DAYTON -- The University of Dayton men's basketball team will open its 119th season of varsity basketball on Monday, Nov. 6 when SIUE visits UD Arena. Game time is 7 p.m. ET.  

Monday's game will be carried by WHIO Radio and televised on Spectrum News 1.  Streaming audio, video and live stats will be available at DaytonFlyers.com.

The University of Dayton men's basketball team finished the 2022-23 season 22-12 after reaching the championship game of the 2023 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championships.    Dayton then turned its attention to an eventful summer that has the potential of being the most impactful off-season for Dayton men's basketball in recent memory.

First, DaRon Homes II returned to UD after placing his name under consideration for the NBA draft. 

Second, after an injury-riddled 2022-23, two of UD's top returning guards -- Malachi Smith (ankles) and Koby Brea (tibias) -- had extensive and successful surgeries.  The third returning guard, Kobe Elvis, was able to avoid going under the knife after missing 15 games (knee).
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Third, the Flyers added seven newcomers  (six after the 2022-23 season ended). 

 #TRENDING 
• Dayton is the preseason favorite in the Atlantic 10 in the annual vote of the league's coaches and selected media.  The Flyers received 20 of the 25 first-place votes cast.
• DaRon Holmes II was named Preseason First Team All-Atlantic 10 and to the Preseason All-Defensive Team.  He was the only player on the first team and the defensive team.
• Last season, he was also First Team All-A-10 and on the All-Defensive Team as well the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 Men's Basketball Championship (21.7 ppg., 10.1 rpg., 4.0 bpg.).
• Holmes was on a pair of prestigious watch lists -- the mid-season USBWA Oscar Robertson Player of the Year and the Top 10 of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame's Karl Malone Award.
• Holmes led UD in scoring (18.4), and was second in rebounding (8.1.)  He was the only player in the A-10 to be in the top five in both.  He also led the A-10 in blocked shots (1.94).
• Holmes had the most dunks in D-I in the regular season (89) in 2022-23.  He led all freshmen and was sixth overall with 81 in 2021-22.
• Malachi Smith was named Preseason Second Team All-Atlantic 10.  He missed 15 games due to ankle injuries as a sophomore.  Because of that, he did not have enough games played to qualify for A-10 rankings, but his 5.6 assists per game would have been third in the league, and his 3.0 assist-to-turnover ratio would have been first.
• Dayton was one of three schools to have players on the preseason first and second teams.
• The Flyers led the A-10 in scoring defense at 61.0 points per game last season.  VCU was second at 62.9  Dayton allowed 60 or fewer points 20 times in 34 games. 
 
UP NEXT 
• Dayton travels to Northwestern on Friday, Nov. 10.   Game time is 8:30 p.m. ET.