RICHMOND, Va. – The No. 5 University of Dayton men's basketball team is off to the best start in school history after improving to 24-2 following a hard-fought 66-61 victory on Tuesday at VCU. Dayton has extended its winning streak to 15 games, while remaining undefeated in Atlantic 10 Conference play.
 
Dayton improved to 13-0 in conference and 24-2 overall. VCU fell to 7-6 in conference and 17-9 overall.
 
The Flyers were led by Jalen Crutcher with 18 points (4-of-9 shooting, 2-of-5 from beyond the arc), two rebounds and one block. Crutcher shot 8-of-8 from the free throw line during the game, all in the second half. Two additional Flyers scored in double-digits -- Obi Toppin (12 points) and Trey Landers (11).
 
GAME BREAKDOWN
1st Half: Dayton 36, VCU 29
• The Flyers started the game with threes from Obi Toppin and Ryan Mikesell while keeping VCU in a scoring drought for the first 3:13 of the half.
• The Rams then scored seven straight points to take a 7-6 lead with 15:38 left to play in the half.
• After being scoreless for 3:44, a driving layup from Jalen Crutcher started a 6-0 run by the Flyers, giving Dayton a 12-7 lead. Crutcher also had a fastbreak dunk during the run. 
• VCU was able to cut the Flyers' lead back to two points (14-12) before Rodney Chatman hit a three from the corner.
• Dayton was then able to outscore VCU 9-8, with four points from Trey Landers and a three from Crutcher, to keep Dayton's lead at six points.
• The Rams outscored the Flyers by eight points, including back-to-back threes, to cut Dayton's lead to 29-28; Ryan Mikesell was the only Flyer to score, making three free throws.
• The Flyers finished the half scoring seven points while the Rams only made one free throw.
• Crutcher led the Flyers during the half with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. He had his first dunk and block of the season.
• Dayton shot 13-of-24 (54.2%) from the field while holding VCU to 11-of-31 (35.5%).
• The Flyers also shot 5-of-9 from three (55.5%).
• VCU outrebounded Dayton during the half 19-15; Landers led the Flyers with four rebounds.
• Ibi Watson was the only Flyer to score off the bench with six points.
• Dayton had six turnovers during the half, however, UD was able to score nine points off of VCU's five turnovers.
• The Flyers scored five fastbreak points while not allowing the Rams to score any fastbreak points.
• Six different Flyers scored in the half; All of them had at least three points.
• Dayton led for 17:10 of the half with a largest lead of seven points.
 
2nd Half: Dayton 66, VCU 61
• The Rams scored the first points of the half before Toppin scored for the Flyers.
• VCU was then able to score five in a row to bring Dayton's lead to 38-36.
• Mikesell ended the Rams' scoring streak before Dayton and VCU both exchanged baskets, keeping Dayton's lead at four points leading into a media timeout with 11:57 left to play in the half.
• Landers was sent to the line after being fouled on a second-chance opportunity; He made both free throws, giving Dayton their first points since the 12:56 mark.
• Dwayne Cohill hit a three to extend Dayton's lead back to seven points (49-42) after VCU made a pair of free throws. Crutcher followed that with two free throws to give the Flyers their largest lead of nine points.
• The Rams then went on an 8-1 run to bring Dayton's lead to two points with 6:19 left in the half.
• Dayton was able to extend their lead back to seven points (57-50); All five of the Flyer points came from the free throw line with Crutcher scoring four of them.
• VCU called a timeout with 3:49 left in the half after scoring from beyond the arc, bringing the game to 58-54.
• Toppin made a jumper in the paint, giving Dayton a five-point lead; This was the first field goal for the Flyers in 6:28 of play.
• VCU scored a layup that brought Dayton's lead to 62-59 with 26 seconds left in the half before calling a timeout.
• Cohill was sent to the free throw line with 22.4 seconds left in the half to shoot two; He made both free throws giving Dayton a five-point lead.
• The Flyers kept VCU from converting beyond the arc, resulting in Crutcher being sent to the line. He made both free throws, securing a Dayton victory.
• Toppin led the Flyers in the half with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting and four rebounds.
• Dayton struggled from the field, shooting only 6-of-18 (33.3%) from the field and 1-of-8 (12.5%) from beyond the arc. VCU shot 38.5% overall.
• Dayton had 30 points in the half with 17 of them coming from the free throw line; Crutcher made eight of them, going 8-of-8 from the line.
• The Rams outrebounded the Flyers 22-16 in the half.
• The Flyers bench scored seven points in the half; Six of those came from Cohill.
• Dayton held the lead for the entirety of the half with a largest lead of nine points.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Dayton shot 19-of-42 (45.2%) from the field while holding 21-of-57 (36.8%) from the field.
• Crutcher (18 points), Toppin (12), Landers (11) all finish in double figures.
• Four additional Flyers scored in the contest; Three of them had six or more points.
• VCU outrebounded Dayton 41-31; Landers led the Flyers with seven rebounds while Toppin and Mikesell each added five.
• The Flyers were able to convert on 22-of-31 free throws (71%), the Rams were only able to make 13-of-22 (59%).
• Dayton also shot 6-of-17 (35.3%) from beyond the arc while VCU made 6-of-21 (28.6%).
• The Flyers had five blocks compared to just one by the Rams.
• Despite allowing 16 offensive rebounds, Dayton only gave up 13 second chance points.
• Dayton led 37:09 while only trailing for 1:35; The largest lead for the Flyers was nine points (51-42).
• Each team managed just 10 points off the 23 total turnovers in the game. 
• Dayton is 24-2 for the first time in school history, have won 15 games in a row in a single season for the first time since they won 16 in 1957-58, and are 13-0 in the A-10 for the first time ever.
 
UP NEXT 
• The Flyers head home to Tom Blackburn Court to face Duquesne on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. ET.