DAYTON - The University of Dayton women's basketball team will travel south to the Dayton Beach Invitational in Florida this Thursday and Friday for the holiday invite. The Flyers will kick-off the event on Thanksgiving Day at noon against Mississippi State before taking on Illinois on Friday, Nov. 26 at 2:15 p.m. The games will be streamed on FloHoops.com.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Dayton heads to Florida with a 3-1 record on the season and a two-game winning streak. It will be the first neutral site games for the Flyers this season, who have played three of four at home.

Head coach Shauna Green is in her sixth season in charge of the Flyers and was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year 2020, her second time at UD. She earned her 100th win at Dayton in the regular season final last year.

As a team this year, Dayton is scoring 69.0 points per game and holding opponents to 61.0 points each outing. The Flyers are shooting 42.4 percent overall, 32.2 percent from three point range, and 69.9 percent from the free throw line. UD hasa +6.8 rebounding margin and is committing fewer turnovers.

Dayton is led by graduate student Erin Whalen, who has team-highs of 16.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Sophomore Makira Cook has scored in double-digits in three games already and is averaging 15.5 points each outing. Grad student Jenna Giacone is right behind her with 15.0 points per game.

SCOUTING MISSISSIPPI STATE
Mississippi State enters the holiday week undefeated at 4-0, with all four games taking place at home. This will be the first time the Bulldogs travel this season.

Head coach Doug Novak is in his first season in Starkville, coming over from Bethel University in Minnesota where he led for eight years.

This season, Mississippi State is averaging 86.8 points per game and allowing opposing squads just 62.3 points, for a +24.5 differential. The Bulldogs are shooting 45.1 percent from the floor, 31.3 percent from behind the arc, and 54.2 percent from the charity stripe. MSU ranks in the top five in the country in assist to turnover ratio, blocks, offensive rebounds per game, and turnovers per game.

The Bulldogs are led by Rickea Jackson, who is averaging 22.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, and Jerkaila Jordan, who is adding 19.5 points and 6.5 boards per game. Anastasia Hayes is the other double-digit scorer with 16.3 points each outing.

LAST TIME OUT
Dayton went on the road for the first time this season and earned a 78-62 victory at Purdue last Saturday. The Flyers dominated in the second half and pulled away from the Boilers while shooting 47.5 percent. Whalen had a game-high 26 points and eight rebounds.

MSU defended its home court with a 94-53 thumping of Bethune-Cookman, a school native to Daytona Beach. The Bulldogs scored 20+ points in each quarter, and had five players score in double figures while shooting 48.1 percent.

THE SERIES
Dayton and Mississippi State have played just one time previously, back on Dec. 28, 1981. The Flyers came out on time 30 years ago, 66-64 at the Miami Hurricane Christmas Classic in Miami, Fla.

STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Dayton ranks top 50 nationally in blocked shots and blocks per game. Individually, Araion Bradshaw is fifth in the country and top five all-time in Dayton history in assist-to-turnover ratio. Tenin Magassa ranks 17th in the nation in blocks while Bradshaw is also 40th in free throw attempts.

FLYERS FAVORITE IN PRESEASON POLL
Dayton was picked to as preseason favorites after winning the A-10 regular season in 2020-21. The Flyers received 11 first-place votes and were selected ahead of Rhode Island, Fordham, Saint Louis, and VCU.

PRESEASON HONORS
The Atlantic 10 released its preseason all-conference teams and recognized four Flyers ahead of the upcoming campaign. Grad student Jenna Giacone was named First Team while fellow grad student Erin Whalen was named Second Team. Sophomore center Tenin Magassa was named to the Third Team and grad student Araion Bradshaw picked up All-Defensive Team accolades.

FLYERS DOMINATE IN EXHIBITION
The Flyers had one preseason game this year on Nov. 5 at home where they defeated IUP 83-46. Dayton had five players in double-figures scoring and shot 61.2 percent from the field, higher than any total the previous season.

BRADSHAW NAMED A-10 WOMAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE
The Atlantic 10 Conference chose its NCAA Woman of the Year nominees and selected University of Dayton graduate student Araion Bradshaw as one of the two representatives. Bradshaw is the point guard with the women's basketball program and entering her fifth year at UD this fall. The Boston, Mass. native has helped lead the Flyers to four A-10 Championship titles. Bradshaw is a graduate student with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, master's in engineering management, and working on her master's in business management.

Off the court, she has been just as impactful. She started the Athletes Driving Change organization that is a group of minority A-10 women's basketball players focused on the mission to "promote permanent change toward equality through the voices of Atlantic 10 female athletes using a unified and inclusive platform." She earned the Social Justice Award at this year's R.U.D.Y.S. Banquet for her work on equality and education. Bradshaw is a passionate and vocal leader in the community and has represented the University with the upmost integrity.

THREE POINTS OF EXCELLENCE
Dayton has hit at least one three-point shot in 625 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 2, 2001, the longest streak in the Atlantic 10 Conference and one of the top streaks in the nation. The Flyers made a program-record 15 three-point field goals against Buffalo in the Connecticut World Vision Classic on Nov. 25, 2011. Dayton tied the record with 15 vs. Wright State on Nov. 28, 2012.

70'S THE MAGIC NUMBER
Since the 2009-10 season, Dayton is 176-22 (.888) when scoring 70 or more points, including 11-1 in 2016-17. During the 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, the Flyers only lost one game per season when scoring at least 70 points, and dropped only two games in 2019-20 when reaching that mark.
2021-22    2-0
2020-21    4-2
2019-20    10-2
2018-19    12-2
2017-18    15-2
2016-17    11-1
2015-16    10-2
2014-15    24-2
2013-14    19-4
2012-13    21-1
2011-12    13-1
2010-11    15-1
2009-10    19-2
TOTAL    176-22

UP NEXT
The Flyers will finish up the Dayton Beach Invitational Friday against Illinois at 2:15 p.m.