2/19/2021

Flyer Seniors Combine For 50 Points

DAYTON – The University of Dayton men’s basketball team defeated the Saint Louis Billikens 76-53 Friday at UD Arena. The Flyers picked up their first win since Feb. 5

On senior night, senior Jalen Crutcher led the Flyers with 19 points. Senior Ibi Watson added 14 points while freshman Mustapha Amzil added 10.

Dayton improves to 12-7 overall and 8-6 in the Atlantic 10. Saint Louis saw its four-game winning streak snapped, falling to 11-4 over and 4-3 in A-10 play.

GAME BREAKDOWN
1st Half:  Dayton 43, Saint Louis 23

• The Flyers opened up the game with a 10-0 lead. Seniors Jordy Tshimanga and Ibi Watson combined for the first eight of those 10.
• Watson scored nine of the Flyers’ first 19 points.
• After Saint Louis cut the lead to 19-16, a 7-0 Flyer run came over just 53 seconds.  UD eventually extended that run to 13-0. Saint Louis was held without a point for over eight minutes after pulling within three.
• Over 8-minute scoreless drought, Saint Louis went 0-of-11 from the field.
• Dayton’s lead was extended to 20 off a fast-break basket by Jalen Crutcher.
• With 43 first-half points, this was Dayton’s highest scoring half of the season.  Additionally, this was the largest halftime lead of the season.  
• All eight Flyers who saw the floor scored, with Watson’s nine early points good for leading scorer.
• Dayton outscored Saint Louis 18-6 in the paint and 13-2 on fast break points.
• The Billikens were held to just 31.0% from the floor in the half.

2nd half:  Dayton 76, Saint Louis 53

• Dayton began the half by extending the lead to 24. 
• Both teams traded baskets for most of the half, with the Flyer lead mostly staying between 20 and 25. The longest run by either team in the half was 6-0.
• Jalen Crutcher scored 13 of his 19 in the half.
• Redshirt freshman Zimi Nwokeji led Dayton with five second-half rebounds.
• Senior walk-on Camron Greer saw his first action of the season.
• The Billikens only shot 24.4% from the field in the half.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Dayton shot 64% from the field in the first half, the best percentage from the Flyers in the opening half this year.
• Jalen Crutcher’s six assists give him 563 in his career, good for second in program history. Four three-point makes gives him 237 for his career, now fifth in UD history.
• Rodney Chatman added five assists.
• Jordy Tshimanga led the Flyers with eight rebounds, and added a college career-high three blocked shots.
• The 23-point win is the largest margin of victory for UD this season and the largest defeat for the Billikens.
• Saint Louis shot 27.1% from the field, their lowest percentage of the season. This was just the second game where the Billikens shot under 40% from the floor.
• The Flyers outscored the Billikens 25-2 in fast break points.
• Dayton did not trail at any point of the game.
• This was the Flyers’ fourth-straight win over Saint Louis. Dayton has not lost at home to the Billikens under Anthony Grant.

UP NEXT

• UD will head on the road for the final two games of the regular season. They will play Wednesday, Feb. 24 at Saint Joseph’s and Sunday, Feb. 28 at St. Bonaventure.
• Wednesday’s contest against Saint Joseph’s is scheduled to tip at 6 p.m. ET. 

GAME RECAP COURTESY DAYTON MEDIA RELATIONS