DAYTON – The University of Dayton has announced that it will play Eastern Illinois on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Game time is 7 p.m. ET. WHIO Radio will broadcast the game and it will be streamed on ESPN+. Audio, video and live stats will be available at DaytonFlyers.com.
Eastern Illinois is the third opponent the Flyers have scheduled for the opener. Bellarmine was originally scheduled for Dec. 1, followed by Alcorn State. Both of those teams had to cease basketball operations due to Covid-19 concerns.
EIU has played two games so far in 2020-21, dropping games at seventh-ranked Wisconsin (77-67) and Marquette (75-50). The Panthers are coached by Jay Spoonhour, who is in his ninth season. He is the son of the late Charlie Spoonhour, the legendary coach at Missouri State, Saint Louis and UNLV.
For Dayton, this will be the Flyers' 116th men's basketball season. Last year, UD won a school-record 29 games, captured their third Atlantic 10 regular season title in the last five years, finished No. 3 in the final polls and led the nation in FG% on the strength on a frontcourt that featured the consensus player of the year,
Obi Toppin, and two senior leaders,
Trey Landers and
Ryan Mikesell.
This year, UD will take on the challenge of defending its A-10 title with one of the most talented and experienced backcourts in the country. Preseason All-American
Jalen Crutcher is a four-year starter at point guard who is on the Naismith and Bob Cousy Award Watch Lists.
Rodney Chatman is another point guard on the floor, one of the best shutdown defenders in the Atlantic 10 and the only returnee to start all 31 games last year.
Ibi Watson was UD's "sixth starter" earning starter's minutes while averaging 10.1 points a game off the bench.
#TRENDING
• The Flyers set school records in 2019-20 for wins in a season (29) and FG% (.525, 905-1725).
• Dayton's No. 3 ranking was its highest since the Flyers were ranked third in the last four polls of the 1955-56 season.
• Coach
Anthony Grant was the consensus national coach of the year, the first UD basketball coach to earn that honor.
•
Obi Toppin was the consensus national player of the year, the first Flyer player named.
• Seth Davis named
Jalen Crutcher college basketball's "Best Supporting Actor" during CBS Sports' college basketball studio coverage on Jan. 25 last year.
• Moving into a more visibly primary role this year, Crutcher is getting the kind of attention from the media during the preseason that he will no doubt get from opponents during the season. He is on the Naismith and Bob Cousy Award Watch Lists.
• Crutcher, a four-year starter, was ranked 16th in CBSSports.com's list of the top 100 (and 1) college basketball players. The Athletic rated him sixth among its top 20 guards in the country. ESPN pegs him their 12-best college basketball player. He was also named Second Team Preseason All-America by Stadium.
• Keep in mind that Crutcher was UD's co-MVP last season, sharing the honor with the national player of the year and an NBA draft pick, as well as his roommate and best friend.
• Crutcher was second on the team in scoring (15.1), and led the Flyers in assists (4.9), minutes (33.7), FT% (.869, 86-99) and 3-pt. FG% (.424, 72-170).
•
Rodney Chatman is the only returnee who started every game last season. An elite defender, he held several of the best guards UD faced last year well under their average, including NBA top draft pick Anthony Edwards, Saint Mary's Jordan Ford and Rhode Island's Fatts Russell.
• The Flyers bring a 20-game win streak into the 2020-21 season, the second-longest active streak in Division I and tied for the longest at Dayton in over 100 years (third longest overall).
UP NEXT
• Dayton remains home, hosting SMU on Saturday, Dec. 5. Game time is 2 p.m. ET.
