By Quincy Burns

Posh Alexander & Javon Bennett UD M BKB Dayton 77 Western Michigan 69 12 3 2024.mp3

BOX SCORE

https://daytonflyers.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2024-25/western-michigan/boxscore/16852

DAYTON – The University of Dayton men’s basketball team returned for its first game back from the Maui Invitational against Western Michigan with a come-from-behind 77-69 win on Tuesday. In a tight battle, the Flyers and Broncos had a back-and-forth first half. The Broncos were able to get a ten-point lead to start the second half but Dayton used a 12-2 run to come back and earn the victory.

The Flyers were led by Enoch Cheeks with 23 points and eight rebounds and Nate Santos with 15 points. Javon Bennett added 12 points.  A key off-the-bench performance from Posh Alexander with 12 points and a team-high four steals helped secure the Flyers win.

Dayton is now 7-2 on the season, while Western Michigan falls to 3-5.

The Flyers were led by Enoch Cheeks with 23 points and 8 rebounds and Nate Santos with 15 points. A key off the bench performance from Posh Alexander with 10 points and a team high four steals helped secure the Flyers comeback.

GAME RECAP
First Half – Dayton 32, Western Michigan 35

• Junior guard Javon Bennett opened the scoring for the Flyers with a silky smooth jump shot.
• Graduate student Zed Key followed with a dunk off a missed three-pointer at the 18:25 mark.
• Senior Enoch Cheeks hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 7-7 with 17:54 remaining.
• Redshirt junior Malachi Smith drove to the rim for a layup, tying the game at 9-9 after a pass from Bennett.
• Cheeks sank another three-pointer, giving the Flyers their first lead at 12-11 with 14:46 on the clock.
• Senior Nate Santos scored his first points with a put back at 12:32 after a missed layup.
• Cheeks ended a nearly four-minute scoring drought by finishing through contact, regaining the lead for Dayton 19-17 at the 8:50 mark.
• Redshirt senior Posh Alexander hit a deep three as the shot clock expired, keeping the Flyers in the lead.
• Bennett responded to his own missed three-pointer by sinking a second-chance three, extending Dayton’s lead to 25-19 with 6:00 remaining.
• After a Broncos three-pointer, Cheeks answered with a stepback three to keep the Flyers ahead.
• Cheeks closed the half with a basket in the paint at the 1:09 mark.

Second Half – Dayton 77, Western Michigan 69

• Key opened the half with a layup, narrowing the game to within one point.
• The Broncos held their ground defensively, launching a 7-0 run that forced the Flyers into a timeout at the 17:56 mark.
• A Santos dunk followed by a turnover forced by the Flyers led to a Cheeks fast-break layup, reducing the Broncos’ lead to 44-40 at 14:13.
• Santos hit a critical three-pointer at 13:25, narrowing the gap to three points and fueling the Flyers’ comeback.
• Coming off the bench, Alexander drew a foul and sank both free throws to pull the Flyers within one at 12:55. His subsequent jumper gave Dayton the lead.
• Cheeks showcased his skills with a reverse lefty layup to keep Dayton ahead 51-48, followed by drawing a foul to add two points to the Flyers’ tally.
• The Flyers’ defense held the Broncos scoreless for 2 minutes and 30 seconds, maintaining control of the game.
• Santos drained a three-pointer, giving Dayton its largest lead of the half at 56-50.
• After forcing a Broncos turnover, Key completed an alley-oop dunk off an assist from Alexander, keeping the Flyers ahead.
• Bennett responded to the Broncos’ offensive pushes with back-to-back three-pointers, solidifying the Flyers’ lead at 66-58.

COURTESY DAYTON MEDIA RELATIONS