DAYTON - The University of Dayton women's basketball team will begin its attempt to defend its Atlantic 10 Championship title this Friday at 11 a.m. in the A-10 Quarterfinals in Richmond, Va.

SCOUTING THE FLYERS
Dayton finished the regular season with a 13-2 record overall and earned the top seed after going 12-1 in A-10 play. UD is 8-0 on the road this season as well.

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

As a team, the Flyers are averaging 66.7 points per game and holding opponents to 55.7 points each contest. Dayton is shooting 41.6 percent from the field, 34.2 percent from three, and 69.8 percent from the free throw line. The Flyers rank sixth nationally in rebounding margin with a +12.4 ratio.

Dayton is led by Second Team All-Conference performer in Erin Whalen with 13.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while Most Improved Player and First Teamer Jenna Giacone is adding 12.9 points as well. Sixth Woman of the Year Tenin Magassa is chipping in 9.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game.

SCOUTING LA SALLE
La Salle advances to the next round of the A-10 Championship with a 12-13 record overall and went 7-10 in conference play during the regular season. The Explorers are 2-3 in their last five games and are 1-0 in neutral site games this year.

Head coach Mountain MacGillivray is in his third season at the helm of La Salle, and his third season as a head coach.

This year, the Explorers are scoring 64.4 points each contest and allowing 65.7 points to opposing teams. La Salle is shooting 37.3 percent overall, 30.7 percent from behind the arc, and 75.1 percent from the charity stripe. The Explorers do have a +3.4 turnover margin, but face a -9.6 rebounding margin, a strength of the Flyers.

Leading La Salle is Claire Jacobs, who is averaging 16.8 points per game and coming off a 27-point, nine-rebound performance in the second round. Kayla Spruill is contributing 14.9 points and 6.1 boards per game.

LAST TIME OUT
Dayton defeated Davidson in the regular season finale on Feb. 28, 72-66, on the road. The Flyers clinched the top seed and their second straight regular season title in Coach Green's 100th win at Dayton. Five players scored in double digits for UD.
La Salle defeated No. 9 seed Duquesne in overtime in the second round of the A-10 Championship, 72-68. The Explorers held an early lead before the Dukes came back, but La Salle held on to advance. Claire Jacobs had a standout performance with 27 points and nine boards.

THE SERIES
Dayton and La Salle have met 40 times previously with the Flyers winning 24 games and the Explorers earning 16 victories. UD won the meeting earlier this year in Philadelphia, 95-66. The Flyers have scored 95 and 98 points respectively in the last two games against La Salle.

STATISTICAL RANKINGS
This season the Flyers rank sixth nationally in rebound margin and 22nd in field goal percentage defense. UD is also 13th in rebounds per game and 20th in scoring defense. Individually, Tenin Magassa is 22nd in the country in blocks per game while Araion Bradshaw is 21st in assist-to-turnover ratio.

FLYERS DOMINATE A-10 MAJOR HONORS
The Atlantic 10 Conference released its end-of-the-season awards the week prior to the tournament and recgonized three Flyers with major awards. Redshirt senior Jenna Giacone was named Most Improved Player as well as First Team All-Conference. Fellow senior Araion Bradshaw took home Defensive Player of the Year accolades as well as Third Team and All-Defensive team. Freshman center Tenin Magassa was named Sixth Woman of the Year and named to the All-Rookie Team. On top of that, redshirt senior Erin Whalen was named to the Second Team and All-Academic team, totaling nine awards for the Flyers.

GREEN EARNS 100TH WIN AT DAYTON
With a 72-66 win over Davidson in the regular season finale, head coach Shauna Green earned her 100th victory at Dayton, the fastest to reach that mark in program history.

FLYERS CLINCH SIXTH A-10 TITLE
After going 12-1 in the regular season, the Flyers clinched their sixth overall regular season league title and second straight. It was also the fourth in five years under head coach Shauna Green.

PRESEASON POLL
Dayton was picked to finish second in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll behind conference favorites VCU and ahead of Saint Louis, Davidson, Duquesne, and Fordham. The Flyers received two first-place votes.

FLYERS IN REGULAR SEASON LEAGUE PLAY
Dayton has won 126 of its last 153 regular season Atlantic 10 games (.827), a streak that dates back to a 97-46 win over Rhode Island on Jan. 7, 2012, and includes a perfect 14-0 mark in conference play during the 2012-13 season.

POSTSEASON EXPECTATION
The Flyers have made 13-consecutive postseason appearances between the NCAA Division I Tournament and the Women's National Invitational Tournament. Here are the past 13 campaigns
Year    Record    Postseason
2019-20    25-8    NCAA Tournament - Canceled due to COVID-19
2018-19    17-14    WNIT - 1st Round
2017-18    23-6    NCAA Tournament - 1st Round
2016-17    22-10    NCAA Tournament - 1st Round
2015-16    14-15    WNIT - 1st Round
2014-15    27-6    NCAA Tournament - Elite Eight
2013-14    23-8    NCAA Tournament - 1st Round
2012-13    28-3    NCAA Tournament - 2nd Round
2011-12    23-7    NCAA Tournament - 1st Round
2010-11    21-12    NCAA Tournament - 1st Round
2009-10    25-8    NCAA Tournament - 1st Round
2008-09    21-14    WNIT - 2nd Round
2007-08    25-9    WNIT - 1st Round

70'S THE MAGIC NUMBER
Since the 2009-10 season, Dayton is 173-21 (.895) 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.
2020-21    3-1
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    173-21

UP NEXT
If victorious, the Flyers will advance to the A-10 Semifinals with an opponent to be determined. The game would be at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Siegel Center.