University of Dayton Athletics

MASON, Ohio - The University of Dayton men's basketball team fell to Xavier 82-76 in the CareSource Invitational exhibition game on Center Court at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
 
The Flyers erased an early double-digit deficit and cut the score to just one point with eight minutes to go, but the Musketeers held on in the end.
 
Senior transfer Zaide Lowery led three Flyers in double-digit scoring with 16, sophomore transfer Landen Joseph added 13, and freshman Aiden Derkack tacked on 12.
 
GAME RECAP
First Half – Xavier 40, Dayton 29

• Freshman Aiden Derkack got the Flyers on the board with a free throw for the first point of the exhibition season.
• Senior Jaiun Simon dialed in a triple to give UD its first field goal of the season and make the score 7-4.
• Sophomore transfer Tristian Ford converted back-to-back baskets to make it a 12-12 game with 15:24 to go.
• Transfer senior Zaide Lowery got his first bucket in a Flyer uniform on a drive to the basket that made it 24-14.
• Junior Malcolm Thomas got into the scoring with a dunk and a pair of free throws.
• Sophomore transfer Landen Joseph went on a one-man scoring barrage to end the half for the Flyers, scoring the final nine points of the half for Dayton and bringing the score to its final of 40-29.

 
Second Half –Xavier 82, Dayton 76

• Dayton came out firing from distance to start the second half, as junior Amael L'Etang connected from long range to bring the score to 43-32.
• Junior transfer Travis Perry buried a three of his own to make it a 45-35 game.
• Derkack made another basket to cut the deficit to eight, 45-37.
• L'Etang made his second three of the half to make it 49-42.
• Lowery started an electric half with a slam to make it a 51-44 game.
• After a free throw from Joseph, Ford knocked down a three-pointer to make it a 55-48 score.
• Lowery hammered home two more dunks to keep the Flyers within striking distance
• Derkack knocked down his first triple of the day to bring UD within three, 62-59, with 9:51 to go.
• Sophomore Damon Friery hit a turnaround jumper in the paint to push the Flyers back within striking distance, 64-61.
• A slam by freshman Cody Peck made it a one-point game, 64-63.
• After a Xavier triple and a pair of free throws, Lowery converted on both sides of a one-and-one to make it 69-65.
• Lowery made another basket in the paint to keep the deficit at six, 73-67.
• Xavier pulled out to a double-digit lead late, but free throws from Ford and a three-pointer by Simon brought the score to its final 82-76.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• 59.1 – shooting percentage in the game for the Flyers
• 76.2 – second half shooting percentage for UD
• 9 – Flyers who played 15 or more minutes, led by Zaide Lowery with 26
• 16 – point total for Lowry to lead all scorers with less than five fouls
• 7 – free throws made by Landen "Dunk" Joseph on his way to 13 points
• 12 – points for freshman Aiden Derkack in his first bit of college action
• 14 – turnovers forced by UD

UP NEXT
The Flyers return to the Epicenter of College Basketball, UD Arena, to take on Notre Dame for its annual Spotlight Game, shining a light on mental health. The Flyers and Fighting Irish play Saturday, Oct. 17 with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.

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