DAYTON – Five Flyers scored in double-figures as the University of Dayton men's basketball team came out on top, 79-72, in a gritty game against George Washington at the Epicenter of College Basketball, UD Arena, on Tuesday night. 
 
The Flyers (12-4, 3-0 A-10) were relentless in a back-and-forth battle against the Revolutionaries (11-5, 2-1 A-10), grinding out their third straight win to start Atlantic 10 play.
 
Redshirt Sophomore Jaiun Simon had his best night in a Dayton uniform, scoring a career-high 12 points and narrowly missing a double-double with a career-best nine rebounds. Senior Javon Bennett led Dayton with 20 points, connecting on 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. Fellow senior Keonte Jones tied his UD career-best with 15 points, senior Jordan Derkack adding 15 in 27 minutes of action, and junior De'Shayne Montgomery adding 12.
 
UD had 17 assists on 23 made shots and forced GW into 22 turnovers in the contest. Four Flyers finished the game with multi-steal games, with Derkack leading the way with four.
 
GAME RECAP
 
1st Half – George Washington 35, Dayton 30

• Senior Jordan Derkack knocked down a  three-pointer to get the Flyers on the board in the first quarter 
• Junior De'Shayne Montgomery met the rim to put in a layup off an assist from Jacob Conner 
• Sophomore Jaiun Simon answered George Washington's free throws with a layup on the next possession (7-11)
• Montgomery scored on consecutive layups, adding four points for the Flyers (11-14)
• Graduate Student Keonte Jones sunk a three pointer off of an opponent turnover with 10:01 remaining in the half
• Jones found the assist from Javon Bennett and threw down a dunk 
• Bennett went two for two at the line
• Simon made a layup to keep scoring momentum going with 4:15 remaining
• Jones tipped in a put-back dunk to add to the Flyers deficit with 2:14 remaining 
• Jones went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, tightening the gap between Dayton and George Washington 
• Derkack converted a fast-break layup, with Montgomery providing the assist (28–32)
• Simon added two points in free throws for the Flyers after getting fouled at the rim

2nd Half– Dayton 79, George Washington 72

• Bennett started off the Flyers in the second quarter with a straightaway three-pointer
• Jones responded and added his own two points off a George Washington turnover to push the Flyers closer to the deficit (35-36)
• Two minutes into the half, Montgomery dunked off of a fast break to put the Flyers in the lead, making the score Dayton 37, George Washington 26 
• Simon added two free throws to take the lead back 39-38
• Derkack made two free throws amid the back-and-forth scoring battle
• A minute later, Derkack sunk a corner three to bring the score to Dayton 44, George Washington 42 at the 15:11 mark
• Jones took advantage of an opponent turnover and found the rim for a quick layup
• Bennett raced the shot clock and successfully put in a driving layup 
• Bryce Heard made a layup in the paint for his first two points of the game with 11:07 remaining
• Bennett drained a three-point shot following a GW turnover, making the score Dayton 53, George Washington 49
• Simon finished at the rim with a second-chance layup after a turnover by George Washington 
• Bennett knocked down a second-chance three-pointer to keep the Flyers in the lead 58-54
• With the Flyers in the bonus, Derkack made a trip to the line and hit a free throw at the 6:42 mark
• Conner battled defensive pressure to draw and make the and one to bring the score to Dayton 62, George Washington 54
• Bennett went to the line in the bonus and sank both shots
• Montgomery found the pass from Jones and threw down a dunk to widen the Flyer lead with 4:05 on the clock
• Montgomery added to Dayton's lead with two free throws, making the score Dayton 70, George Washington 66
• Bennet followed with two free throws, then returned to the line to make another pair with 47 seconds remaining 
• Heard made a layup off a fast break in the final 30 seconds, Dayton 76, George Washington 69
• Jones added two essential free throws for the Flyers with 18 seconds remaining 
• Bennett put the finishing touch on the win with a free throw with Dayton 79, George Washington 72

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• 31 - points scored off of George Washington turnovers
• 20 - points for Javon Bennett, his sixth time scoring 20-or-more this season
• 12 - points for Jaiun Simon, a new career high  
• 9 - rebounds for Jaiun Simon, a new career-high
• 8 - games this season the Flyers have made 20+ free throws in a game (27 tonight)
• 5 - Flyers with double-digit points, the second time this season UD accomplished the feat
• 3 - GW 10-second halfcourt violations created by the Flyer press

 UP NEXT
Dayton is back in action in one week, traveling to Pittsburgh, Pa. to take on Duquesne on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m.

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