NASSAU, Bahamas -- The University of Dayton Flyers will play fourth-ranked Virginia in the semifinals of the Bad Boy Mowers Battle4Atlantis. Game time on Thanksgiving Day is 4 p.m. ET. Dayton advanced to meet UVa with a 69-64 win over Butler. Virginia defeated Middle Tennessee State 74-52.
The game will be carried by WHIO Radio, and televised by ESPN. Streaming audio, streaming video (on ESPN+) and stats will be available at DaytonFlyers.com.
Dayton is 4-0 on the young season after wins over North Florida (78-70), Coppin State (76-46), Purdue Fort Wayne (91-80) and Butler (69-64).
THE NEARLY-TRANSFORMED UD ARENA
The University of Dayton is past the halfway point of a $72 million renovation of its Arena. The transformation of University of Dayton Arena will occur in three phases – from 2017 to 2019.
Phase II included new entrances on three of the four sides, a new box office, new seats in the 300 and 400 levels on the east side and a new and expanded concourse on the east side.
#TRENDING
•
Jalen Crutcher and
Josh Cunningham combined for 38 points (13-28 FG) in Wednesday's win over Butler in the first round of the Battle4Atlantis.
• Crutcher scored 20 in the Butler win, and has 38 points in his last two games. He scored 18 in the first two games of the season. He has made 8 of 12 3-pt. FG after missing his first six.
• Cunningham scored 18 (7-11 FG) and added eight rebounds in 35 minutes vs. Butler.
• After missing the first two games of the year with a hand injury, Cunningham led UD with 20 points (9-10 FG) and eight rebounds in his 2018-19 debut vs, Purdue Fort Wayne.
• This is the 11th consecutive season Dayton has played in an exempt tournament.
• UD's season opener against North Florida was the 300th consecutive Dayton regular season game with a crowd of at least 11,000 fans. That crowd was 12,522. UD was 23rd in Division I attendance last season with an average of 12,996.
• Dayton returns four starters –
Josh Cunningham,
Trey Landers,
Jalen Crutcher and
Jordan Davis -- from last year's 14-17 team.
• UD also returns
Ryan Mikesell, who missed all of last season after double hip surgery in the summer of 2017. Mikesell started 24 games in 2016-17.
• Dayton took the court against North Florida without Cunningham, who was injured in practice the day before. Taking his place in the lineup was redshirt freshman
Obi Toppin, who merely scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds with four dunks in his college debut.
• Toppin was named co-Rookie of the Week in the Atlantic 10 Conference after Week One.
UP NEXT
• Dayton will close out the B4A against either Oklahoma or No. 25 Wisconsin on Friday.
• UD's next game on the mainland will be against No. 15 Mississippi State.
