DAYTON - The University of Dayton women's basketball team will open up the New Orleans Tournament Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET at the Xavier Convocation Center with No. 22 South Florida. The Flyers finish up the week with Mississippi Valley State at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 21.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
The Flyers head into the tournament with a 6-3 record overall and a 2-0 mark in neutral site games. Dayton is coming off a win after a two-game losing skid.

Head coach Shauna Green is in her second season at the helm of the Flyers after going 22-10 in her first campaign last year. The WBCA National Rookie Coach of the Year returns an experienced squad with three seniors, six juniors, and three starters.

As a team, Dayton is scoring 70.6 points per game while holding opposing teams to 60.1 points each contest. The Flyers are shooting 40.1 percent from the field, 31.0 percent from three point range, and 71.5 percent from the free throw line. UD benefits from a +8.6 rebounding advantage.

The Flyers are led by senior Jenna Burdette, who is averaging 14.7 points per game and is just 11 points shy of scoring her 1,000th in a Dayton uniform. Fellow senior JaVonna Layfield is contributing 10.3 points and 10.9 rebounds each contest while sophomore Jayla Scaife is coming off career-highs in points and rebounds and averages 13.3 points each outing.

SCOUTING SOUTH FLORIDA
South Florida will take on the Flyers as the No. 22/19 ranked team in the nation with a 9-2 record overall. The Bulls hold wins over St. John's, George Washington, and RV LSU. The lone losses came to No. 6 Notre Dame and RV Oklahoma. Head coach Jose Fernandez is in his 18th season at USF and boasts 318 career wins.

The Bulls rank 11th in the country in fewest turnovers committed and seventh in assist turnover ratio. USF scores 80.3 points each game while stifling opponents to just a 58.6 average. The Bulls shoot 46.4 percent overall, 38.9 percent from behind the arc, and 74.4 percent from the charity stripe.

Leading USF is Kitija Laksa, who ranks fourth in the nation in scoring with 23.0 points per game and has the third-best free throw percentage at 96.8 percent. Maria Jespersen is following up with 16.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game with Laia Flores being the main facilitator at 6.5 assists each contest, ranking 15th in Division I.

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE
Mississippi Valley State is still looking for its first win of the season, starting the year 0-9 and going 0-3 at neutral site games. Head coach Ashley Walker is in her first year with MVSU.

The Devilettes are being outscored by opposing teams 56.9 to 81.8 on average. They are shooting 30.9 percent from the floor, 20.5 percent from three, and 62.1 percent from the free throw line. MVSU faces a -18.9 rebounding margin and -2.2 turnover margin.

LaKendra Bassett is leading the Devilettes in scoring with 15.1 points per game and dishing out 4.1 assists. Kristy Parker is adding 14.3 points each contest while Desiray Mosely is chipping in 9.5 points each outing.

LAST TIME OUT
Dayton powered its way to an 82-54 win over James Madison Sunday at UD Arena, led by Jayla Scaife's 24-point, 11-rebound performance. Three other Flyers scored in double figures with JaVonna Layfield recording a double-double as well.

South Florida earned its ninth win of the campaign with a 30-point win over in-state foe Florida International Sunday. Four players scored in double digits, led by Laia Flores' 19-point performance.

Mississippi Valley State was close to earning its first win of the season, but came up short in a 57-62 loss to Nicholls State at home.  The Devilletes were outscored in the first quarter 20-8 and were unable to recover despite 19 points by both Lakendra Bassett and Kristy Parker.

THE SERIES
The Flyers and Bulls will face off for the second time in program history with Dayton winning the first showdown on Dec. 29, 2011 in Jersey City, N.J. at the Saint Peter's Holiday Classic, 73-63.

Dayton and Mississippi Valley State have also played just once previously, back on Nov. 9, 2012 at the Maggie Dixon Classic in Chicago. The Flyers dominated that contest, winning 93-59.