Skip To Main Content

University of Dayton Athletics

Dayton Flyers image
Dayton men's basketball player Nate Santos celebrates one of his 24 points over Saint Joseph's.
72
Saint Joseph's SJU 12-8,3-4 Atlantic 10
77
Winner Dayton UD 14-6,4-3 Atlantic 10
Saint Joseph's SJU
12-8,3-4 Atlantic 10
72
Final
77
Dayton UD
14-6,4-3 Atlantic 10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Saint Joseph's SJU 26 46 72
Dayton UD 39 38 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men's Basketball Takes Wire-To-Wire Victory Over St. Joe's, 77-72

Nate Santos Led All Players With A Season-High 24 Points

DAYTON – Senior Nate Santos' 24-point outburst led the University of Dayton men's basketball team to a wire-to-wire victory on Friday night, topping Saint Joseph's 77-72 inside UD Arena.
 
UD led by as many as 19 in the game before a roaring comeback by SJU made the game tight in the end. The Flyers made their last four shots from the floor and went 7-9 from the free throw line in the closing minutes to seal the game.
 
Santos led all scorers with his 24, which tied a season-high and was the fifth time he's scored 20+ points this season. Joining him in double-digit scoring was freshman Amaël L'Etang (14), Javon Bennett (12) and Malachi Smith (12). 
 

First Half – Dayton 39, St. Joseph's 26

  • Amaël L'Etang connected from beyond the arc on the Flyers' first possession of the game.
  • Enoch Cheeks gave UD a 5-0 lead after a steal and emphatic slam dunk.
  • Nate Santos dialed in a three point shot to put Dayton up 10-2.
  • Malachi Smith hit Santos for a driving layup to send the Flyers into the first media timeout, 12-2.
  • Santos sent the crowd into a frenzy with a two point swish to keep the Hawks quiet, 19-6.
  • Posh Alexander announced his presence with a quick steal and layup.
  • Five straight points from Javon Bennett put the Flyers ahead by a half-high 19.
  • Santos made it a 17-point first half with a deep three pointer to give the Flyers a 39-23 lead.

Second Half – St. Joseph's 72, Dayton 77

  • L'Etang stayed hot in the second half with a three-point jumper to start.
  • Bennett knocked down a jumper in the paint to make it 45-35.
  • Santos continued his hot scoring run with his fourth three-point shot to keep the Flyers ahead by 10.
  • Alexander connected on an old-fashioned three-point play to put Dayton ahead nine with 12:49 to go.
  • After Saint Joseph's cut the lead to five, Santos buried another two-point pull-up with 8:20 remaining to stop the Hawks' run.
  • Bennett kept the crowd loud after a layup to expand the lead to 64-58 with 3:20 to go.
  • Both Bennett and Smith executed their free throws down the stretch, going 4-for-4 from the line in the final 15 seconds to ice the game.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • 24 - points for senior Nate Santos, tying a season best.
  • 5 - 20+ point performances this season for Santos
  • 8 - rebounds for Santos, leading all players in the game
  • 8 - assists for Malachi Smith, the most in the contest for both teams
  • 15 - made free throws for Dayton in the game.
  • 6 - Smith went 6-for-6 from the line
  • 11 - Longest scoring run for the Flyers' offense.
  • 3 - consecutive double-digit scoring games for Amaël L'Etang and Javon Bennett.
  • 0 - seconds the Flyers trailed the Hawks.

UP NEXT

  • The Flyers head to Olean, N. Y. to play at the Reilly Center on Tuesday, Jan. 28 against St. Bonaventure
  • Game time is 8 p.m. ET.
Print Friendly Version