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Seniors Josh Benson and Kevin Dillard will lead Dayton in the first ever meeting with Arkansas State. |
Tickets | UD Arena
Streaming Audio | Live Stats | Free Live Video
FLYERS BEGIN THE 2012-13 CAMPAIGN AGAINST ARKANSAS STATE ON SATURDAY
The University of Dayton Flyers will commence their 105th season of basketball by hosting the Arkansas State Red Wolves on Saturday from Tom Blackburn Court at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be carried by WHIO Radio and is available with live streaming video, stats and streaming audio at DaytonFlyers.com.
The Flyers went 2-0 in exhibition action after winning 77-58 over Findlay and 81-63 against Walsh. In exhibition play, Josh Benson led the Flyers, averaging 16.5 points per game, while Jalen Robinson scored 16 a game.
ABOUT ARKANSAS STATE
The Arkansas Red Wolves enter the 2012-13 season with high aspirations after finishing last year 14-20 overall and 6-10 in the Sun Belt Conference. ASU was 10-5 at home, but 2-14 on the road last season. Three ASU seniors, guards Trey Finn and Marcus Hooten along with forward Brandon Peterson, were named to the 2012-13 Sun Belt Conference Preseason All-Conference teams. Finn earned first team honors while Peterson garnered second-team laurels and Hooten attained third-team recognition. Five of the 2011-12 squad’s top six scorers are back for the 2012-13 season, including the Red Wolves’ top points leader in Hooten (12.5 ppg).
SERIES STUFF
This is the first meeting between the two programs.
OPENING DAY HORS D’OEUVRES
• The Flyers have won seven consecutive opening games and 10 of their last 11.
• The last time the Flyers broke the 100-point scoring mark in a season opener was on Nov. 23, 1991 when UD defeated Austin Peay 101-94.
• All-time at UD Arena, Dayton is 39-4 in home openers.
• The Flyers had a 23-game home-opener winning streak from 1969 to 1991.
EXHIBITION RECAP
Before the start of the 2012-13 season, Dayton picked up two exhibition victories. The Flyers won 77-58 over Findlay and 81-63 against Walsh. In exhibition play, Josh Benson led the Flyers, averaging 16.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, while Jalen Robinson averaged 16 and 8.5. Vee Sanford averaged 12.5 points per game and Kevin Dillard averaged 12.0 points and 8.0 assists in the two exhibition contests.
DILLARD IN ELITE COMPANY
Kevin Dillard joined Ryan Perryman, Brian Roberts and Chris Wright as Flyers named First Team Pre-Season All-Atlantic 10. This past summer, Dillard was among the 20 college players selected to participate in the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas hosted from July 6-9. He led the Flyers in scoring (13.3), assists (6.0), steals (47) and minutes (32.7). Dillard also finished second in the A-10 and tied for 16th in the NCAA in assists per game with 6.0.
HOME SWEET HOME
Over the last six years on Tom Blackburn Court, the Flyers are 88-15. The 88 victories are the eighth-most in the NCAA since the 2006-07 season. Just ahead of UD are Ohio State (102), Kansas (101), Syracuse (98), Pittsburgh (94), UNLV and Florida (92) and Texas A&M (90).
THIRD IS THE WORD
Dayton has hit at least one 3-point shot in 117 straight games.
DOUBLE THE PLEASURE, DOUBLE THE FUN
Dayton went 7-0 in 2011-12 when five players scored in double figures. Nine of Dayton’s 10-man rotation scored in double figures last season.
