DAYTON – The University of Dayton men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Saturday afternoon to SMU 66-64. The Flyers dropped to 1-1 on the season, ending the team's 21-game winning streak dating back to December 21, 2019.

Senior Ibi Watson led the way with 23 points and recorded six rebounds for the Flyers. Junior Chase Johnson and senior Jalen Crutcher both also finished in double figures, adding 14 and 10 points, respectively.
 
GAME BREAKDOWN
1^st half: Dayton 32, SMU 27

• Chase Johnson scored the first four points of the game for the Flyers, part of an early 6-0 run for Dayton. Over that span, the Mustangs missed their first four shots and committed two turnovers.
• Dayton held a 10-7 advantage with 12 minutes remaining in the first half in a strong defensive performance with both teams shooting just 25 percent from the floor to that point.
• SMU then scored six straight points as part of a 9-0 run for the Mustangs.
• The Flyers regained the lead 17-13 with nine minutes remaining in the half, using a 7-0 run of their own, with Ibi Watson scoring five of those points.
• Both teams stayed close over the final nine minutes with Dayton holding a 32-27 advantage at the end of the first half.
• Watson and Johnson led all scorers with 10 points each in the first half.
• The Flyers made seven of their final 10 shots in the half, shooting 44 percent from the floor in the first half.
• Dayton outrebounded SMU 20-16 and held the Mustangs to just 10 percent shooting from behind the three point line.

2^nd half: SMU 66, Dayton 64

• The Flyers scored the first four points of the second half with layups from Watson and senior Jordy Tshimanga.
• Dayton made seven of its first 10 shots in the second half and held a 48-40 lead with all five starters scoring points for the Flyers in that span.
• SMU took a one-point lead, 49-48, with 8:54 remaining in the contest on the strength of a 9-0 run.
• The lead changed six times over the next five minutes until a 4-0 run by SMU gave the Mustang a three-point advantage.
• A Watson layup and four straight points for the Flyers put Dayton up 61-60 with 2:14 remaining.
• The Mustangs regained the lead 62-61 with 56 seconds and extended it to 64-61 using two free throws.
• Watson tied the game at 64 on a three-pointer with nine seconds left.
• SMU then followed with the game-winning layup with 0.2 seconds left on the clock, and Dayton's desperation attempt fell short.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Senior Jordy Tshimanga set a career high with 12 rebounds in the contest.
• The Flyers recorded more rebounds (34-29), assists (11-8), and steals (6-5) than SMU, but also committed more turnovers (19-14)
• There were 12 lead changes in the game, but the Flyers led for over 30 minutes of the contest.
• Dayton's starting five scored 62 of the team's 64 points.
• This marks senior Ibi Watson's second straight game leading the Flyers in scoring.

UP NEXT

• Dayton will remain home for its next contest, hosting Northern Kentucky
• The Flyers and Norse will play Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. ET.
• The game will be televised in southwest Ohio on Spectrum News 1 and streamed on ESPN+.