By Bane Rossi
BOX SCORE (PDF)
https://daytonflyers.com/documents/2023/10/22/UDMBBvsOSUMBB_Scrimmage.pdf
PRESS CONFERENCE
https://www.facebook.com/DaytonMBB/videos/233212809508566
DAYTON – The University of Dayton men’s basketball team fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in an exhibition game 78-70 at UD Arena Sunday evening. The Flyers had strong performances from newcomers Enoch Cheeks and Nate Santos. Cheeks led the Flyers in scoring and Santos was the team’s frontrunner in rebounds. In a game that was close throughout the first half, the Buckeyes pulled away with multiple scoring runs to take the game from the Flyers in the second half.
The game was part of The Spotlight, a multi-day event to raise awareness for young adult mental health and to benefit a number of charities that work to break the stigma and provide helpful resources. The Spotlight included a town hall meeting at UD Arena on Thursday evening.
During the game, two sizable donations were presented to mental health foundations. CareSource generously gave $50k to both the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness during a media timeout. That was followed by Flyer great Obi Toppin surprising UD coach Anthony Grant with a a $20k donation to Jay’s Light, the foundation that was founded in memory of Jayda Grant.
First Half – Dayton 39, Ohio State 42
- DaRon Holmes II started the Flyers’ season with a successful three-pointer to put the Flyers on the board first.
- New Flyer Enoch Cheeks scored his first points in a Dayton uniform by hitting a three on the next possession.
- Holmes added another three-pointer only four minutes into the game to put the Flyers ahead 11-5.
- At the first media timeout, Holmes led all scorers with eight points while Cheeks held the lead in rebounds with two.
- A corner three-pointer following the media timeout gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game at 12-11.
- Freshman Petras Padegimas scored his first bucket as a Flyer by converting a contested layup with 13:25 remaining.
- Ohio State hit eight-of-nine field goals with 9:22 to go in the first half.
- Malachi Smith got his first bucket of the season on a layup to tie the game at 23-23.
- Cheeks gave the Flyers their first lead since the 16:00 mark with a mid-range jumper to make the score 27-25.
- Ohio State made a 9-0 run in 1:37 with just under five minutes left in the half.
- Cheeks made himself four-for-four from the arc to stop the Buckeyes’ scoring run.
- Holmes hit a mid-range jumper as time expired in the half to cut the Buckeyes’ lead to 42-39.
Second Half – Dayton 70, Ohio State 78
- Nate Santos started the half for the Flyers with a jumper to make the score 44-41 Buckeyes.
- Dayton’s 2:48 scoring drought was halted by Santos’ layup off of a missed free throw.
- The Flyers tied the game after a 2:22 scoring run that included nine points and six forced turnovers.
- Ohio State’s 8-0 scoring run was stopped by a Kobe Elvis three with 10:02 to go.
- Dayton went one-for-ten in field goals in the midst of a 2:45 drought with 1:30 to go in the game.
BY THE NUMBERS
- 17 – Points scored by Cheeks, which included five made three-pointers.
- 10 – Points by DaRon Holmes II in 16 minutes of action.
- 22 – Fouls by the Flyers. Both coaches agreed that the game would not have individuals foul out in the game.
- 33 – Total turnovers in the game. The Flyers turned the ball over 17 times to the Buckeyes’ 16.
- 7 – Rebounds grabbed by Santos in his Flyer debut.
- 33 – UD won the battle of the boards 33-30.
- 13,409 – The exhibition game was sold out, with proceeds benefiting the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Jay’s Light.
COURTESY DAYTON MEDIA RELATIONS
