University of Dayton Athletics

Wright had career averages of 13.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He finished his UD career 15th all-time in scoring with 1,601 points in 123 career games. Wright is the school record holder in career blocks with 162, which shatters the previous career mark of 139 held by Sean Finn. His career blocks per game average of 1.32 is tops in UD history. He is also tops in career dunks with 177, and finished 10th in career rebounds with 886. He also hauled in 298 career offensive rebounds, which places him fourth in school history. Wright converted 394 free throws, which was good enough for ninth all-time in school history. In addition, he finished his career with 31 double-doubles, placing him seventh in UD history.

Wright is one of the rare players to earn all-conference honors after each of his four seasons. As a freshman, he was a member of the All-Atlantic 10 Rookie Team, despite only playing eight conference minutes due to injury. He was a member of the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team as a sophomore, First Team as a junior, and Third Team as a senior. He is the first UD player to accomplish all-conference honors all four years since Brian Roberts did it from 2004-2008.

Wright was selected to the Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list prior to the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 season. He was one of only eight players to be named to both preseason lists. The other repeated players include: Kemba Walker (Connecticut), Kyle Singler (Duke), Robbie Hummel (Purdue), Corey Fisher (Villanova), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), Kalin Lucas (Michigan State) and Isaiah Thomas (Washington). Wright was also named to the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 Preseason Naismith Trophy watch list and as a candidate for the 2011 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. He is the first UD player since Brian Roberts in 2007 to be named a candidate for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Wright was just one of nine players to be named to the preseason Lowe’s Senior CLASS, Naismith and Wooden Watch list. He joined Jeremy Hazell, Kyle Singler, Kevin Anderson (Richmond), Malcolm Delaney (Virginia Tech), Jimmer Fredette (BYU), Jon Leuer (Wisconsin), E’Twaun Moore (Purdue) and Jacob Pullen (Kansas State).

Wright was also a member of USA Basketball’s Men’s Select Team this past summer and is a three-time NABC All-District selection.

People who watch him play talk about the highlight-reel dunks, his elite athleticism and will to win. While great talent and tremendous physical gifts (including a 43-inch vertical leap) could make a player approach the game with a “me-first” attitude, Wright goes out of his way to approach everything he does “we-first.” Wright’s Flyer teams finished with a combined record of 88-35 with him in the line-up. This includes a record of 58-7 at home and 7-8 against ranked opponents. He is part of the winningest class in school history with 97 career wins. 

2010-11 
Chris Wright’s final go-around as a member of the Dayton Flyers men’s basketball team consisted of yet another Atlantic 10 honor. This time he was being honored with a spot on the All-Atlantic 10 Third Team. He was also honored with NABC Division I All-District Second Team. The unquestionable leader of the Flyers led the team in scoring and rebounding for the third consecutive season with an average of 13.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Wright started all 36 games and recorded totals of 474 points and 301 rebounds for the season. He captured the team’s third consecutive White Allen Most Valuable Player Trophy. He is the first player to be named team MVP three consecutive seasons since Brian Roberts from 2006-2008, and he is only UD’s seventh three-time MVP since the award started in the 1952-1953 season. Wright also captured his fourth consecutive “Shorty” Sharpenter Memorial Rebounding Trophy, which is given to the team’s top rebounder. He is only the third player in UD history to receive this award all four years since it was first given out after the 1978-1979 season. The other two players to achieve this feat are Ryan Perryman and Keith Waleskowski.

In addition to leading the Flyers in scoring and rebounding, Wright led the team in blocks, offensive rebounds and free throws made. Wright swatted 51 blocks on the season, which accounts for an average of 1.42 blocks per game. He also hauled in 83 offensive rebounds and converted 111 free throws. Wright also placed second on the team in minutes with 1,038 (28.8 mpg) and third in field goal percentage (.459). Wright converted on 179-of-390 field goal attempts for the season. In addition, he placed third on the team in steals (28) and assists (66).

Wright opened the 2010-2011 season with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds against Mount St. Mary’s. This performance began an onslaught of double-doubles recorded by Wright for the season. He recorded 12 double-doubles on the season, which placed him third in the Atlantic 10. In fact whenever Wright grabbed at least 10 rebounds, he was almost a sure bet to record a double-double. Of the 13 times Wright recorded double-digit rebounds, only once he did not record at least 10 points.

In the second game of the season against Akron, Wright poured in 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field to go along with 12 rebounds and three assists. This was Wright’s second consecutive double-double to open the season. There were four instances on the season where Wright recorded back-to-back games of double-doubles. Against East Tennessee St, Wright hauled in a career-best 15 rebounds to go along with 13 points. In the following game against rival, Miami, Wright scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds. In the home victory over Western Carolina, Wright matched a career-high in points and free throws made. He poured in 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting and went 10-of-12 from the free-throw line. In the thrilling New Year’s Day double-overtime victory over New Mexico, Wright scored 17 points, hauled in 14 rebounds and swatted 3 shots while playing a career-high 43 minutes. He also put on a highlight-reel dunk with a tip-slam from the right block. The dunk ranked fourth on ESPN SportsCenter’s top plays of that day.

Following the double-overtime victory over New Mexico, the Flyers traveled to Saint Louis for their first Atlantic 10 game where Wright recorded a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds. He recorded back-to-back doubles against St. Joseph’s and Xavier. He had 14 points and 10 rebounds against St. Joseph’s and recorded 10 points and 10 rebounds at Xavier. Wright poured in 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting and hauled in 8 rebounds against Richmond. Arguably, his best game of the season, and one of the best in his career came in a victory at La Salle. On that night, Wright was a force on both ends of the court as he poured in 27 points and swatted a career-high six blocks. He went 11-of-22 from the field that night and was a dunk-machine with six slams.

Wright recorded a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds against Temple and had 21 points and seven rebounds in the home match-up against Saint Louis. He netted 17 points and tied a career-high in rebounds with 15 and assists with five in the Atlantic 10 semi-final against Saint Joseph’s. He closed out his outstanding college career with a 23 point and 13 rebound effort in the NIT versus College of Charleston. Wright scored in double figures in 26 of the Flyers’ 36 games while leading the team in scoring 13 times and rebounding 21 times.

2009-10
Chris Wright had a dynamic 2009-2010 basketball season for the Flyers, which included a First Team All Atlantic 10 selection. Wright was also selected to the NABC Division I All-District Second Team and was selected as the team recipient of the White-Allen Most Valuable Player Award. He also captured his third straight “Shorty” Sharpenter Memorial Trophy as the team’s top rebounder. Only two other Flyers, Ryan Perryman and Keith Waleskowski, earned the Sharpenter Award in their freshman, sophomore and junior seasons.

On the court, Wright led the Flyers in points (13.7), rebounds (7.3), blocks (1.4) and minutes (28.6) per game. He also ranked second in steals (1.0), third in field goal percentage (.501) and fourth in free throw percentage (.676). He set the single-season Flyer record for blocks in a season with 53, which shattered Sean Finn’s old mark of 46 from the 2001-2002 season.

In addition, his blocks per game average of 1.4 ranks tied for fifth in UD history. Wright also shattered his own record for dunks in a season with 66. His previous high came the season before when he threw down 54 dunks. Wright is the Flyer all-time leader in career dunks with 134.

He started all 37 games for the Flyers and led the team in total points (507), rebounds (269), free throws made (125), free throws attempted (185), field goals made (187), minutes played (1058) double-doubles (7) and scored in double figures in 29 of the Flyers’ 37 games. In addition, Wright led UD in scoring in 14 games, and led the team in rebounding in 17 games.

Wright started the season with a 25-point, eight-rebound performance in the victory over Creighton. He recorded a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas State and 20 points on a career-high 10 free throws against Towson. He recorded another double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds against Lehigh, and one against Old Dominion with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

He netted 19 points and eight rebounds on 8-of-10 shooting against Boston. He tallied 16 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks in the home victory over Duquesne, and recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds against George Washington. At Saint Joseph’s, Wright scored 28 points on 12-of-20 shooting and recorded two blocks.

In the home victory over rival, Xavier, Wright earned the Blackburn/McCafferty MVP award for his performance of 17 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. It was the second time in his career that he earned the Blackburn/McCafferty MVP award. In the following game against Charlotte, he scored a career-high of 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field.

Wright recorded his 1,000th career point in the game at Duquesne. He became the 42nd player in Flyer history to reach that feat. He finished that game with 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting. In the game at Temple, Chris tallied his seventh and final double-double of the season as he scored 12 points and hauled in 13 rebounds. In the A-10 quarterfinal match-up against Xavier, Wright tallied 17 points and swatted a career-high four blocks.

Against Ole Miss in the NIT semifinals, he had nine points, 11 rebounds and a career-high five assists. In the NIT Championship game victory over North Carolina, Wright scored 14 points, hauled in nine rebounds and dished out three assists.

2008-09
Wright was First Team All-NABC All-District, Second Team All-Atlantic 10 and the MVP of the Chicago Invitational Challenge in 2008-09, his first full season in a Dayton uniform.

After missing 19 games with a fractured ankle as a freshman, Wright came back to lead UD in scoring (13.3), rebounding (6.6) free throws made (121), dunks (a then-school-record 54), double-doubles (6) and SportsCenter Top Ten Plays (3).

The high-flying Wright seemed to save his best efforts for the best competition. Three of his six double-doubles came against BCS schools, including 13 & 13 in November against No. 15 Marquette to lead UD to the Chicago Invitational Challenge championship, and a career-high 27 & 10 in the Flyer win over West Virginia in the NCAA tournament. He also earned the Blackburn/McCafferty MVP award the first time Dayton & Xavier met.

Wright recorded his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds versus Mercer. He added two more double-doubles with 10 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime win over Auburn, and again with 13 points and 13 rebounds to go with a career-high four assists in a win over No. 15 Marquette. Named the Atlantic 10 co-Player of the Week on November 30, Wright scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half against No. 14 Xavier.

He recorded his fifth double-double with game highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds against Richmond, and scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor at Rhode Island. Chris had 20 points and five rebounds versus Temple. Chris contributed 10 points, three blocks and nine rebounds in 28 minutes of play against Kansas in the NCAA second round.

2007-08
Wright played in 15 games and led the team in rebounding (5.7), and field goal percentage (.602) and was second in scoring (10.4) and free throw percentage (.804).

The Flyers certainly missed the presence of Wright after he broke his ankle midway through the season. UD was 13-1 before his injury and 9-9 after.

After 13 games Wright had four Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors. He first earned the award on Nov. 11 after netting the first double-double in a Flyer freshman debut with 22 points and 13 rebounds against East Tennessee State. He was the only A-10 player to have won the award outright four times in 2007-08.

After recovering from the fracture, Wright was finally cleared to play in time for the second round of the NIT. He averaged double figures in the tournament. He had nine points, three rebounds and two blocks in 10 minutes of action at Illinois State in the NIT Second Round, and 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field at Ohio State in the quarterfinals.

Wright was the fifth Dayton player to be selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team. Tony Stanley (1997), Brooks Hall (2000), Keith Waleskowski (2001) and Brian Roberts (2005) were the other UD selections. Wright’s eight minutes of conference action is likely the fewest of any previous A-10 All-Rookie Team selection. The last player to be chosen A-10 Rookie of the Week four times in the first six weeks of the season was Jameer Nelson.

High School
Wright was the main part of what three respected ranking services - HoopScoop, Rivals.com and Scout.com - called the best group of incoming freshmen in the Atlantic 10 in 2007-08. Wright has all the stats and awards to back that up, but that’s not the only reason people were talking about his joining the University of Dayton basketball program.

Named the top incoming freshman in the Atlantic 10, by most of the experts, Wright’s above-the-rim game turned heads during practice sessions for the 2007 Jordan Brand All-America Game and during the game itself at Madison Square Garden where he turned in a 10-point, 10-rebound performance. ESPN analyst Steve Lavin, who called the Dayton recruit “electrifying,” said he could play at any program in the nation. Ranked as high as the 18th-best prospect in the country, Wright averaged 19.2 points and 12.8 rebounds for Trotwood-Madison High School while earning First Team All-Ohio Division I honors. The Rams were 22-2 and ranked second in the state heading into the OHSAA tournament. Wright was Third Team All-Ohio as a junior after leading Trotwood-Madison to a 22-6 overall record and the state championship game, where they lost to perennial powerhouse and 28-time state champion Canton McKinley. He averaged 17.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 5.2 blocks a game. As a sophomore, he averaged 15.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Career Statistics

Dayton Career Highs 
Points: 30, Charlotte (2/10/10) 
Rebounds: 14, Auburn (11/28/08) 
Assists: 5 Ole Miss (3/30/10) 
Steals: 3, Seven Times FGs Made: 12, at Saint Joseph’s (1/23/10) 
Blocks: 4, vs Xavier (3/12/10) A-10 Tournament FT Made: 10, Towson (11/28/09) 
Minutes: 41, at Saint Louis (2/13/10) 

Flyer 33's... 
Tom Frericks (1950-51), Don Miller (1951-52), Larry Pedicord (1952-54), Bob Jones (1958-59), Paul Winterhalter (1960-62), Bill Cassidy (1962-64), Dan Sadlier (1966-69), Pat Murnen (1969-72), Joe Fisher (1972-75), Mike Byrd (1979-83), Anthony Grant (1983-87), Ken Branch (1987-91), Chris Daniels (1991-96), Brooks Hall (1999-2003), Jimmy Binnie (2004-08)