PITTSBURGH –The University of Dayton women's basketball team battled to the end, but their title hopes ended in the Atlantic 10 Semifinals Saturday at the Palumbo Center.
 
The Flyers (17-13) were unable to pull off the upset of the top-seeded Rams (23-8). Junior Jayla Scaife was named to the A-10 All-Championship team.
 
KEY MOMENT
4^th quarter – VCU outscored Dayton 30-15 in the fourth quarter, including scoring on 10 straight free throws down the stretch.  
 
GAME BREAKDOWN
1^ST Quarter: Dayton 16, VCU 10

• VCU struck first with a fastbreak layup at the 8:51 mark and followed up with two free throws to jump out to a 4-0 lead.
• Dayton's first points came with 7:24 on the clock thanks to free throws from redshirt sophomore Araion Bradshaw.
• Seven of the first eight points between the two teams came from the free throw line.
• Midway through the quarter, the score was tied at 8-8.
• The free throw show continued after the break with the next six points coming from the charity stripe.
• Dayton pulled ahead 14-10 on a Julia Chandler jumper with under two minutes to go in the quarter.
• Junior Jayla Scaife led the way with seven points while redshirt junior Shakeela Fowler had four points.
• VCU shot 13 percent in the first 10 minutes.

2^nd Quarter: Dayton 27, VCU 20

• The second quarter started in the same fashion with junior Brittany Ward sinking a pair of free throws to put UD up eight.
• VCU converted a layup at the 8:24 mark to end a five minute scoring drought.
• The Rams turned the ball over and were forced to call a timeout as the Flyers led by double figures, 22-12 with 6:49 in the quarter.
• Scaife was the first Flyer to reach double figures scoring with 11 points just 12 minutes into the game.
• The Rams cut it to six under the five minute mark, but senior Lauren Cannatelli drilled a three to end the rally.
• The Flyers led by seven going into the locker room.
• Dayton shot 27 percent in the first half while holding VCU to 21 percent.
• UD was 11-of-12 from the free throw line for 92 percent.
• Scaife led with 11 points and Ward added five points.

 
3^rd Quarter: Dayton 37, VCU 31

• VCU took control over the first two and half minutes, cutting into the margin.
• Bradshaw and Ward both had great drives in the paint to keep the Flyers in front.
• The Rams hit a three with just over five minutes to play to make it a five-point game, 31-26.
• By the media break, it was just a three-point Dayton lead.
• Freshman Kyla Whitehead's free throw after the timeout ended a 3:00 scoring drought.
• The pace slowed down the final few minutes of the third, but the Flyers maintained the lead.
• VCU was 0-for-4 down and had a 3:04 scoring drought down the stretch while Dayton was 2-for-10.

4^th Quarter: Dayton 52, VCU 61

• Cannatelli hit a big three to start the fourth to add to Dayton's lead.
• The Rams pulled back within two on a three of their own, 42-40 with 5:35 to go in the fourth.
• VCU hit a three out of the media timeout to take a 43-42 lead.
• The Rams got their lead up to four at 48-44.
• Senior Maddy Dennis hit a three from the corner with 2:28 to go to make it a one-point game.
• In the end, the Flyers were unable to catch back up to the Rams.
• VCU scored their final 10 points from the free throw line as Dayton tried to foul its way back into the contest.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
29 – Dayton shot just 29 percent from the floor while VCU shot 33 percent.
21 – Jayla Scaife had yet another 20+ point game with 21 points to go with six rebounds.
15 – The first quarter saw 15 of the 26 combined points come from the free throw line.
8 – UD committed just eight turnovers in the game while forcing 15.
6 or more – Dayton had four players with six or more rebounds in the game.
 
KEY STAT

Free throws – VCU made seven more made free throws than Dayton attempted.
 

UP NEXT
Dayton will look to see if it receives a selection in the WNIT on Monday, March 18.