It will be carried by WHIO Radio, and is available with live streaming video (ESPN 360) and live audio, and live stats via GameTracker at www.DaytonFlyers.com.
Dayton improved to 13-3 and 2-0 in the Atlantic 10 by beating Fordham 74-58 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. It was UD’s 38th win at The Garden, tying the Flyers with Duke for the most wins there by a team outside the New York metropolitan area. Luke Fabrizius (13 points), Chris Wright (12) and Chris Johnson (10) all reached double figures for Dayton. The Flyers held Fordham without a field goal over the last 10:33.
ABOUT XAVIER
The Musketeers are 11-5 overall and 3-0 in the Atlantic 10. XU is alone in first place in the A-10, a half-game ahead of a trio of 2-0 teams that includes Dayton. The Muskies boast the league’s top scorer. Sophomore guard Jordan Crawford averages 19.3 points a game. Two other Xavier sophomore guards also lead the A-10 statistically. Terrell Holloway leads in FT% (.903, 65-72) and Brad Redford leads in 3-pt. FG% (.471, 33-70).
SERIES STUFF
Dayton leads the all-time series 81-68. The Flyers are looking to snap a pair of twenty-plus game streaks. Xavier has won its last 25 Atlantic 10 games at home, and the Musketeers have won the last 24 meetings played in Cincinnati. UD’s last win at Xavier was Jan. 10, 1981. In addition to this series being the most games against any opponent for both schools, the first Xavier varsity basketball game was against Dayton on Feb. 20, 1920 (UD won 24-18). The two teams have met at least once every year since 1946-47. Saturday’s game also features the 52nd contest with the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy on the line. Since 1980-81, Franklin Savings of Cincinnati has sponsored the “Black/Mac” trophy, which is named after the two legendary coaches who put their two schools on the basketball map - Dayton’s Tom Blackburn and XU’s Jim McCafferty. UD’s Chris Wright was named the Black/Mac MVP on Feb. 11. The trophy series only covers regular season meetings, and XU leads the trophy series 32-18. Each team won at home last season -- 71-58 in Dayton and 76-59 in Cincinnati.
TAKE FIVE
Dayton has played its best basketball this season in the final five minutes of regulation, outscoring its opponents 184-136. The Flyers are shooting 51-of-117 (.436) from the floor, 18-of-50 (.360) from beyond the arc, and 64-of-91 at the free throw line (.703). But defensively, UD is limiting opponents to 33-of-99 shooting (.333), 7-of-35 from three (.200) and have forced 33 turnovers in that span.
TAKING THE NATIONAL STAGE
To start the 2009-10 campaign the Dayton Flyers were nationally ranked in a major poll for the first time since the 1967-68 season. With UD being ranked at some point in each of the last three seasons, it is also the first time in 49 years the Flyers have been ranked in three consecutive seasons. The last time that happened was the 1958-59, 1959-60 and 1960-61 seasons.
THE TOP CHOICE IN THE A-10
With four starters and 10 of its top 11 scorers returning from last year’s 27-8 team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the University of Dayton Flyers were selected as the team to beat in the Atlantic 10 this season in the league’s preseason poll.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• The top two teams in the Atlantic 10’s preseason poll meet for the first time in 2009-10. Dayton was picked first, followed by Xavier, Richmond, La Salle, Duquesne, Temple, Charlotte and Rhode Island.
• This is the 150th meeting between UD and Xavier. It is the most games in a series for either school.
• UD sophomore Chris Johnson was named Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Week (with Xavier’s Jordan Crawford) after scoring career highs of 26 points and 20 rebounds in UD’s 78-72 win over Duquesne.
• Johnson’s 20-20 is only the second in the last 35 years at UD (Ryan Perryman had one in 1997-98), and first in the A-10 this season. CJ is only the third Division I player to get at least 25 points and 20 rebounds this season. In his last five games, Johnson is averaging 14.8 points and 10.0 rebounds.
• Dayton has won a school-record 29 consecutive home games. The streak is the fourth-best nationally.
• The Flyer bench has outscored its opponents 515-323. The Flyers have 10 players who are averaging 3.5 points or more and 12 or more minutes per game.
• In the last nine games, UD has out-rebounded its opponents by 8.5 boards per game. Dayton is 11-1 this season when out-rebounding its opponents.
• Chris Wright has 10 career double-doubles and four this season. Of his last 50 FG’s, 21 are dunks.
• Chris Wright’s 102 dunks ties him with Charles Little for the record for career dunks at Dayton.
• Kurt Huelsman has started all 116 games of his Flyer career. Only two active college players have started every game of their college career and started more games than Huelsman.
• London Warren possesses a streak of 51 consecutive games with at least one assist. In the last seven games, he has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.2 (35 assists, 11 turnovers).
• Dayton opened the year with probably the toughest schedule in the NCAA. Two teams were nationally-ranked and two were receiving votes. UD’s three losses are all single-digit defeats to No. 4 Villanova, No. 13 Kansas State and then-No. 19 New Mexico, who have a combined record of 44-6.
• UD has won 16 of its last 18 games and is 3-1 this season in games decided by five points or less.
• Dayton has held eight of its last nine opponents under 40% from the field.
• The Flyers celebrated their 500th win at UD Arena on Dec. 21. The Arena opened in 1969.
• UD’s seniors are the only class in school history to go undefeated at home in non-conference play.
DOING IT THE WRIGHT WAY
Junior Chris Wright has shouldered most of the Flyer workload so far this season, leading the team in scoring (14.0 ppg), blocks (16), minutes per game (27.9) and dunks (32), and ranking second in rebounding (7.4 rpg), field goal percentage (.558, 82-147). Wright scored 15 points against No. 5/6 Villanova. He came back to record a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds versus Kansas State. In the Towson win, Wright scored 20 points and grabbed nine boards. At Miami, Wright scored 14 points. In the Lehigh win he tallied a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards. Wright led UD with 16 points and 12 rebounds over Old Dominion. Wright recorded 15 points and eight rebounds versus Presbyterian and 14 and six in the App St. win. His 19 points in the Boston University win came on 8-of-10 shooting and featured five dunks, one off Sean Finn’s school record. He had his tenth career double-double with 16 and 11 in the Duquesne win. At Fordham, he had 12 points (6-of-9 FG), eight rebounds and three blocks, Wright is ninth in the Atlantic 10 in rebounding and second in field goal percentage.
DAYTON’S WRIGHT NAMED ATLANTIC 10 CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
UD’s Chris Wright was named Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week after his 25-point performance, including 18 in the second half, to lead the Flyers to a 90-80 win over Creighton in the season opener. Wright shared this year’s first A-10 Player of the Week award with Duquesne junior Damian Saunders.
UD’S WRIGHT NAMED TO NAISMITH TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST
University of Dayton forward Chris Wright was named to the 2009-2010 Preseason Naismith Trophy watch list. The Naismith Trophy is voted on by coaches, administrators and journalists from around the country and is awarded to the nation’s top player.
WRIGHT NAMED TO WOODEN AWARD PRESEASON TOP 50 LIST
UD’s Chris Wright was one of the top college basketball players named to the John Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list. Wright led the University of Dayton to the NCAA tournament and a 27-8 record last season. After missing 19 games with a fractured ankle as a freshman, Wright came back to lead UD in scoring (13.3), rebounding (6.6) free throws made (121), dunks (a school-record 54), double-doubles (6) and SportsCenter Top Ten Plays (3).
THE WRIGHT STUFF
A charismatic player whose work ethic matches his athleticism, it took Chris Wright just eight minutes to become one of the top players in the A-10 Conference. That’s all the league action he saw as a freshman before fracturing his ankle in the A-10 opener. Yet he was named to the A-10 All-Rookie Team in 2007-08, and to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 Second Team in 2008-09.
BEST AGAINST THE BCS
The proud owner of a 43-and-a half inch vertical leap, the high-flying Chris Wright seems to save his best efforts for the best competition. Four of his 10 career double-doubles have come against BCS schools, including 13 points and 13 rebounds last November against No. 15 Marquette to lead UD to the 2008 Chicago Invitational Challenge championship, and a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds in the Flyer win over West Virginia in the First Round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. He tallied 15 points and 10 boards against Kansas State in the 2009 Puerto Rico Tip-Off.
CAMP CONFIDENTIAL
Chris Wright has achieved numerous accolades in his first two years at UD. However, the Trotwood native is on a never-ending quest to improve. He made several trips around the nation for individual training and to play against other top collegians as a counselor at summer camps. Wright worked at LeBron James’ camp in San Diego and in Cleveland matching up against the superstar in nightly pickup games. Wright also participated in the Vince Carter Skills Academy in Orlando.
