By Stretch Jenkinson
1 19 2024
Rams and #21/23 Flyers Battle on USA Network
THE BASICS
Rhode Island (9-8, 3-1 A-10) at No. 21/23 Dayton (14-2, 4-0 A-10)
Tip-Off: Saturday, Jan. 20, 12:30 p.m. EST
Coverage: Watch: USA Network | Live Stats | Game Notes
RHODE ISLAND VS. ST. DAYTON – SERIES NOTES
- Saturday’s game will be the 45th all time between Rhode Island and Dayton.
- The Flyers lead the series, 25-19.
- Rhode Island won last year’s meeting, 75-70.
- Rhode Island is 7-12 when visiting Dayton.
- URI’s last win at UD Arena was a 72-70 victory in overtime on March 1, 2019 behind 26 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots by Cyril Langevine.
- Dayton is the lone remaining unbeaten team in Atlantic 10 play, having won its first four conference games.
- The Flyers are one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country. Dayton leads the A-10 with a .395 shooting percentage from the arc, which ranks ninth nationally.
- Dayton also ranked second in the league and 29th in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 64.9 points per game.
MILLER RETURNING TO DAYTON FOR FIRST TIME
- Rhode Island head coach Archie Miller was the head coach at Dayton from 2011-17.
- He led the Flyers to four NCAA appearances and one NIT in six years, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2014.
- Miller had a record of 139-63 while at Dayton, winning back-to-back Atlantic 10 titles in 2016 and 2017.
- He was the 2017 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year.
- Last season, he defeated the Flyers 75-70 in his lone game against his former school.
RHODE ISLAND FACING A TOP 25 TEAM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE SEASONS
- Dayton enters the game ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches Top 25 Poll.
- The game marks Rhode Island’s first Top 25 opponent since it fell 73-62 at No. 13 Wisconsin on Dec. 9, 2020.
- URI has dropped its last seven games against ranked opponents.
- The team’s last victory over a ranked opponent came against Seton Hall at the NIT Season Tip-Off in Barclays Center on Nov. 23, 2017.
- Rhode Island won that contest 75-74 after Jared Terrell banked a runner in the lane with less than five seconds to go.
- The Rams are 16-105 all time against Top 25 teams.
COURTESY RHODE ISLAND ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS