University of Dayton Athletics

DAYTON. - The University of Dayton women's basketball team opened up the 2026-27 season at home Thursday night and put on a show for the fans as the Flyers came up just short in a 91-87 defeat to Illinois State University.

The Flyers (0-1) suffer the opening night loss to a talented RedBirds (1-0) team that went to the WNIT Championship game last season.

GAME BREAKDOWN
1st Quarter: Dayton 19, ISU 21

• The Flyers were off to a slow start until freshman Milee Smith drove to the hoop at 6:55, scoring her first collegiate points. 
• Senior Sophie Swanson followed suit with her first points as a Flyer, sparking a big night for the newcomer. 
• Senior Fatima Ibrahim made a layup on a fast break to help close the gap with 5:49 on the clock. 
• Freshman Brooke McLeod made two good free throws, which brought the score to 17-10 with 3:34 on the clock. 
• Senior Jayda Johnson made a layup off a turnover at 2:22. 
• Swanson sank a three with 1:53 on the clock, Flyers 14, ISU 19
• Junior Olivia Lueng found an opening to bring the ball to the rim for a layup. 
• Swanson hit a three from the top of the key, with 10 seconds left on the clock, finishing the period with the Flyers 19, Redbirds 21. 

2nd Quarter: Dayton 39, ISU 42

• Smith brought the ball back out for a three-pointer off an opponent turnover, which put the Flyers in the lead. 
• Swanson drove to the basket, where UD had been most successful, making a perfect layup to take the lead of 26-23. 
• Lueng got the crowd going wild with a three-pointer off an opponent turnover at 4:49. 
• The Redbirds quickly tied up the game, but the Flyers stayed steady when Swanson tipped it in from behind the paint. 
• Ibrahim went one for two at the line securing a point on the board for the flyers, then Swanson quickly turned it around and scored a second-chance three-pointer off to tie up the game with 1:57 on the clock.
• With 59 seconds left on the clock, Johnson took the ball back off an opponent turnover, making the score Flyers 39, Redbirds 37. 

3rd Quarter: Dayton 61, ISU 57

• McLeod came out hot to start off the period with a layup 25 seconds into the third quarter.
• Swanson tied the game up, which put three more up on the board when she made her three-point jumper.
• Smith made a driving layup through the paint to keep the Flyers in the game, 47-47.
• Sophomore M.G. Talle drove to the hoop for her first points of the game.
• Ibrahim, in the paint, made a second chance layup at 4:02 on the clock, then stepped behind the line making four free throws, which brought the Flyers to 57-53.
• With driving force, Leung brought the ball to the basket with 28 seconds left in the quarter, keeping the Flyers' lead. 

4th Quarter: Dayton 78, ISU 78

• Leung made a layup at 10:00, followed by McLeod, who stacked another layup at 9:11. 
• Again off a fast break, Ibrahim took it straight to the hoop, cutting off ISU's chance of taking the lead. 
• Ibrahim found the net with her layup, which grew the gap and brought the Flyer lead to nine points.
• Leung tied it up with a three with 2:12 left on the clock.
• Ibrahim drove to the basket, making it a 78-76 game with 55 seconds left. 
• With 35 seconds left in the game, Leung drove to the hoop, tying the game 78-78.

OT: Dayton 87, ISU 91

• Ibrahim made a second-chance layup, starting the Flyers led off strong 28 seconds into overtime. 
• Leung drained another three for the Flyers, holding a close game of 82-83 in overtime. 
• Smith stepped behind the white line, adding two good free throws to the board.
• In the end, the RedBirds made their shots and free throws down the stretch and earned the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
37:56 minutes played by Sophie Swanson in Dayton debut
34:36 minutes played by Milee Smith in collegiate debut
23 points by Fatima Ibrahim - new career high
18 rebounds by Fatima Ibrahim – new career high
21 points by Olivia Leung – tied career high
8 steals by Dayton as a team
22 points off turnovers by the Flyers
 
UP NEXT
The Flyers will return to the "Epicenter of College Basketball" for a retro throwback night against Penn State at UD Arena on Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. 

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