Nov. 1, 2010

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

DAYTON, Ohio – Point guards Josh Parker and Juwan Staten led the Flyers with 14 points and 12 points, respectively, as the University of Dayton men’s basketball team opened the season with a 77-66 exhibition win over Grand Valley State at UD Arena on Monday night.

The two newcomers shared time at point guard as Parker came off the bench to shoot 4-of-8 from three-point range with three assists while Staten shot 4-of-6 from the field and converted on 4-of-4 free throws with three assists.

In just 19 minutes of action preseason first team all-conference selection Chris Wright scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor. Junior Chris Johnson rounded out the group of four Flyers scoring double-figures with 11 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range.

Dayton started the game with a 14-0 run in the first five minutes after draining six of the first seven field goal attempts. The closest Grand Valley State would get to the Flyers’ lead was four points late in the first half after an 8-2 run. Staten scored eight of his 12 points in the first half, including a last-second fast break layup, to give the Flyers a 38-32 lead at the half.

Lakers’ guard James Thomas scored 17 of his 20 points in the second half as the Sporting News Preseason Division II third-ranked team shot 52 percent from the field. Parker helped UD pull away late in the second half after draining three consecutive three-point field goals in an 11-5 run which gave the Flyers its largest lead of the game at 71-57 with 3:26 to go in the second half. 

The Dayton bench out-scored GVSU 35-19, led by Parker’s 14 points and sophomore forward Matt Kavanaugh’s eight points and four rebounds.

Wright and Parker each recorded five rebounds to lead the Flyers in out-rebounding GVSU 32-27. Dayton shot 51 percent from the field on Monday, and converted on 10-of-23 from beyond the arc.

The Flyers conclude its exhibition season next Saturday in a 7 p.m., tipoff against Findlay at UD Arena. The Flyers open the regular season in UD Arena on Saturday, Nov. 13 against Mount St. Mary’s.