University of Dayton Athletics

DAYTON – The University of Dayton men's basketball team faltered 99-89 against the Siena Saints at the Epicenter of College Basketball, UD Arena, on Tuesday night.

Down just one at halftime, Dayton allowed the Saints to pull away by as much as 12 in the second half, earning a second loss in the young season.

Freshman Aiden Derkack earned the third consecutive double-double of his career with 25 points and 10 rebounds. DaRon Holmes II was the last Flyer to do so back in March of 2024. Sophomore Tristian Ford put up 21 points, going 8-for-8 on the night, including a perfect 5-for-5 performance from the three-point line. 

The Flyers outshot the Saints overall (.545 to .448), but Siena's success at the free-throw line (.848 to .500) made a difference in the game. Dayton was just 6-for-12 at the line, while Siena went 28-for-33, including going 24-for-26 in the second half.

GAME RECAP
First Half – Siena 46, Dayton 45

• Freshman Aiden Derkack started off the game strong with a three-point jumper in the first 23 seconds. 
• Sophomore Landen Joseph shot-faked from the deep corner, cutting in to score an easy layup for the Flyers with 18:26 left to play, leading 5-0. 
• Junior Grant Randall took a three-pointer from the left side to make the score 8-2.
• Joseph eased his way into the paint for another layup, lengthening the Flyers' lead to 10-5.
• Joseph put up two with an assist from Derkack on the defensive rebound, bringing the score to 13-12 in favor of the Saints. 
• Sophomore Tristian Ford sank a fast-break layup, continuing to trail Siena by one, 14-13, with 14:37 left in regulation. 
• Junior Amaël L'Etang finished in the paint with an assist from Randall for a narrow 16-15 lead with 13:45 left to play. 
• Derkack drove a layup in the paint to tighten the Saints' lead, 20-18.
• A jumper from graduate student Jaylen Hanes continued to chip away at Sienna's lead for a 25-20 score.
• Off the second-chance layup, senior Jaiun Simon tightened the Saints' lead to 25-23 with 10:33 left to play. 
• Simon went back under the net to tie the game at 25 apiece with a three-pointer. 
• Sophomore Damon Friery swished a three-point jumper to put the Flyers in the lead, 28-27, with 8:42 to go. 
• Randall put up a hard-fought layup off a rebound to cut into a 34-30 Saints lead. 
• Off an opponent turnover, Hayes floats in a layup, earning two for the Flyers at 5:13, holding the game within four, 36-32.
• Driving into the paint, Derkack makes an easy layup, drawing the score to 36-34, Saints, with 4:47 left in regulation. 
• A layup finished by Derkack with an assist from Haynes gives the Flyers two, bringing the score to 38-36. 
• Haynes in the paint for two ties up the game at 38 with 3:32 left in the half.
• Off an opponent steal, Derkack eases his way into the paint for a layup, giving Dayton the lead 40-38.
• Back-to-back, Derkack scores on the fast break, slamming in a dunk for the Flyers, advancing the lead to 42-38.
• After a steal from Derkack, he drew a foul with 2:15 to go, going 1-for-2 at the line for a 43-42 score.
• With only 1:53 left to play, Joseph finished for two, keeping the Flyers in the lead, 45-42. 
• With just seconds left, the Saints take the lead into the half, 46-45. 

 
Second Half – Siena 99, Dayton 89

• Randall opened up scoring in the second half with a layup for the Flyers, drawing the score to 48-47 with 17:56 left to play. 
• Derkack gave the Flyers a one-point lead with two made free throws, 49-48.
• Ford knocked down a long-range three, giving the Flyers the lead, 52-50.
• On the defensive rebound, Joseph keyed up a three-point sinker for Ford to bring the score to 55-52.
• Assisted by Derkack, Haynes finds his way into the paint for two, making the score 57-55 with 15:36 left in the second half. 
• After a four-minute scoring drought, junior Travis Perry buried a three-point jumper assisted by Haynes to make the score 65-60 in favor of the Saints. 
• L'Etang ended another drought for the Flyers with a three from the top of the key, cutting Siena's lead to 70-63 with 9:50 left to play.
• Ford sank a three-point jumper, going 3-for-3 from the arch, bringing the score to 70-66.
• With an assist from Derkack, L'Etang found himself in the paint for two, tightening the score to 70-68, Saints.
• Derkack banked two off a fast break with an assist from Joseph, who grabbed the defensive rebound, 72-70. 
• Ford drilled a three-pointer from the left side with 5:00 minutes left to play and the score 77-73 in Siena's favor. 
• Ford tosses up two for the Flyers, taking the score to 79-75 with 3:13 left to play.
• Derkack is able to draw a foul and sink a pair, narrowing the score to 84-77 with 1:56 to go in the second half. 
• Derkack went back on the line with an and-one, taking the score to 86-80. 
• A second-chance layup from Derkack brings the score to 88-82 with 1:15 left on the clock. 
• Ford drove through the paint to make a jumper with one minute left to bring score to 90-84.
• Ford drilled a three off the fast break with seconds left in the matchup, 94-87.
• L'Etang ended the game with a slam dunk with five seconds to go, to bring the score to its final of 99-89. 

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3 – double-doubles this season for freshman Aiden Derkack, becoming the first true freshman in UD history to start his career with three consecutive double-doubles
21 – points for Tristian Ford, setting a new career-high
8 – assists from Landen "Dunk" Joseph, a new high as a Flyer and the most in a game for UD since Malachi Smith in 2025
5 – blocks for Grant Randall, setting a new career high
37 – total rebounds from each team 
48 – points from inside the paint for the Flyers
4 – players who saw over 30 minutes of game time, Grant Randall, Aiden Derkack, Tristian Ford and Landen Joseph 
19 – points off of fast breaks for Dayton
 
UP NEXT
The Flyers will host Cincinnati at UD Arena on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. Fans can tune in on WHIO TV and ESPN+.

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