| Dayton Flyers men's basketball | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| University | University of Dayton | ||||||||||||
| Head coach | Anthony Grant (9th season) | ||||||||||||
| Conference | Atlantic 10 | ||||||||||||
| Location | Dayton, Ohio | ||||||||||||
| Arena | UD Arena (capacity: 13,407) | ||||||||||||
| Nickname | Flyers | ||||||||||||
| Student section | Red Scare | ||||||||||||
| Colors | Red and blue[1] | ||||||||||||
| Uniforms | |||||||||||||
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| NCAA tournament runner-up | |||||||||||||
| 1967 | |||||||||||||
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| Conference tournament champions | |||||||||||||
| 1990, 2003 | |||||||||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||||||||
| 2016, 2017, 2020 | |||||||||||||
| Conference division regular-season champions | |||||||||||||
| 1998, 2000, 2004 | |||||||||||||
TheDayton Flyers men's basketball team is a collegebasketball program that competes inNCAA Division I and theAtlantic 10 Conference (A-10) representing theUniversity of Dayton inOhio. The Flyers play their home games atUniversity of Dayton Arena. The Flyers are coached by Anthony Grant who is in his seventh season. Dayton has appeared 19 times in theNCAA tournament, most recently in 2024.
In March 2020, Dayton was ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, its highest ranking since the 1955–56 season when it was ranked #2. The Flyers have never been ranked #1,[2] but Dayton did receive a lone first place vote in the final AP poll of the 2019–2020 season. When the 2020 seasons was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Flyers did not get to participate in the 2020 NCAA Tournament, despite being projected as a #1 seed by several outlets.
A 2015 study of college basketball team valuations placed Dayton No. 23 in the nation with 2014 adjusted revenues in excess of $16.6 million (highest for non-football conference programs) and a valuation of nearly $84 million (second highest for non-football conference programs and higher than programs such asFlorida,Texas, andMichigan).[3]
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The first collegiate basketball team began play at Dayton, then known as St. Mary's Institute, during the 1903–04 season. The school's early teams were informally nicknamed "The Saints" by local sportswriters and competed against colleges, high schools, and club teams throughout theOhio,Michigan,Indiana andNew York region.[4] Early rivalries withNotre Dame andMiami (Ohio) began in the 1908–09 season, and withOhio State in the 1913–14 season,.[4][5] Fr. William O'Malley is recognized as the first coach of the Saints, but the team had no coach for the first six seasons. Harry Solimano, believed to be a former Saints player, succeeded O'Malley in the 1910 season and coached the team four seasons and again for the 1919–20 seasons.[4] In 1920 the school changed its name to the University of Dayton and its sports teams gradually became known as the Flyers. Also in 1920, the school began playing nearbyXavier University, a rivalry that has spawned 156 meetings as of 2014. Games were originally played in an on-campus gymnasium, but later (1969) moved to the nearby University of Dayton Arena.Harry Baujan became both the football and basketball coach in 1923 and later became the school's athletic director. Through the 1920s and 1930s, the basketball program was subordinate to the football program with respect to resources and athletic department focus.[4] In 1939, Baujan hiredJames Carter as both an assistant football coach and head basketball coach. Carter moved to expand Dayton's national profile by issuing basketball scholarships and scheduling trips to east coast basketball powers such asSt John's andSt Joseph's,.[4][5] Carter is also recognized as the first Dayton coach to play an African American student-athlete.World War II brought a two-year hiatus to the basketball program between 1943 and 1945. Most people think "America's Team" refers to the Dallas Cowboys. However, it was originally coined in 1945, referring to the Dayton Flyers Men's Basketball team.
In 1947,Tom Blackburn succeeded Carter as the school's first full-time head basketball coach. Blackburn, noted as a strict disciplinarian, recruited many former military men to his early squads and began to shift Dayton's scheduling focus from strictly local Ohio collegiate teams to a more regional focus, starting series with such programs asLouisville in 1947–48 season.[4] Blackburn would recruit future NBA playerDon Meineke, along with local standouts Junior Norris & Chuck Grigsby in 1948 to form the nucleus of the school's first nationally recognized teams. The 1950–51 Flyers reached #13 in the AP Poll and the finals of theNIT before bowing out toBrigham Young.[6] The following year, the Flyers also reached the NIT Finals, while also participating in theNCAA tournament for the first time, finishing in the regional semi-final. In light of the school's growing national stature and increasing fan base, the university constructed the 5,800 seat on-campusUniversity of Dayton Fieldhouse in 1950. Blackburn established Dayton as a national basketball power, winning theNational Invitation Tournament in 1962, reaching the NIT finals six times during the 1950s and early 1960s, and securing a #2AP ranking for most of the 1955–1956 season.[5] The foundation established by Blackburn led to Dayton being the most successful Division I basketball program through the 1950s and 1960s.
Tom Blackburn became ill with terminal lung cancer during the 1963–64 season.Don Donoher, a former Dayton player and assistant coach took over for the final three games of the 1963–64 season.[4] Blackburn died in March, and Dayton formally named Donoher as his successor. Donoher, with Assistant Coach Chuck Grigsby, guided the Flyers to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in his first two years as coach; they then led the Flyers to the 1967 NCAA Championship game by beatingWestern Kentucky, #8 rankedTennessee,Virginia Tech, and #4 rankedNorth Carolina, before falling to #1 ranked and eventual championUCLA 79–64 in the final.[5] Donoher's 1967–68 squad began the season ranked #6 in the country in theAP Poll, but faltered in early competition and finished with a 17–9 record, missing the NCAA tournament. Nonetheless, Donoher's Flyers made a successful run through the 1968 NIT field, bestingKansas in the championship to win their second NIT crown. The Flyers would again face UCLA in a pivotal NCAA tournament game in 1974. The 20–7 Flyers squared off against the Bruins in the West Regional Sweet Sixteen and took theBill Walton-led seven consecutive NCAA Champions to three overtimes before eventually falling 111–100.[5] Donoher would again lead the Flyers to NCAA success in 1984 asRoosevelt Chapman led Flyers bestedLSU, #7 rankedOklahoma, and #15 rankedWashington before falling in the Elite Eight to eventual national championGeorgetown. The 24-season Donoher era was arguably Dayton's finest, producing eightNCAA tournament invitations, and eight NIT invitations. Following the success of the 1967 National Runner Up squad, the university began planning for a new 13,500 seat facility to house the nationally prominent Flyers. TheUD Arena became the Flyer's home court at the start of the 1969–70 season.
Dayton resisted the trend towards league affiliation that began to sweep over college basketball in the 1970s and early 1980s. Instead, Dayton formed an informal home-home scheduling alliance with peer programs such asDePaul,Marquette, andNotre Dame during the early-mid 1980s in an effort to fill their schedules with quality opponents,.[7][8] Dayton was approached as early as 1978 to join what would eventually become theHorizon League, but avoided league affiliation until the 1987–88 season when the school began play in the future Horizon League, then the Midwestern Collegiate Conference,.[9][10]
Following three successive losing seasons, Donoher retired after the 1988–89 season. He was succeeded byJim O'Brien, former head basketball coach atWheeling Jesuit University. The Flyers won the MCC conference tournament in 1990, and defeatedIllinois in the first round of the NCAA tournament before bowing out to eventual Final Four participantArkansas in the second round, 86–84. The Flyers moved to theGreat Midwest Conference in 1993, but produced a dismal 1–23 conference record over their two seasons of league play. O'Brien was dismissed following the 1993–94 season after successive 4–26 and 6–21 seasons, their worst in modern school history.
Dayton turned toOld Dominion head basketball coachOliver Purnell to resurrect their moribund basketball program. The dissolution of the Great Midwest Conference in 1995 and subsequent snub by former conference mates in joining the newConference USA further complicated Purnell's rebuilding task. In 1995 the Flyers accepted an invitation to join the A10, where they remain today. Purnell guided the Flyers to the1998 NIT, the school's first post-season appearance in eight seasons. Purnell would lead the Flyers back to the NCAA tournament in 2000 following the Co-SIDA Classic Championship, an 11–5 conference record and non-conference victories over #12 rankedKentucky,New Mexico, and rivalMarquette. Purnell's 2000–01 team earned the program's first national ranking for the school since 1974 following victories over #12UConn and #6Maryland in the 2000Maui Invitational Tournament.[5] Dayton would go on to reach the quarterfinals of the2001 NIT. Dayton would again make the NIT field in 2002. The 2002–03 season would mark the completion of Purnell's rebuilding project as the Flyers compiled a 24–6 record and reached as high as #16 in theAP Poll following victories over #21Cincinnati, #13 Marquette, and two wins over #25 St Joseph's en route to their first Atlantic 10 championship. The Flyers earned a #4 seed in the2003 NCAA tournament, but fell to Tulsa in the first round. Following the season, Purnell accepted an offer to become theClemson head basketball coach.
On April 9, 2003, the University of Dayton announced thatMichigan State assistantBrian Gregory would become the 18th head basketball coach for the Flyers. Gregory enjoyed immediate success with his new team, guiding the senior-laden Flyers to a 24–9 record, the2003 Maui Invitational Tournament Championship and a berth in theNCAA tournament in his inaugural season.[11] The 2006–07 team finished the season 19–12 with wins overNCAA tournament boundLouisville,Creighton,Holy Cross,Miami, andGeorge Washington.[12]
The Flyers opened the 2007–08 campaign with a 14–1 record and wins over 12th-rankedLouisville, sixth-rankedPitt, and 22nd-rankedRhode Island. On December 31, 2008, the team was voted into both Top 25 polls for the first time since 2003. The team reached as high as 14th in the AP Poll and 18th in the Coaches Poll. However injuries toChris Wright and Charles Little derailed Dayton's season. The Flyers finished 9–10 in conference play, but 23–11 overall and were able to reach the quarterfinals of theNIT, losing atOhio State.
The Flyers built upon the progress of the2007–08 season by compiling a 27–8 overall record (11–5 Atlantic-10) and defeating No. 15 Marquette and No. 17 Xavier en route to anNCAA tournament berth. The Flyers stunned higher seededWest Virginia before bowing out toKansas in the Second Round. The2009–10 Flyers began the season with high expectations, but faltered in league play to miss the NCAA tournament. However, the Flyers regrouped to storm through the NIT bracket, defeatingCincinnati andIllinois on their home floors and bestingOle Miss andNorth Carolina in New York to win the2010 NIT Championship, the school's third NIT title. Gregory compiled a 172–94 record with the Flyers through eight seasons, leading them to two NCAAs and three NITs. Gregory also recruited future NBA playersBrian Roberts,Chris Wright, andChris Johnson, Dayton's first NBA players sinceNegele Knight in 1990. Gregory accepted the head coaching position atGeorgia Tech following the 2010–11 season.
The Dayton Flyers turned toArizona assistantArchie Miller in 2011 to lead the program. Miller'sfirst team won the 2011Old Spice Classic, shocked No. 16-rankedAlabama and reached the2012 NIT as a No. 2 seed, but would lose in the first round.
The2013–14 Dayton Flyers men's basketball team placed third in the2013 Maui Invitational, beating No. 11-rankedGonzaga andCalifornia. The 2013–14 team experienced a mid-season swoon due to injuries, but enteredA-10 tournament play on a 9–1 run with victories over league rivals No. 17Saint Louis,UMass andGeorge Washington.[13]
Dayton received a No. 11 seed as an at-large team to the2014 NCAA tournament South Region. The Flyers faced in-state foeOhio State in the second round, winning a thrilling 60–59 decision.[14] The Flyers next facedSyracuse in the third round and again upset the heavily favored higher seed 55–53 to reach theSweet Sixteen for the first time in three decades.[15] The Flyers advanced to the Elite Eight with an 82–72 victory overStanford in the Sweet Sixteen,[16] but fell toFlorida in the South Regional Championship, 62–52.[17]
The2014–15 team began the season with high expectations as the Flyers returned a solid nucleus of experienced players. The Flyers placed third in the2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off, bestingTexas A&M andBoston College. However, the Flyers suffered a seemingly debilitating setback when two front court players were dismissed from the team in mid-December.[18] Coupled with season-ending injuries to other players and the loss of a freshman to NCAA partial qualifier status, the Flyers were left with only six scholarship players, none of whom were taller than 6'6". The Flyers regrouped and finished the non-conference part of their season with wins overGeorgia Tech andOle Miss. The Flyers carried this momentum into league play and finished second in theAtlantic 10 regular season with a 13–5 mark. The Flyers squared off againstVCU in theAtlantic 10 Tournament Championship game, but fell 71–65.
Despite anRPI ranking of 32,[19] the Flyers were placed in theFirst Four of the2015 NCAA tournament againstBoise State in the East Region. In their First Four play-in game, Dayton beat Boise State, advancing to the Round of 64.[20] The Flyers pulled off another upset of a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, beating theProvidence by double digits, 66–53, thus advancing to the Round of 32.[21] However, they fell to No. 13 Oklahoma in the third round.[22]
The2015–16 team was predicted to win theA-10. They started the season well beating No. 21 Vanderbilt and finishing the non-conference schedule at 10–2.[23] They finished in a first place tie in the A-10 season and earned their third consecutive trip to theNCAA tournament. However, they could not repeat past success as they were upset by eventual Final Four participant Syracuse in the First Round.[24]
In 2017, the Flyers won the regular season championship of theA-10 by one game overVCU.[25] However, they were upset in the quarterfinals of theA-10 tournament.[26] The Flyers did receive an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed.[27] In the First Round, they facedWichita State who many argued was underrated as a No. 10 seed.[28][29] The Flyers would lose to Wichita State 64–58.[30] On March 25, 2017, Archie Miller left the school to accept the head coaching position atIndiana.[31][32] He finished with a six-year record of 139–63 at Dayton.
Shortly after Miller's departure for Indiana, the school hiredOklahoma City Thunder assistant coach and Dayton alumAnthony Grant as head coach on March 30, 2017.[33] Grant previously served as head coach atVCU andAlabama. Grant began laying the groundwork for the future with his first recruiting class that included future starsObi Toppin andJalen Crutcher. Hisfirst season at Dayton saw the Flyers finish 14–17 overall, the first time since the 2005–06 season that the team finished with a losing record. His second season featured breakout red-shirt freshman Toppin, who led the team to a third-place finish in the A-10. They lost their first game of the conference tournament, and missed the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. They earned a five seed in theNIT, but lost in the first round atColorado.
Grant's third season proved to be one of the best in Dayton basketball history. The 2019–20 team began by routingGeorgia andVirginia Tech en route to the finals of the2019 Maui Invitational Tournament where they lost in overtime toKansas. The Flyers steadily climbed the2019–2020 AP Poll, finishing the season 29–2, 18–0 in Atlantic 10 Conference play and ranked number three in the nation.[34] Dayton was the only team in the nation not to have lost in regulation during the 2019–20 season and was a projected #1 seed in the East Region in several NCAA tournament bracket projections.[35][36][37][38] However, theCOVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the2020 NCAA tournament on March 12, 2020, prior to completion of theAtlantic 10 tournament and the NCAA opted not to release the Men's and Women's Championship brackets. A post cancellation computer simulation of Jerry Palm's projected field resulted in Dayton winning the championship.[39] Despite the abrupt end, the season yielded numerous highlights for the team and program. Toppin & Crutcher were both named to theAtlantic 10 Conference First Team, while teammates Trey Landers and Ryan Mikesell were named to the Third Team and All-Academic Teams respectively. Toppin was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Grant was named A-10 Coach of the Year. Toppin was a unanimous selection to theAP All-America First Team,[40] and would receive further recognition, winning the Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, and being named AP player of the year.[41][42][43] Meanwhile, Coach Grant received national coach of the year accolades from Sporting News, as well as winning both the AP coach of the year and Naismith coach of the year award.[44][45][46] Finally,ESPN College Gameday made its first ever visit to the Dayton campus on March 7, 2020, highlighting the #3 ranked Flyers and their passionate fan base prior to the final game of the season, a 76–51 victory overGeorge Washington.
The fourth season under Anthony Grant started out promising, led by a trio of Senior Guards in Jalen Crutcher, Ibi Watson, and Rodney Chatman, they picked up two wins against SEC foes inOle Miss andMississippi State. Unfortunately injuries, along with PF Chase Johnson leaving the team yet again, led to the team under performing. They did pick up a strong road win against 23rd rankedSaint Louis, giving them a perfect 1–0 record versus AP ranked teams on the season, as well as advancing to the quarterfinals of the2021 Atlantic 10 tournament. Following the conclusion of the A10 tournament, they earned a bid into the shortened2021 NIT tournament as a four seed. All games were played at a neutral site in Texas, acting as a "bubble". The team lost in the first round after a close game against #1 seed and eventual championsMemphis.
The Flyers signed their highest rated high school prospect ever in 2020 whenDaRon Holmes II agreed to play for the Flyers.[47] AlongsideGeorgia transfer and future NBA player,Toumani Camara and highly rated freshman point guard Malachi Smith, Holmes' freshman season yielded upsets ofElite Eight boundMiami and eventualNational ChampionKansas en route to their secondESPN Events Invitational championship. The2021-22 team would finish second in theAtlantic 10, but falter in the semi-finals of the conference tournament toRichmond when Malachi Smith suffered an ankle injury.[48] The loss to Richmond and their eventual A-10 tournament championship made Dayton the first team out of the2022 NCAA tournament.[49] The Flyers would accept an invite to theNIT where they would beatToledo before falling in overtime on the road toVanderbilt.
The2022-23 team began the year with high expectations, ranked #24 in the preseasonpolls and rising as high as #21. However, an injury plagued trip to the Bahamas for the2022 Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament resulted in the loss of starting guards Smith and Kobe Elvis, putting the season in jeopardy.[50] Despite this setback, the Flyers regrouped to again finish second in theA-10 regular season, but fell in theconference tournament championship game toVCU, despite a tournament MVP performance by Holmes.[51] Citing injuries, the Flyers declined all post season tournament invites.[52]
Holmes and Camara tested the NBA draft waters following the 2022–23 season.[53] Camara wasdrafted in the second round byPhoenix, but Holmes withdrew from the draft to return to the Flyers for his junior season.[54] The Flyers were again preseason favorites to win the A-10,[55] but a season ending injury to starting point guard Malachi Smith seven minutes into their first game again threatened to derail the Flyers.[56] Nevertheless, the team reached the championship of the2023 Charleston Classic and defeated rivalCincinnati heading into conference play. Led by Holmes andKoby Brea, the 2023-2024 NCAA leader in 3-Point Percentage at 50%,[57][58] the Flyers would enter theAP poll mid-season and remain there through all but one week of the remainder of the season, reaching as high as #16. The Flyers would receive a 7-seed in the West Region of the 2024NCAA tournament where they would defeatNevada in dramatic comeback fashion for their first NCAA tournament win since 2015. The Flyers would fall toArizona in the Round of 32. DaRon Holmes received recognition as the A-10 co-player of the year,[59] and was a consensusSecond Team All-American, the second Flyer in five years to receive All-American honors.
Following the conclusion of the 2023-2024 season, Holmes would declare for the NBA draft where he would be selected in the 1st round with the 22nd pick by theDenver Nuggets.[60] Koby Brea would also depart, transferring to theUniversity of Kentucky despite previous comments to the media about his intent to return for the 2024-2025 season.[58]
Following these departures, the 2024-2025 season would follow the path of many other flyer seasons under Anthony Grant. The Flyers would once again start the season off well, defeating 2nd ranked and back-to-back national championsUConn at the Maui invitational.[61] They followed that up by defeating 6th rankedMarquette at UD Arena,[62] leading to their brief appearance in the Top 25 as the 22nd ranked team in the country. The team would however falter in A10 play, picking up critical losses that ultimately left the team on the wrong end of the bubble. After a quarterfinal loss toSaint. Josephs in the A10 tournament, the flyers would receive a 1 seed to a depleted NIT field.[63] After defeatingFAU in the first round, the team would be knocked out byChattanooga.
The Flyers are noted for their fan base, dubbed "The Flyer Faithful." The Flyers are routinely in the top-30 in average game attendance among all NCAA Division I basketball programs.[64] As a result of this support, UD Arena is regarded as not only an extremely challenging venue in which to play, but has been hailed as one of the greatest basketball atmospheres in all of college basketball.[65][66][67] Additionally, this fan base is noted for its willingness to travel and enthusiastically support the Flyers in both neutral and hostile environments.[68][69][70][71][72]
Dayton has historical rivalries with several area teams includingXavier,Miami (Ohio), andWright State (Gem City Jam), as well as fellow Catholic schools such asMarquette,DePaul, andNotre Dame. Dayton has met Xavier 158 times, more than any other opponent, and holds an 84–75 edge in the series through 2019; however, the Flyers have struggled against Xavier in recent decades, posting a 19–45 record against the Musketeers over the past four decades. Dayton and Xavier played for theBlackburn/McCafferty Trophy.
With the departure of Xavier to the Big East in 2013, Dayton searched for a new Atlantic 10 rivalry game that involved a trophy. Each year Dayton plays Atlantic 10 rivalSaint Louis University for the rights to theArch Baron Cup.[73] The team has developed a similar rivalry with the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rams since the exit of Xavier from the Atlantic 10 in 2013.
The Flyers have appeared in theNCAA tournament 19 times. Their combined record is 20–21.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place Game | Illinois Princeton | L 61–80 W 77–61 | |
| 1965 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place Game | Ohio Michigan DePaul | W 66–65 L 71–98 W 75–69 | |
| 1966 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place Game | Miami (OH) Kentucky WKU | W 58–51 L 79–86 L 62–82 | |
| 1967 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National Championship | WKU Tennessee Virginia Tech North Carolina UCLA | W 69–67OT W 53–52 W 71–66OT W 76–62 L 64–79 | |
| 1969 | First Round | Colorado State | L 50–52 | |
| 1970 | First Round | Houston | L 64–71 | |
| 1974 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place Game | Cal State Los Angeles UCLA New Mexico | W 88–80 L 100–1113OT L 61–66 | |
| 1984 | #10 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #7 LSU #2 Oklahoma #6 Washington #1 Georgetown | W 74–66 W 89–85 W 64–58 L 49–61 |
| 1985 | #9 | First Round | #8 Villanova | L 49–51 |
| 1990 | #12 | First Round Second Round | #5 Illinois #4 Arkansas | W 88–86 L 84–86 |
| 2000 | #11 | First Round | #6 Purdue | L 61–62 |
| 2003 | #4 | First Round | #13 Tulsa | L 71–84 |
| 2004 | #10 | First Round | #7 DePaul | L 69–76 |
| 2009 | #11 | First Round Second Round | #6 West Virginia #3 Kansas | W 68–60 L 43–60 |
| 2014 | #11 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | #6 Ohio State #3 Syracuse #10 Stanford #1 Florida | W 60–59 W 55–53 W 82–72 L 52–62 |
| 2015 | #11 | First Four First round Second Round | #11 Boise State #6 Providence #3 Oklahoma | W 56–55 W 66–53 L 66–72 |
| 2016 | #7 | First Round | #10 Syracuse | L 51–70 |
| 2017 | #7 | First Round | #10 Wichita State | L 58–64 |
| 2024 | #7 | First Round Second Round | #10 Nevada #2 Arizona | W 63–60 L 68–78 |
TheNCAA began seeding the tournament with the1979 edition.
| Years → | '84 | '85 | '90 | '00 | '03 | '04 | '09 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds | 10 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
The Flyers have appeared in theNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) 28 times. Their combined record is 42–26. They are three time NIT champions (1962, 1968, 2010). The Flyers also turned down a 2023 NIT invitation due to health and safety concerns.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Lawrence Tech Arizona St. John's BYU | W 77–71 W 74–68 W 69–62 L 43–62 |
| 1952 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | NYU Saint Louis St. Bonaventure La Salle | W 81–66 W 68–58 W 69–62 L 64–75 |
| 1954 | First Round Quarterfinals | Manhattan Niagara | W 90–79 L 74–77 |
| 1955 | Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Saint Louis Saint Francis (PA) Duquesne | W 97–81 W 79–73 L 58–70 |
| 1956 | Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Xavier St. Francis (NY) Louisville | W 72–68 W 89–58 L 80–93 |
| 1957 | First Round Quarterfinals | Saint Peter's Temple | W 79–71 L 66–77 |
| 1958 | Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Fordham St. John's Xavier | W 74–70 W 80–56 L 74–78 |
| 1960 | First Round Quarterfinals | Temple Bradley | W 72–51 L 64–78 |
| 1961 | Quarterfinals Semifinals 3rd Place Game | Temple Saint Louis Holy Cross | W 62–60 L 60–67 L 67–85 |
| 1962 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Wichita State Houston Loyola–Chicago St. John's | W 79–71 W 94–77 W 98–82 W 73–67 |
| 1968 | First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | West Virginia Fordham Notre Dame Kansas | W 87–68 W 61–60 W 76–74 W 61–48 |
| 1971 | First Round | Duke | L 60–68 |
| 1978 | First Round Quarterfinals | Fairfield Georgetown | W 108–93 L 62–71 |
| 1979 | First Round Second Round | Holy Cross Purdue | W 105–81 L 70–84 |
| 1981 | First Round Second Round | Fordham Purdue | W 66–65 L 46–50 |
| 1982 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals | Connecticut Illinois Oklahoma | W 76–75 W 61–58 L 82–91 |
| 1986 | First Round | McNeese State | L 75–86 |
| 1998 | First Round Second Round | Long Island Penn State | W 95–92 L 74–77 |
| 2001 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals | UNC Wilmington Richmond Detroit | W 68–59 W 71–56 L 42–59 |
| 2002 | Opening Round First Round | Detroit Tennessee Tech | W 80–69 L 59–68 |
| 2008 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals | Cleveland State Illinois State Ohio State | W 66–57 W 55–48 L 63–74 |
| 2010 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals | Illinois State Cincinnati Illinois Ole Miss North Carolina | W 63–42 W 81–66 W 77–71 W 68–63 W 79–68 |
| 2011 | First Round | College of Charleston | L 84–94 |
| 2012 | First Round | Iowa | L 72–84 |
| 2019 | First Round | Colorado | L 73–78 |
| 2021 | First Round | Memphis | L 60–71 |
| 2022 | First Round Second Round | Toledo Vanderbilt | W 74–55 L 68–70OT |
| 2025 | First Round Second Round | Florida Atlantic Chattanooga | W 86–79 L 72–87 |
The Flyers currently have been 51 players who have scored 1,000 points as a Flyer. Additionally, they have three other players who have transferred to UD and scored their 1,000th point in a Flyer uniform.[74]
Roosevelt Chapman is the all-time leading scorer atUD with 2,233 points. Hank Finkel owns the highest scoring average at 23.7 points per game
| Rank | Player name | Points | Games | PPG | Seasons played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roosevelt Chapman | 2,233 | 118 | 18.9 | 1981–84 |
| 2 | Don May | 1,980 | 90 | 22.0 | 1965–68 |
| 3 | Henry Finkel | 1,968 | 83 | 23.7 | 1963–66 |
| 4 | Brian Roberts | 1,962 | 125 | 15.7 | 2004–08 |
| 5 | Jim Paxson | 1,945 | 108 | 18.0 | 1975–79 |
| 6 | Don Meineke | 1,866 | 96 | 19.4 | 1949–52 |
| 7 | Tony Stanley | 1,835 | 125 | 14.7 | 1997–01 |
| 8 | Negele Knight | 1,806 | 122 | 14.8 | 1985–90 |
| 9 | Anthony Corbitt | 1,760 | 120 | 14.7 | 1986–90 |
| 10 | John Horan | 1,757 | 120 | 14.6 | 1951–55 |
| 11 | DaRon Holmes II | 1,745 | 102 | 17.1 | 2021–24 |
| 12 | Donald Smith | 1,655 | 81 | 20.4 | 1971–74 |
| 13 | Mike Kanieski | 1,642 | 115 | 14.3 | 1978–82 |
| 14 | Bill Uhl | 1,627 | 88 | 18.5 | 1953–56 |
| 15 | Jack Sallee | 1,610 | 122 | 13.2 | 1951–55 |
| 16 | Chris Wright | 1,601 | 123 | 13.0 | 2007–11 |
| 17 | Jalen Crutcher | 1,593 | 118 | 13.5 | 2017–21 |
| 18 | Johnny Davis | 1,562 | 81 | 19.3 | 1973–76 |
| 19 | Ramod Marshall | 1,538 | 127 | 12.1 | 2000–04 |
| 20 | Ryan Perryman | 1,524 | 116 | 13.1 | 1994–98 |
| 21 | Keith Waleskowski | 1,515 | 129 | 11.7 | 2000–04 |
| 22 | Jack Zimmerman | 1,482 | 111 | 13.4 | 1976–80 |
| 23 | Chris Johnson | 1,467 | 138 | 10.6 | 2008–12 |
| 24 | Mark Ashman | 1,449 | 119 | 12.2 | 1996–00 |
| 25 | Brooks Hall | 1,404 | 123 | 11.0 | 1999–03 |
| 26 | Garry Roggenburk | 1,398 | 87 | 11.8 | 1959–62 |
| 27 | Chip Hare | 1,323 | 112 | 11.8 | 1991–95 |
| 28 | Dyshawn Pierre | 1,317 | 118 | 11.2 | 2012–16 |
| 29 | Marcus Johnson | 1,286 | 135 | 9.5 | 2006–10 |
| 30 | Scoochie Smith | 1,273 | 132 | 9.6 | 2013–17 |
| 31 | Ed Young | 1,253 | 107 | 11.7 | 1982–87 |
| 32 | Mike Sylvester | 1,248 | 81 | 15.4 | 1971–74 |
| 33 | Erv Giddings | 1,227 | 102 | 12.0 | 1974–78 |
| 34 | Alex Robertson | 1,212 | 117 | 10.4 | 1990–94 |
| 35 | Ken May | 1,207 | 80 | 15.1 | 1968–71 |
| 36 | Damon Goodwin | 1,191 | 119 | 10.0 | 1982–86 |
| 37 | Frank Case | 1,175 | 83 | 14.2 | 1957–60 |
| 38 | Kendall Pollard | 1,149 | 119 | 9.7 | 2013–17 |
| 39 | Chuck Grigsby | 1,105 | 96 | 11.5 | 1949–52 |
| 40 | Gordy Hatton | 1,097 | 80 | 13.7 | 1961–64 |
| 41 | Obi Toppin | 1,096 | 64 | 17.1 | 2018–20 |
| 42 | Richard Montague | 1,093 | 112 | 9.8 | 1977–81 |
| 43 | Derrick Dukes | 1,061 | 116 | 9.1 | 1990–94 |
| 44 | Bobby Joe Hooper | 1,059 | 87 | 12.2 | 1965–68 |
| 45 | Monty Scott | 1,054 | 111 | 9.5 | 2003–07 |
| 46 | Dave Colbert | 1,049 | 59 | 17.8[a] | 1984–86 |
| 47 | Jordan Sibert | 1,030 | 73 | 14.1[b] | 2013–15 |
| 48 | Coby Turner | 1,025 | 114 | 9.0 | 1995–99 |
| 49 | Junior Norris | 1,009 | 95 | 10.6 | 1949–52 |
| 50 | Darrell Davis | 1,008 | 130 | 7.8 | 2014–18 |
| 51 | Sean Finn | 1,003 | 123 | 8.1 | 2000–04 |
| Rank | Player | Years | Games | Reb. Avg. | Total Rebounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Horan | 1951–55 | 120 | 11.2 | 1341 |
| 2 | Don May | 1965–68 | 90 | 14.5 | 1301 |
| 3 | Bill Uhl | 1953–56 | 99 | 14.6 | 1299 |
| 4 | Ryan Perryman | 1994–98 | 116 | 10.0 | 1156 |
| 5 | Henry Finkel | 1963–66 | 83 | 13.3 | 1106 |
| 6 | Keith Waleskowski | 2000–04 | 129 | 8.5 | 1092 |
| 7 | Garry Roggenburk | 1959–62 | 87 | 11.8 | 1027 |
| 8 | Roosevelt Chapman | 1980–84 | 118 | 8.1 | 956 |
| 9 | Erv Giddings | 1974–78 | 102 | 9.2 | 935 |
| 10 | Chris Wright | 2007–11 | 123 | 7.2 | 887 |
| Rank | Player | Years | Games | Ast. Avg. | Total Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Negele Knight | 1985–90 | 122 | 5.43 | 663 |
| 2 | Jalen Crutcher | 2017–2021 | 118 | 4.95 | 584 |
| 3 | David Morris | 1998–2002 | 125 | 4.50 | 562 |
| 4 | Jack Zimmerman | 1976–80 | 111 | 4.97 | 552 |
| 5 | Jim Paxson | 1975–79 | 108 | 4.77 | 515 |
| 6 | Kevin Conrad | 1979–83 | 106 | 4.70 | 498 |
| T-7 | Derrick Dukes | 1990–94 | 116 | 4.28 | 497 |
| T-7 | Ramod Marshall | 2000–04 | 127 | 3.91 | 497 |
| 9 | Scoochie Smith | 2013–17 | 132 | 3.67 | 485 |
| 10 | Larry Schellenberg | 1981–85 | 112 | 4.15 | 465 |
| Rank | Player | Years | Games | Block Avg. | Total Blocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DaRon Holmes II | 2021–2024 | 102 | 2.11 | 215 |
| 2 | Chris Wright | 2007–11 | 123 | 1.32 | 162 |
| 3 | Sean Finn | 2000–04 | 123 | 1.13 | 139 |
| 4 | Roosevelt Chapman | 1980–84 | 118 | 1.05 | 124 |
| 5 | Erv Giddings | 1974–78 | 102 | 1.14 | 116 |
| 6 | Mark Ashman | 1996–2000 | 119 | 0.81 | 96 |
| 7 | Anthony Corbitt | 1986–90 | 120 | 0.68 | 82 |
| 8 | Ed Young | 1982–87 | 107 | 0.72 | 78 |
| 9 | Wes Coffee | 1988–92 | 108 | 0.71 | 77 |
| 10 | Kendall Pollard | 2013–17 | 124 | 0.58 | 72 |
| Rank | Player | Years | Games | Steals Avg. | Total Steals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Robertson | 1989–94 | 117 | 2.36 | 276 |
| 2 | London Warren | 2006–10 | 137 | 1.28 | 175 |
| 3 | Tony Stanley | 1997–2001 | 125 | 1.39 | 174 |
| 4 | Scoochie Smith | 2013–17 | 138 | 1.25 | 172 |
| 5 | Jim Paxson | 1975–79 | 108 | 1.56 | 168 |
| 6 | Derrick Dukes | 1990–94 | 116 | 1.43 | 166 |
| 7 | Negele Knight | 1985–90 | 122 | 1.33 | 162 |
| 8 | Kyle Davis | 2013–17 | 134 | 1.19 | 160 |
| 9 | Roosevelt Chapman | 1980–84 | 118 | 1.35 | 159 |
| 10 | David Morris | 1998–2002 | 125 | 1.24 | 155 |
| Rank | Player | Years | 3PT | Att. | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Roberts | 2004–08 | 293 | 665 | .441 |
| 2 | Tony Stanley | 1997–01 | 291 | 813 | .358 |
| 3 | Brooks Hall | 1999–03 | 285 | 731 | .390 |
| 4 | Jalen Crutcher | 2017–21 | 242 | 646 | .375 |
| 5 | Ramod Marshall | 2000–04 | 241 | 669 | .360 |
| 6 | Christapher Johnson | 2008–12 | 236 | 636 | .371 |
| 7 | Koby Brea | 2020–24 | 224 | 516 | .434 |
| 8 | Norm Grevey | 1986–91 | 208 | 481 | .432 |
| 9 | Darrell Davis | 2014–18 | 191 | 507 | .377 |
| 10 | Jordan Sibert | 2013–15 | 163 | 424 | .384 |
| Player | Year(s) | Award(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Obi Toppin | 2020 | John R. Wooden Award Naismith Associated Press Oscar Robertson Trophy NABC |
| Player | Year(s) | Team(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Alphonse Schumacher | 1912 | Helms |
| 1913 | Helms | |
| Don Meineke | 1952 | Consensus Second Team –AP (3rd),UPI (3rd),Look (2nd),INS (2nd) |
| Johnny Horan | 1955 | UPI (3rd) |
| Bill Uhl | 1956 | Consensus Second Team –AP (2nd),UPI (2nd),Look (1st),NEA (2nd),INS (2nd),Collier's (2nd) |
| Hank Finkel | 1966 | AP (3rd),UPI (3rd),NABC (3rd) |
| Don May | 1967 | Consensus Second Team –USBWA (1st),UPI (2nd) |
| 1968 | Consensus Second Team –AP (2nd),NABC (2nd),UPI (2nd) | |
| Jim Paxson | 1979 | Consensus Second Team –USBWA (2nd),NABC (2nd),UPI (2nd) |
| Obi Toppin | 2020 | Consensus First Team –AP (1st),USBWA (1st),NABC (1st),Sporting News (1st) |
| DaRon Holmes II | 2024 | Consensus Second Team –AP (2nd),USBWA (3rd),NABC (2nd),Sporting News (2nd) |
| Year | Tournament | Tournament Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | UD Invitational Tournament | 2-0 |
| 1977 | UD Invitational Tournament | 2-0 |
| 1978 | UD Invitational Tournament | 2-0 |
| 1980 | UD Invitational Tournament | 2-0 |
| 1981 | UD Invitational Tournament | 2-0 |
| 1982 | UD Invitational Tournament | 2-0 |
| 1983 | Meryll Lynch Classic | 2-0 |
| 1984 | Meryll Lynch Classic | 2-0 |
| 1985 | Meryll Lynch Classic | 2-0 |
| 1999 | CoSIDA Classic | 2-0 |
| 2003 | Maui Invitational | 3-0 |
| 2008 | Chicago Invitational Challenge | 4-0 |
| 2011 | Old Spice Classic | 3-0 |
| 2021 | ESPN Events Invitational | 3-0 |
According to a Wall Street Journal report—annual college basketball value ranking reports, University of Dayton's basketball team are ranked in the top 20 (18th) in the US with $100,010,000 value based on the financial data of 2017.[78]
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