CHICAGO – The University of Dayton men's basketball team will make a return trip to Chicago on Dec. 21, 2019 when the Flyers take part in the second edition of the Chicago Legends, a doubleheader that will be played at the famed United Center.
UD will take on Colorado in one game, while Cincinnati and Iowa will square off in the other game. This is the second edition of the Chicago Legends. Dayton is the only team returning from the original doubleheader of the Flyers, Northwestern, Illinois and BYU played on Dec. 17, 2016. Northwestern edged UD 67-64 in a battle of two teams destined to play in the 2017 NCAA tournament.
That was Dayton's first game in the Chicago area since UD defeated 15th-ranked Marquette in the finals of the 2008 Chicago Invitational Challenge that was played in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The 2019 Chicago Legends game will only be Flyers' second game in the city of Chicago since they played Loyola in the International Amphitheater on Jan. 7, 1989. Since then Dayton has also played games at the Rosemont Horizon and in Evanston on the campus of Northwestern University.
The University of Dayton has more than 5,000 alumni living in the Chicago area.
"We're very excited to play in the 2019 Chicago Legends," UD coach
Anthony Grant said. "We are always looking to play quality opponents in quality events, and playing Colorado at the United Center certainly checks both boxes. I'm also excited that our fans and alumni in the Chicago area will be able to come out and see our team play in their hometown."
Some of the top moments and performers in Dayton Basketball history have Chicago ties:
• UD defeated Tennessee and Virginia Tech in Evanston to advance to the 1967 NCAA Final Four.
• Donald Smith scored a Dayton single-game record 52 points in the Chicago Stadium vs. Loyola on Feb. 3, 1973.
• Flyer Hall of Famers Ted Sharpenter, George Janky and Kevin Conrad were Chicago-area products.
• UD's career steal record holder Alex Robertson is from Chicago.
• Two members the winningest class in UD history –
Kyle Davis and
Kendall Pollard – are from Chicago and won Illinois state high school championships. Davis at Morgan Park and Pollard at Simeon.
• A total of 32 Chicago-area prep products have worn the Dayton red and blue in basketball.
Ticket information, game times and any television coverage will be announced in 2019.
