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FLYERS BEGIN THE 2011-12 CAMPAIGN AGAINST WESTERN ILLINOIS ON SATURDAY
The University of Dayton Flyers will commence their 104th season of basketball hosting the Western Illinois Leathernecks 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 on Gametracker and streaming audio at DaytonFlyers.com.

ABOUT WESTERN ILLINOIS
The Fighting Leathernecks finished their 2010-11 campaign, a season dismantled by injuries, 7-23 overall and 2-16 in the Summit League. Western returns five players, including three starters to the 2011-12 roster, while welcoming six newcomers. The player to watch for Western Illinois is Ceola Clark III, a guard who was named to the Preseason All-Summit Second Team. Clark played only six games last season and scored 10.7 ppg.  Western will also welcome back senior guard Tommie Tyler, junior forward Jack Houpt, sophomore center David Gebru and sophomore guard Billy Molinari. Clark III, Molinari, Tyler and Gebru played a combined 32 games last season due to injuries.

SERIES STUFF
Western Illinois leads the all-time series 2-0. The Leathernecks defeated Dayton 90-82 in 1993 and 77-70 a year later. Both meetings were at UD Arena.

OPENING DAY HORS D’OEUVRES
• The Flyers have won six consecutive opening games and nine of their last 10.
• 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 38-4 in home openers.
• At one point, the Flyers had a 23-game home opener winning streak from 1969 to 1991.
• This is also the first home opener for Flyers head coach Archie Miller. UD’s previous five head coaches (Tom Blackburn, Don Donoher, Jim O’Brien, Oliver Purnell and Brian Gregory) each won their first home games.

DAYTON PICKED SIXTH IN ATLANTIC 10 MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
The University of Dayton men’s basketball team was picked to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10 this season in a poll of coaches and media. Senior forward Chris Johnson was a preseason Second Team All-Atlantic 10 pick.

FABRIZIUS, JOHNSON, PARKER & WILLIAMS NAMED TEAM CAPTAINS
University of Dayton men’s basketball coach Archie Miller has named his four seniors – forwards Luke Fabrizius and Chris Johnson, and guards Josh Parker and Paul Williams – team captains for the 2011-12 season. The senior class has been a part of 74 victories over the previous three seasons, an NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance and two NIT bids, one of which was an NIT Championship.

POSTSEASON STRING OF SUCCESS
Dayton has advanced to the postseason in four consecutive seasons. UD went to the NIT three times and NCAA Tournament once. The last time that happened was when the Flyers made it to the postseason in five straight seasons from 1999-2000 to 2003-04.

COACHING TREE HOUSE
Archie Miller is part of the most prolific active coaching tree in college basketball. A total of nine of Arizona State coach Herb Sendek’s former full-time assistant coaches (not former players, managers or GA’s) are currently Division I head coaches. They are Jim Christian (TCU), Charlie Coles (Miami of Ohio), John Groce, (Ohio), Larry Hunter (Western Carolina), Ron Hunter (Georgia State), Thad Matta (Ohio State), Archie Miller (Dayton), Sean Miller (Arizona) and Mark Phelps (Drake). Rick Pitino has seven branches on his coaching tree, while Jim Calhoun and Mike Montgomery each have six.

CHRIS CROSSING THE CHARTS
Chris Johnson, a 2010-11 Atlantic 10 Honorable Mention selection, is quickly moving up the charts in the program’s history. CJ became UD’s 43rd member of the 1,000 point club in the final regular season game of 2010-11. Johnson’s 1,069 points rank him 36th all-time in scoring. Next up is Richard Montague with 1,093 points. CJ also ranks 6th on UD’s all-time list for 3-pointers made (167). Norm Grevey is next at 208.

PREMIUM PRODUCTION
Chris Johnson has earned Atlantic 10 accolades in each of his previous three seasons – All-Rookie, Chris Daniels Most Improved, Honorable Mention All-Atlantic 10. In 2010-11, he was second on the team in scoring (11.7) and rebounding (6.0), while leading the team in minutes (29.7), FT% (.830, 83-100), three-pointers (77) and steals (31). Johnson ranks eighth in career offensive rebounds (232) and sixth in career three-pointers (167). In 2010, he was the NIT MVP and his 20-20 game against Duquesne in 2010 is only the second at Dayton in the last 36 years.

THAT’S SOME WILL-POWER
Paul Williams returns after averaging 8.4 points per game last season. He led the team in three-point shooting (56-134, .418), second in 3-pointers made (56) and fourth in free throw percentage (55-70, .786).

P-DUBYA
Paul Williams came alive on the offensive end last season scoring in double figures 14 times. Memorable performances included one in the 2011 A-10 Quarterfinals. Williams scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting and hit 4 shots from beyond the arc against No. 18/20 Xavier. He shot 5-of-6 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points at Old Dominion. Williams scored 16 on 4-of-6 shooting against New Mexico.

PARKER BROTHERS
Josh Parker showcases a unique ability to score points in a hurry off the bench last year.  His 7.0 points per game average off the bench was tops on the team last season. Against A-10 opponents, Parker shot .366 from beyond the arc (26-of-71). In the A-10 Tournament, Parker dialed it up a different way with a 5.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

COOL HAND LUKE
A long-range shooter who has been plagued with injuries throughout his career, Fabrizius averaged 6.3 points and shot .463 (19-41) from behind the arc in the last 12 games of the year. In UD’s four A-10 Championship games, Fabrizius averaged 6.5 points per game and shot .421 from the field (8-of-19) and .500 (7-of-14) beyond the arc. Fabrizius averaged 3.8 points per game and connected on 29-of-84 (.345) 3-pointers for the 2010-11 season.

BOOM BOOM BENSON
In the last nine games of 2010-11, Josh Benson averaged 6.9 points and shot 25-of-43 (.581) from the floor.  He also started 13 of the last 14 contests. In his 13 starts, Benson averaged 5.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and shot .593 from the floor (32-of-54). He finished the 2010-11 season averaging 5.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. 

KAVAN-AUGHSOME
Matt Kavanaugh might benefit more than any other player with the coaching change. A true road-grader down low who uses his muscle to clear out and keep balls alive on the offensive end, Kavanaugh played 9.2 minutes per in 32 games as a sophomore after playing in just 14 total minutes as a freshman. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.3 rebounds a game in 2010-11.

OLIVER TWIST
Devin Oliver averaged 1.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per game as a freshman last season. His best performances last year were corralling eight rebounds at Cincinnati and scoring eight points versus Winthrop.

KING OF THE HILL
Ralph Hill looks to improve upon a freshman season where he saw limited action. He averaged 1.9 points and 1.1 rebounds per game in 2010-11. Hill scored a career-high six points at UMass in the A-10 First Round.

DILLARD ADDS TO DAYTON BACKCOURT
A transfer from Southern Illinois, Kevin Dillard looks to take over the point guard duties for the Flyers. A Chicago native, he was the 2008 Illinois Mr. Basketball award winner. Dillard played his first two seasons at Southern Illinois where he averaged double digits both years at SIU. As a sophomore he led the Missouri Valley Conference in assists per game (5.0), was fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.03), ninth in steals (1.1), and 12th in scoring (12.3). In 2008-09, he was named the Missouri Valley Freshman of the Year after leading Southern Illinois in scoring (12.2 ppg).

ALEX GAVRILOVIC SIGNS WITH DAYTON
Alex Gavrilovic was the first recruit signed by Archie Miller. A member of the French U-20 that won the European championship in 2010, he originally signed with Providence, but the NCAA Clearinghouse did not approve his credits. He then spent the winter at IMG Academy. Gavrilovic has a typical European big man skill set with range out to NCAA three-point line, but used his time at IMG to add an inside game.

UD ADDS SANFORD & DERENBECKER
Continuing to add to the Flyers’ talent pool, head coach Archie Miller added transfers Vee Sanford (Georgetown) and Matt Derenbecker (LSU) over the summer. At Georgetown, Sanford played in 27 games in his sophomore year averaging 6.6 minutes a game. Derenbecker, a two-time Louisiana High School Gatorade Player of the Year, played in all 32 of LSU’s games in 2010-11. He started 16 games and averaged 6.5 points and 2.1 rebounds a game.

IT’S ALL ABOUT WINNING
The 2010-11 Dayton Flyers recorded 22 victories. That team became just the 19th squad in the program’s history to have won 22 or more games. The Flyers also reached the postseason in four consecutive seasons. The last time that happened was during a stretch between the 1999-2000 and 2003-04 campaigns.

THE EUROPEAN UNION
This summer, Dayton went on an 11-day European exhibition tour, where the Flyers went 4-0 in games against the Netherlands National U-23 team and three professional teams from the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Dayton had four players who averaged in double figures: Kevin Dillard (13.0 ppg), Chris Johnson (11.8 ppg), Josh Parker (11.5 ppg) and Luke Fabrzius (11.0 ppg).

AMONG THE BEST IN NCAA ATTENDANCE
The University of Dayton finished in the Top 30 in men’s basketball attendance for the 14th straight season in 2010-11. The Flyers finished 27th in the NCAA in attendance with an average of 12,567 fans a game, after averaging 12,259 a year ago. Since UD Arena opened in 1969, Dayton has been in the NCAA`s top 35 in attendance every season. The Flyers led the Atlantic 10 in attendance for the 14th straight season. UD averaged more than 2,400 fans a game better than any other team in the conference.

EXHIBITION RECAP
Dayton went 2-0 in exhibition play picking up a 92-78 win over Walsh and an 87-66 triumph against Findlay. Josh Benson averaged 17 points per game, while Kevin Dillard averaged 14.0 points and 7.5 assists per contest.

YOUNG GUN
Dayton’ Archie Miller is the fourth-youngest NCAA Division I head coach. At age 33, Miller is behind Robert Morris’ Andy Toole (31), Appalachian State’s Jason Capel (31) and Wisconsin Green Bay’s Brian Wardle (32). Tony Jasick at IPFW is 33 as well, but has an earlier birthday than Miller.

CONQUERING GOLIATH
The Flyers have proven they can handle the big-name programs. Dayton is 12-5 in the last four years against BCS programs and won five of its last seven games against BIG EAST opponents. Dayton’s 12 victories have come against Ole Miss (twice), North Carolina, Illinois, Louisville, West Virginia, Georgia Tech, Marquette, Auburn, Cincinnati, Seton Hall and Pittsburgh.

THE ROUND MOUND OF REBOUND
Dayton led the Atlantic 10 with 38.7 rebounds per game and ranked 20th in the NCAA. In the Mount St. Mary’s win, UD out-rebounded the Mount 54-31. UD then followed that up with a 42-27 advantage over Akron and a 51-35 edge at Ole Miss. In the Winthrop win, UD held a 46-28 advantage. At Seton Hall Dayton had 18 offensive boards. UD had 48 rebounds against New Mexico. The Flyers tallied a season-high with 56 rebounds versus Fordham. UD held a 48-22 edge on the glass and had 16 offensive boards versus Duquesne. UD dominated UMass in the A-10 First Round holding a 42-34 edge. In the NIT First Round, Dayton out-rebounded Charleston 43-34.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Dayton ranked 2nd in the A-10 in rebounding margin (+4.8), 4th in 3-pt field goal defense (.323), 5th in scoring defense (65.4) and field goal defense (.414).

TAKE FIVE
Dayton was solid in the final five minutes of regulation last year, out-scoring its opponents 420-368. The Flyers shot 120-of-306 (.392) from the floor, 37-of-111 (.333) from beyond the arc, and 143-of-192 at the free throw line (.745). Defensively, UD limited opponents to 93-of-262 shooting (.355), 21-of-106 from three (.198) and forced 57 turnovers in that span.

THIRD IS THE WORD
Dayton has hit at least one 3-point shot in 82 straight games.

EYE 75 ON THE SCOREBOARD
The Flyers are 53-8 in the last eight seasons when they score 75 or more points. The Flyers were 7-2 in 2010-11 when reaching the 75 point mark. UD went 10-1 two years ago and is 23-4 the previous three seasons.

AND THE CROWD GOES WILD
More than 8 million fans have attended UD Arena in the last 43 seasons. UD’s last 185 regular season home games have had attendance of at least 11,000 fans. In the last 14 years, 99% of UD’s home games have drawn at least 10,000 (424 of 427), including the last 223 regular season games.

GRADUATION SUCCESS AT UD
The NCAA Graduation Success Rate report on Division I student-athletes released places the University of Dayton in familiar territory – among the nation’s best in graduating its student-athletes. UD’s 95 GSR in this year’s report places the University tied for 21st in the nation and tied for first in the Atlantic 10. The Flyer men’s and women’s basketball teams both have 100 GSR scores. UD’s men’s team is the only one in the Atlantic 10 with a perfect GSR, while the women are one of five. Dayton is one of just four institutions whose men’s and women’s basketball programs have perfect GSR numbers and both won at least 20 games last season.

UD LOCKED IN TO REGULAR SEASON INVITATIONALS THROUGH 2013
Dayton announced they will compete in three consecutive regular season tournaments in the next three seasons. UD has signed deals to play in the Old Spice Classic in Orlando in 2011 and an ESPN Regional-sponsored event in 2012. The Flyers will return to the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational in 2013, 10 years after the Flyers won the event.

HOME SWEET HOME
Over the last four years on Tom Blackburn Court, the Flyers are 76-10. The 76 victories are tied for the seventh-most in the NCAA since the 2006-07 season. Just ahead of UD are Kansas (90), Ohio State (86), Pittsburgh (83), Syracuse (80), Florida and Texas A&M (78), UNLV and Dayton (76). Dayton won its 500th game at UD Arena on Dec. 29, 2009 and is 520-187 in 41 seasons at the Arena. The Flyers have a home all-time winning percentage of .781 (777-219).

FORTUNE 500
The Flyers celebrated their 500th win at UD Arena on Dec. 29, 2009. The Arena opened in 1969. UD Arena is one of just 27 active facilities to have hosted at least 500 wins for its home team, and only one of two built since 1969. The list includes Cameron Indoor Stadium, The Palestra, Pauley Pavilion, Freedom Hall, Allen Fieldhouse, The Pit and Hinkle Fieldhouse. Only four facilities – Pauley Pavilion, The Pit, Freedom Hall and the Huntsman Center – had 500 wins faster than UD Arena.

THE FLYER FAITHFUL
For years, UD has claimed it has had the best fans in the nation. In 2001, The Sporting News conducted an unscientific poll of college basketball coaches, media and SIDs. In the Jan. 8, 2001 issue of the magazine, UD’s fans were tabbed as college basketball’s best. And they prove it to everyone the Flyers play. UD Arena has had 99 sellouts in its 40-year history including three this year. The record for sellouts is eight in the Arena’s first season (1969-70). The Flyers finished the 2010-11 regular season averaging 12,567 fans a game.

DAYTON THE HOST FOR THE NCAA FIRST FOUR ONCE AGAIN
The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee announced that the Road to the Final Four will begin once again at the University of Dayton Arena this year.  In fact, it will begin in Dayton for at least the next two years as the NCAA’s “First Four” event will be held in at the Arena March 13-14, 2012 and March 19-20, 2013.  UD served as the host for the inaugural First Four last March.  The games drew more than 10,000 fans each night to UD Arena, and a national viewing audience of over five million people.

MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
The University of Dayton Arena has hosted NCAA tournament events in 25 of the 42 years since opening its doors for the 1969-70 season. The NCAA First Four games made UD Arena the most-used tournament venue in NCAA history. To date, UD Arena has hosted 86 NCAA men’s tournament games, tying it with Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.

DID YOU KNOW?
UD won more games than any other school in both the 1950s and `60s. UD won 435 games between 1950 and 1969 and ranks among the top teams of the 1950s and 1960s in Division I history. The Flyers’ .763 (228-71) winning percentage in the 1950s ranks fifth in the decade. Their .729 (207-77) winning percentage ranks eighth in the 1960s.