier degree did not include any english composition courses. In fact, I’m not even sure what I recieved my degree in….I am the head fryer at Burger King.By Joe Pyne
February 16, 2009 10:45 AM | Link to this
Strong comments coming from the Flyer Faithful. Hey folks, one big win doesn’t make a season. You idiots are crowing about this win as if it was the final four. The facts are as follows: First UD has one win over Xavier out of how many tries, 5,6… I’m not sure. Second, UD hasn’t made the NCAA tourney in how many years and Xavier has been the model of consistency in making the field of 64, something like 15 out of the last 16 years. Third, As of today, CBS Sports rank UD 26th and XU 16th. Why? Because UD doesn’t deserve to be ranked and Xavier does… because….strength of schedule. Facts are facts folks and one win over XU doesn’t make a season and one loss to UD doesn’t ruin a season either.By Ip Freely
February 16, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this
Joe Pyne, I’m not sure if anyone here is touting a win over Xavier to mean anything other than what it is - a solid win over a top 25 team and a hated rival. I’m pretty sure had UD lost that you and all the other Xavier fans would be rattling the cate here just as much. Add this win to Marquette and UD is 2-0 vs. top 25 competition - I don’t see what the issue is with that?? Solid wins that help make a tourney resume. SOS doesn’t have as much to do with rankings as people’s opinons do (thus is why it’s called a poll). And Xavier, as you pointed out, has done well in the tournament the last few years, thus people’s opinion of them will continue to be high. However, two losses to unranked opponents make them look vulnerable. Should they still be ranked, yes, but top 15-20? Maybe not.By Joe Pyne
February 16, 2009 11:59 AM | Link to this
IP….Xavier is a hated rival because of the success they have had in the recent past (5-10 seasons) as opposed to UD not having the same level of success. It’s called jealousy. Xavier fans usually crow especially loud when Xavier beats UC. UC has always been treated (in Cincinnati) as the annointed ones when it comes to basketball. So when we beat UC, a very large school, and a member of an elite conference yes, we crow and loudly. UC is Xavier’s biggest rival because Xavier has always been treated as a red haired stepchild by UC. You are dead wrong about SOS not used as criteria for polls. If not UD would be ranked 4th or 5th nationally. There has been little respect for UD this year because of a weak OOC schedule. Don’t hand me any nonsense about no body wants to play UD at the Arena because they are afraid. That is crap of the highest order.The fact is no big team wants to play UD at the Arena when they can play another cupcake at their place. UD wants the home game revenue plain and simple. UD want the respect but won’t do anything to earn it. Play some teams of consequence on the road, win a few and the respect will come. Xavier played Memphis, Auburn, Virginia, Va Tech, LSU, Missouri, Duke, Butler and UC. All big schools in big conferences, with the exception of Butler, but as you know they are a top 25 team. UD played Marquette and Auburn. Need I say more? UD will get a lot more respect not only from X fans but nationally if they bite the bullet and upgrade their OOC schedule. No, UD is not Xavier’s big rival, just another team they have to beat to win the conference.By Bhoops
February 16, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this
Why do people continue to refer to SOS, when debating about Dayton and Xavier. Does it really matter? They are two very good teams. In the first matchup, UD was the better team, and has proven they are more athletic, rebound, and play better defense than Xavier. NUFF said! In confrence play, any team can step up on any given night. It’s one game at a time…By IP Freely
February 16, 2009 2:12 PM | Link to this
All hail Joe Pyne! He has the wisdom of a hundred men! You sure are full or yourself aren’t you (sounds like you are the pot calling the kettle black)? SOS doesn’t have as much to do with it as national TV presence does (which Xavier has been fortunate to have this year). How many voters really take the time to look at any highlights of games or watch games that aren’t on ESPN? Very few to none. Additionally, since I am assuming you aren’t a voter in the polls you, like myself, I/you can’t be dead right or wrong about anything these bozos use to vote for teams. Did you know that this past week, one writer in the AP poll voted Robert Morris the 25th team in the country? Another Wisconsin-Green Bay? What have these teams done? Nothing. It just shows a lot about some of these guys - it’s a poll, an opinion - that’s why it has nothing to do with the tournament selection process. Personally I don’t care. The RPI doesn’t lie. 32nd in the country last year and 25th this year. Sounds pretty darn good to me. Regardless of the schedule, this team deserves the respect it’s getting and is a legit tourney team. Xavier continues to get theirs so I don’t see why somebody like youself finds the need to come in here and strut out your chest like you’re the sole responsibility for why Xavier is king of the castle. We all know how good they are. And last time I checked, I didn’t bring anything up about nobody coming to UD Arena, YOU did. All UD fans know its a revenue generator…you are stating the obvious. UD needs 17-18 home games (supposedly) to make enough money for the athletics department, leaving only 5-6 road games in the non-conference. This year Auburn, marquette, Akron, Creighton, and Toledo. Sure, it’s not the muderer’s row that we’d like to see, but that’s the way it is. It’s still a schedule that is in the upper third of D-I basketball.By Joe Pyne
February 16, 2009 3:05 PM | Link to this
IP…..The “Coaches” in the ESPN Coaches Poll seem to know what they are talking about. The AP consists of sportswriters and of course are more jaded and easily swayed. So yes, I think coaches know who they are voting for when they cast their weekly ballot. As for your crazy statement of UD’s non conference schedule being in the top third of D-1 basketball…..do your homework. UD’s 14-1 non conference schedule strength is ranked 235th according to the RPI. That’s a far cry from upper third. So again, the coaches left them out of the ESPN poll but the sportswriters who you seem to think are imbeciles voted UD 25th. As for puffing out my chest, I am merely defending the dignity all Xavier fans with the sophmoric posts by “Randy, Chris, Greg Tampa Fl, and all the other Bozo’s who make disparaging remarks about Xavier and it’s fans. I don’t have all the “wisdom of a hundred men” IP,I’m just an ordinary sage and seer of all. C’mon Ip, Lighten Up! Take a pill and drink a beer. It’s just basketball.By IP Freely
February 16, 2009 4:10 PM | Link to this
I’m pretty sure I did my homework Joe Pyne, thanks for checking though. You misread (or I was unclear) what I was eluding to which was that UD’s overall schedule is in the upper third (123 on collegerpi.com - actually it’s in the upper 35%). Additionally, I see that you got your out of conference RPI (235) from CBSsportline.com, which also has UD’s OOC RPI at 33, which I believe is pretty darn good. The in-conference RPI is at 328 (Xavier is at 311?) - not sure how they come up with those numbers (in fact, seeing those numbers makes me question how they come up with either number). Look, I’ve admitted that UD’s schedule is weaker than normal, but the fact is that this team has an RPI of 25 and belongs in the discussion for the Top 25 and the tourney. The reason that they get no repsect is because they have zero TV presence. If the Auburn and Marquette games were shown on the national stage (i.e. ESPN) I think UD would have been in the top 25 already and would be considered a national presence (and no, I’m not talking UConn or UNC type of national presence, I’m talking Butler/Gonzaga/Xavier type of presence). As for the coaches poll, I think that some of those folks would be just as biased towards teams whom they have played and who are in their conference. Obviously I can’t prove that, but I can’t imagine that it’s totally unbiased or any better than the AP poll. I doubt that Phil Martelli sits around and watches ESPN Full Court in his spare time to see Gonzaga play San Diego or LSU versus Alabama. As for “taking a pill and drink a beer” won’t that often lead to a trip to the emergency room??By Joe Pyne
February 16, 2009 4:25 PM | Link to this
IP….You are “dead” right. A very poor choice of words on my part. You know, I’m just tired of A-10 teams being door mats. Mick Cronin says that the Big East’s 8th worst team would win the A-10. Now I’m not sure they could or couldn’t but I would like to see some teams in the A-10 strengthen their OOC schedule so when the A-10 is mentioned we’re not laughed at or looked upon as a dreaded “mid major” conference. I think X has done a lot to elevate the A-10 and I want UD to do the same. I don’t hate UD, I had a son go there, however I am a proud Xavier grad. I want the A-10 looked at as a conference with tough teams not “wanna be’s”. Now don’t go flying off the handle, that is directed to the LaSalle’s,Fordham’s St. Bonnie’s etc. But I do believe UD can do a lot more to strengthen themselves in order to get a little more respect from the AP and ESPN in the future. Just my opinion.By IP Freely
February 16, 2009 7:00 PM | Link to this
Joe, check out Lunardi’s response on ESPN’s website to Cronin’s A-10 comment. I think Lunardi makes a good case that Syracuse (or a mid-pack BE team) would NOT easily win the A-10 (as Cronin implies). Luckily Cronin doesn’t have a vote in the coaches poll! As for the A-10, I was thinking about how they could jettison at least two teams (preferably four) - Fordham, Richmond, St. Bona and perhaps LaSalle. They realistically need to get rid of teams that don’t have a chance to finish 8-8. While LaSalle is having a dececent season, they would be better off in the Patriot or Northeast Conference where they could compete every year. Similarly the A-10 need to get stronger and start getting teams to play each other twice a season instead of the unbalanced schedule. I do know that next season UD is playing in the same tourney at X played in this year (Puerto Rico I believe?). Hopefully that will give them some national attention. I actually blame part of the A-10’s fall on the conference leadership - I’m not sure they do a very good job of self-promotion - and programs like UMass and Charlotte who used to be solid. Now they are just one step away from being doormats.By CJ
February 18, 2009 5:50 PM | Link to this
All you idiots have a combined IQ of under 20. NOBODY wants to come and play at UD. Ask Pitt!!! The only thing to do is get in a better conference where league teams have to come to Dayton and play. That cannot be done overnight. It is what it is. And schedules are made years in advance. Think before saying stupid things!!!By Joe Pyne
February 19, 2009 10:14 AM | Link to this
El Wrongo CJ….Schedules are very fluid and the 2009-2010 schedule is being worked on right now and It is not finished for most schools. Big teams don’t have an incentive to play at the Arena, they can play their own cupcake schedule and reap the benefits at their own arenas. Their biggest test is their conference schedule i.e Big East ACC etc. UD plays in the A-10 where they don’t have that luxury. UD has to bite the bullet and go on the road for a few marquee games before they are looked at seriously. Both polls don’t take them seriously as evidenced by where they are ranked. Anybody can have a 20+ win season if they pad their OOC schedule with crappy teams. That’s why UD is no higher than they are in any of the polls. Face the facts.