RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Dayton women's basketball team won the 2017 Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship over Duquesne Sunday afternoon in Virginia, 70-56.

The Flyers (22-9) powered past the Dukes (18-15) in the final game of the tournament and clinched an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.

GAME BREAKDOWN
First Quarter – Dayton 16, Duquesne 22

• The Dukes jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first two minutes.
• Senior Saicha Grant-Allen put Dayton on the board at the 6:59 mark with a contested jumper.
• At the media break, the Flyers trailed the Dukes 7-5.
• Duquesne then went on a 7-0 run over the next 1:22 to take a nine-point lead, 16-7.
• Dayton answered, going 3-for-3 and 5-of-7 to pull within five, 19-14.
• Grant-Allen led UD with six points while senior Kelley Austria and junior JaVonna Layfield had five each.

Second Quarter – Dayton 32, Duquesne 29

• Dayton closed the gap to four at 22-18 in the early stages of the second quarter.
• By the media timeout, the Flyers faced a 26-19 deficit.
• Freshman Jayla Scaife hit a big three at the 3:30 mark to make it a three-point game before she hit another jumper in transition, cutting the margin to just one, 26-25.
• The Flyers used a 7-0 run during a 2:25 Duke drought to make it a one-possession game.
• Scaife then hit a huge three to keep the rally going, putting the Flyers on top 28-26.
• The Flyers went into the half up three while the Dukes ended the quarter going 1-for-8 and in a 2:01 scoring drought.
• Dayton had a 14-3 run over the final 5:01.

Third Quarter – Dayton 50, Duquesne 42

• The Flyers pushed their lead to eight at 38-30 in the first few minutes of the second half.
• Fouls slowed the game down on both ends.
• Layfield hit a deep two as the shot clock expired just before the media timeout to maintain the eight-point margin.
• Austria's three-pointer followed and put Dayton ahead 11, 43-32, before Duquesne answered and made it a nine-point contest midway through the third.
• Dayton fended off a Duquesne rally down the stretch and took an eight-point lead into the fourth.
• The Flyers had four players in double figures after 30 minutes of play.

Fourth Quarter – Dayton 70, Duquesne 56

• Duquesne battled back to within six at 56-50 in the first three minutes of the fourth.
• Austria's three at 5:39 ended the run and got UD back up nine.
• The Flyers went on a tear and got their lead up to 14 at 66-52 on a 7-0 run at the 3:00 mark.
• Duquesne did not have enough fire power down the stretch and couldn't catch Dayton.
• The Flyers hit their free throws in the last 1:30 and clinched their second A-10 title of the season.
• Austria, Grant-Allen, and Burdette all earned All-Tournament Team honors for their efforts in Richmond. Burdette was named the championship's Most Outstanding Performer.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
14-to-3 – Dayton ended the first half on a 14-3 run over 5:01 to take a three-point lead into the locker room.
10-1 – The Flyers are 10-1 this season when four or more players score in double figures.
20 – Austria's 20 points led Dayton. Layfield added 15, Grant-Allen chipped in 14, and Scaife scored 11.
14-11 – Grant-Allen added 11 rebounds to her 14 points, her seventh double-double of the season.
43% - Dayton shot 43 percent from the floor and held Duquesne to 34 percent.
18 – The Flyers had 18 assists in the game.

KEY STAT

• 5 – Dayton committed just five turnovers in the game, a season low.

UP NEXT

• The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament Selection Show will be aired Monday, March 13 at 7 p.m. on ESPN.