The Dayton Thread...

[billyjack]

I messed up in my thinking of what this thread would turn into. I was hoping for general normal discussion, but it has turned into a Dayton data dump for Fieldhouse Flyer. Unusable and uninteresting. For mods not including me (since i'm responsible for this mistake), feel free to delete this thread.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

billyjack just added a Poll to this thread. I cast the first vote, and it was 'No'.

As I have repeatedly posted, the Big East is optimal with 10 teams for the foreseeable future, and there is no reason to expand unless and until Fox Sports makes the Big East a lucrative offer that is very difficult to turn down. That may be the case after the current TV contract expires eight years from now, but highly unlikely before then.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

All things related to the Dayton Flyers program can be posted here.

247 Sports 2017 Basketball Recruiting Composite Team Rankings - updated June 6, 2017

11 - Xavier
19 – Providence
23 - Creighton
27 - Villanova
34 – Butler
41 - Seton Hall
56 – Marquette
71 - Ohio State
73 - DePaul
75 - Georgetown

Dayton 93

The 247 Sports ranking of Dayton is based on obsolete and incomplete information, so their ranking of Dayton's recruits cannot be considered accurate.

Dayton 2017 Basketball Commits – 247 Sports

Jordan Davis, Dutch Fork (Irmo, SC) - 3-Stars
Jalen Crutcher, Ridgeway (Memphis, TN) - 3 Stars
Jordan Pierce, Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, NJ) - 0 Stars
Naz Carter, Bishop Kearney (Brooklyn, NY) - 0 Stars
Obadiah Toppin, Mt. Zion Prep (Baltimore, MD) - 0 Stars

Naz Carter decommitted from Dayton as soon as Archie announced he was moving on. The Flyer Faithful are quite pleased with this year’s six freshmen.
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Rhode Island Targeting 2017 Forward Obadiah Toppin – Rhody Rampage - April 7, 2017

Obadiah Toppin is a 6’9″, 200-pound forward out of Ossining, New York. The big man is currently attending Mt. Zion Prep in Baltimore, and his recruitment is blowing up as of late. Toppin holds offers from Illinois, Mississippi State, Georgia, St. Bonaventure, and a host of others. There’s plenty to be excited about when it comes to Toppin.

More than a few recruiting sites and tweets describe Obadiah as a wing who can score from both inside and outside. Yep, despite being 6’-9″, Toppin was a guard previously, and he can still hit from downtown.

Obadiah Toppin signs with Dayton – Dayton Flyers - May 17, 2017

DAYTON -- University of Dayton men's basketball coach Anthony Grant has announced that 6-foot-9 forward Obadiah Toppin has signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Dayton.

Toppin is regarded as a late bloomer who really took advantage of a prep season. When the Brooklyn native's family moved back to Ossining, N.Y. from Florida in 2014-15, he was a 6-foot-2 high school junior. Entering his senior season in 2015-16, he was listed at 6-foot-5, 170 pounds. He is currently listed at 6-foot-9, 200 pounds.

While at Mt. Zion Prep in Baltimore this past year, Toppin averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. As a senior in high school in his only varsity season, he was selected to the Lower Hudson High School Basketball Coaches Association Conference 1 All-Section Team and all-league. He led Ossining High School to a 17-5 record and its first conference title in 10 years. He averaged 20.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals as a senior.

Obadiah Toppin joins fall signees Jordan Davis and Jordan Pierce, along with spring signees Jalen Crutcher and Matej Svoboda as Dayton's incoming class for the 2017-18 season. In addition, 6-foot-10 redshirt freshman Kostas Antetokounmpo will play his first season for the Flyers next year.

With the addition of Toppin, the Flyer roster for 2017-18 includes eight players who are listed at 6-foot-7 or taller.

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Jordan Davis (3 Stars) – SG, 6’-4”, 180 lbs. – Rivals.com profile

Dutch Fork’s Jordan Davis Earns State Player of the Year Honors – The State (Columbia SC) – February 17, 2016

Dutch Fork’s Jordan Davis has been honored as the state’s best player by the South Carolina High School Basketball Coaches Association. Davis, a guard, is having a breakout junior season and leads the Midlands in scoring at 22.6 points a game.

Dutch Fork’s Jordan Davis Commits to Dayton – The State (Columbia SC) – August 28, 2016

Jordan Davis has made his college choice.

The Dutch Fork senior guard and Class 4A Player of the Year verbally committed to play basketball at Dayton on Saturday after making an official visit to the school.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder is the first commitment of Dayton’s 2017 class, and had offers from several Division I schools including Cincinnati, Xavier, Miami, Kansas State, Butler, Virginia Tech, and East Carolina. Davis was scheduled to visit Kansas State next month, but said he won’t take any other visits.

Prep Hoops South Carolina tweet – March 19, 2017

Jordan Davis - 5A State Player of the Year

NOTE: In 2016, South Carolina had 4 divisions of high school basketball, with Division 4A being the largest schools. In 2017, South Carolina had 5 divisions of high school basketball, with Division 5A being the largest schools.
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Jordan Pierce (3 Stars) - C, 7’-0”, 250 lbs. – Rivals.com profile

Jordan Pierce Talks Decision – NJ Hoops - September 4, 2016

NJ Hoops: How tall are you and how much do you weigh?
JP: 7-foot, 250 lbs.

NJ Hoops: What were the other schools that you were considering?
JP: Temple, South Carolina, Florida Gulf Coast, Loyola Marymount, Kansas State, DePaul, and Seton Hall.

NJ Hoops: What other schools offered scholarships?
JP: There were 15 schools.

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Jalen Crutcher (3 Stars) – PG, 6’-3”, 170 lbs. – Rivals.com profile

Top 10 High School Players in Memphis – 901 PrepScoop – November 29, 2017

5. Jalen Crutcher 6’3 CG (Ridgeway HS) 2017

When he was younger, you saw the potential, long wiry with scoring ability with size. As the years have gone by, you saw potential start to produce and produce big time and now, he’s a D-1 commit (UT-Chattanooga) and one of the most feared guards in Memphis. He hit 7-3 pointers in their first win scoring 33 points putting it out there that he might be coming for the scoring title this year.

He has deep range on the three, 5-6 feet behind the line at times and the soft floater at the basket which I would love to see him use more often because he can do it when he wants. 20 plus for him should be a given and he must carry a Ridgeway team with some pieces but still fighting an uphill battle with Southwind and Houston for supremacy in district 15AAA. Crutcher is without a doubt, one of the best guards in the city.

Point Guard Jalen Crutcher Signs with Dayton – Dayton Flyers - May 6, 2017

"We are very excited to welcome Jalen to the Dayton Flyer Family," Grant said. "Jalen's game really fits our style of play. He has the ability to score the ball in a variety of ways while also possessing the IQ and skill set to generate and facilitate for his teammates.

Crutcher was one of the top guards in Memphis, Tenn. this season. A member of the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Class AAA All-Metro Team, he recently played in the 2017 Basketball Coaches of Tennessee/Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association all-star basketball game. The three-star recruit averaged 18 points, four assists and two steals per game last year.

3P% Leaders in the Adidas Uprising (Through Session 2) – Open Analytics – May 21, 2017

Jalen Crutcher shoots a long 3-pointer at UD's practice gym - Jalen Crutcher (11-second twitter video) – June 4, 2017
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Matej Svoboda – SF, 6’-7”, 205 lbs. - FIBA profile

Matej Svoboda Signs with Dayton - Dayton Flyers - May 1, 2017

The 6-foot-7, 205 lb. forward from Ostrava in the Czech Republic, Svoboda was the second-leading scorer in last year's FIBA U-20 European Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Svoboda averaged 19.0 points a game in the seven-game tournament. The leading scorer was Lauri Markkanen, a 7-0 forward who starred for Arizona last year and is now headed to the NBA.

Svoboda was the tournament's top three-point shooter, making 21 of 42 from behind the arc. He also averaged 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists at the 2016 championships.

He is currently an amateur playing on the CEZ Basketball Nymburk club in the NBL, the top professional Czech basketball league.

Matej Svoboda – Nymburk – Draft Express profile

2020 NBA Mock Draft – NBA Draft Room

13. Matej Svoboda – Dayton

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Kostas Antetokounmpo (4 Stars) – SF, 6’-10”, 200 lbs. – Rivals.com profile

Antetokounmpo to sit out 2016-17 Season – Dayton Flyers - October 2, 2016

The 6-foot-10 forward from Athens, Greece is prohibited from practicing with the team during the first semester after being ruled as a partial qualifier by the NCAA. Antetokounmpo will retain four years of eligibility, beginning with next season.

Antetokounmpo is a 2016 graduate of Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee where his brother Giannis is a rising star for the Milwaukee Bucks. After moving to the United States (specifically Milwaukee) with his family midway through his sophomore year, Antetokounmpo developed to the point that he averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game while shooting .639 (147-230) from the field as a senior.

He helped lead Dominican to an unprecedented fifth consecutive Wisconsin Division 4 state championship and was named First Team Division 4 All-State by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. Antetokounmpo was a consensus top 100 high school prospect.

2019 NBA Mock Draft – NBA Draft Room

7. Kostas Antetokounmpo – Dayton

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

DAYTON FLYERS COACH ANTHONY GRANT

How much is Anthony Grant getting paid ?

Anthony Grant’s starting salary at Dayton has not been publicly disclosed, but word on the UD grapevine is that it is in the range of $2.1 to $2.5 million per year. This supposition is supported by previously published information concerning these two key questions:

(1) What is Anthony Grant’s salary history?

(2) How much is the University of Dayton willing to pay for a head basketball coach?

Answers:

(1) At the time he was fired by Alabama in March 2015, Anthony Grant was making $1.9 million annually in a contract expiring in 2019.

(2) Per the Dayton Daily News, UD offered Archie Miller $3.1 million per year to remain at Dayton – a increase of $1 million per year on his $2.1 million salary in 2016-17. Given Dayton’s commitment to men’s basketball, and Anthony Grant’s skill set and years of experience, it is highly unlikely that Dayton offered Grant any less than the $2.1 million that Archie Miller was getting (putting Anthony Grant in the Top 25 in college basketball coaches salaries) and it could well be more.
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Anthony Grant's salary among highest in college basketball – Alabama.com - April 22, 2009

Anthony Grant's $1.83 million annual salary at Alabama appears to place him among the 20 highest-paid men's basketball coaches in the country.

At least 13 coaches average more in guaranteed compensation than Grant, according to a review of published coaching salaries. Not every coach is accounted for because some work at private universities, which do not have to reveal salaries.

In a down economy, fewer programs are hiring basketball coaches this year. But many that are making changes have paid top dollar, potentially affecting the sport's salary structure -- not to mention adding more pressure on coaches.

Kentucky lured John Calipari from Memphis by making him the nation's highest-paid coach at $3.96 million per year. Arizona will pay Sean Miller, previously of Xavier, $2 million per year. Grant received slightly more than the $1.7 million annually that Virginia awarded Washington State's Tony Bennett.

Anthony Grant Gets Raise – AP/ESPN - September 27, 2012

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama men's basketball coach Anthony Grant has received a $100,000 raise and a one-year contract extension through 2019.

University system trustees approved a raise Thursday to $1.9 million from Grant's deal in April 2009. Grant got a two-year extension last year but no raise.

Anthony Grant out at Alabama – Jeff Goodman, ESPN - March 16, 2015

Grant came to Tuscaloosa from VCU, where he went 76-25 and made two NCAA tournament appearances. The Rams knocked off Duke in the first round in 2007. He was an assistant coach under Billy Donovan at Florida for 10 seasons, after spending time at Marshall and Stetson.

He signed a contract extension in 2012 to keep him at Alabama until 2019. Grant was making $1.9 million annually through 2019 with a buyout of some $4 million, which would be reduced if he lands another job. Grant finished with a 117-85 record in six seasons at the school.

Neil Sullivan, Anthony Grant agree: Dayton is a ‘destination job’ – Dayton Daily News – March 30, 2017

Dayton Athletic Director Neil Sullivan and new Dayton Flyers coach Anthony Grant look at the program the same way.

“We both look at it as a destination job,” Sullivan said Thursday, hours after UD announced the hiring of Grant.

Dayton’s last three coaches have used the program as a stepping stone, leaving for jobs at Clemson, Georgia Tech and Indiana. Grant, 50, played for Dayton from 1983-87, so he has more connection to the program than Oliver Purnell, Brian Gregory and Archie Miller. He’s also older than those three coaches were they were hired — Purnell was 40 in 1994, Gregory was 36 in 2003 and Miller was 32 in 2011 — and at a different point in his career.

That doesn’t mean Grant will stay forever, but his hiring could bring long-term stability to the program.

“If you have high-caliber people, there’s a demand for that,” Sullivan said. “I think we acknowledge that. I’m never going to shy away from trying to attract the highest-quality performers we can. At the same time, you want to provide an environment where personal interest meets organizational need. I’m not trying to predict the future. At the end of the day, we’re certainly looking long term, but things change rapidly in this business. We were only interested in people who view the University of Dayton as a destination job.”

Sullivan would not list the specifics of Grant’s contract other than to say, “We’re not going to disclose the terms. He’s got a contract that pays him appropriately for his skill set.”

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Previously posted:

The Big Ten conference has money to spend.

Recent hires:
Illinois hired Brad Underwood from Oklahoma State (6 years for $3 million per year)
Indiana hired Archie Miller from Dayton (7 years for $3.5 million per year)
Ohio State hired Chris Holtmann from Butler (8 years for $3 million per year)

Indiana’s Archie Miller becomes third-highest paid coach in Big Ten with $3.35 million per year deal – Land of 10/Indiana - March 27, 2017

The new Indiana coach is set to make $3.35 million per season in a seven-year deal, the team announced Monday. The deal would make Miller the third-highest paid men’s basketball coach in the Big Ten. Only Michigan State’s Tom Izzo ($4,006,955) and Ohio State’s Thad Matta ($3,372,000) make more per season, according to numbers obtained by Sporting News.

http://sports.usatoday.com/ncaa/salaries/mens-basketball/coach/ – 2017 NCAAB TOURNAMENT COACHES' PAY - USA Today – March 2017

5 - Michigan State - Big Ten - Tom Izzo - Total pay: $4,251,751 (Maximum bonus: $350,000)
7 – Michigan - Big Ten - John Beilein - Total pay: $3,370,000 (Maximum bonus: $250,000)

14 – Maryland - Big Ten - Mark Turgeon - Total pay: $2,577,054 (Maximum bonus: $445,000)
15 – Villanova - Big East - Jay Wright - Total pay: $2,540,958 (Maximum bonus: --)
16 – Purdue - Big Ten - Matt Painter - Total pay: $2,453,795 (Maximum bonus: $901,874)

25 – Providence - Big East - Ed Cooley - Total pay: $2,036,454 (Maximum bonus: --)
28 – Wisconsin - Big Ten - Greg Gard - Total pay: $1,753,445 (Maximum bonus: $400,000)
29 - Minnesota - Big Ten - Richard Pitino - Total pay: $1,678,812 (Maximum bonus: $600,000)

31 - Seton Hall - Big East - Kevin Willard - Total pay: $1,560,379 (Maximum bonus: --)
33 – Xavier - Big East - Chris Mack - Total pay: $1,420,479 (Maximum bonus: --)
35 – Northwestern - Big Ten - Chris Collins - Total pay: $1,340,664 (Maximum bonus: --)
38 - Marquette - Big East - Steve Wojciechowski - Total pay: $1,224,030 (Maximum bonus: --)
40 - Creighton - Big East - Greg McDermott - Total pay: $1,153,488 (Maximum bonus: --)
?? – Butler - Big East - Chris Holtmann - Total pay: -- (Maximum bonus: --)

Chris Holtmann's contract at Ohio State will be 8 years, $3.1 million per year - Cleveland.com - June 9, 2017

Ohio State’s offer to Chris Holtmann matched the $3.1 million per year that Dayton offered to Archie Miller before he left:

Dayton Flyers made aggressive push to keep Archie Miller – Dayton Daily News – March 25, 2017

Athletic Director Neil Sullivan said Miller was made salary offer that would have put him in top 10 in nation

“Without trying to paint a reactionary picture, I’m confident we have a top-10 compensation program in the country in any program, any conference,” Sullivan said. “Ultimately coach Miller made the decision he had to make for his future and in his interest. I can assure everybody it was a very aggressive pursuit on our behalf to see if he could remain our coach.”

Connecticut’s Kevin Ollie made $3.1 million in 2016 and was the 10th highest-paid coach in the country, according to USA Today.

Asked if money was a deciding factor in Miller’s decision, Sullivan said, “I don’t want to speak to his motivations, but I’m quite confident it wasn’t about increased compensation.”

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FORMER DAYTON FLYERS COACHES BRIAN GREGORY AND ARCHIE MILLER

How much did UD pay former coaches Brian Gregory and Archie Miller?

Former Dayton Coach Brian Gregory Hired By Georgia Tech – Obsessed with Sports - March 29, 2011

In 2009, just two years ago, Gregory agreed to a five-year contract extension with the University of Dayton. That contract would have taken him through the 2017-18 season. Brian Gregory was making about $480,000 prior to the signing of the extension.

According to new reports, Gregory was making in the $750,000 area. Gregory had proven himself over his 8 seasons in Dayton.

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution got their hands on the email from Georgia Tech to Coach Gregory. Here is the salary piece of the email:

The employment contract will be for a term of six years. Your compensation as Head Men’s Basketball Coach will be the following:

Annual base compensation of $ 1,000,000, with no escalating value for at least the first two years:
Salary: $300,000
Radio/TV: $600,000
Apparel & Equipment: $50,000
GTAA Public Appearances: $50,000
That equates an even $1,000,000 of base compensation annually.

UD’s Miller highest-paid coach in Atlantic 10 – Dayton Daily News - June 10, 2016

Flyers’ in-demand leader passed $1M in annual salary two years ago.

Miller, whose UD teams have won 78 games with three NCAA tournament appearances the past three seasons, made $1,160,390 in 2014, according to the most current tax forms released by the university. That salary reflected a 68 percent raise from what Miller made the prior year — $692,547.

UD would not reveal Miller’s current total compensation, but outgoing UD President Dan Curran indicated that the popular coach has received two raises since his pay was bumped to $1.16 million two years ago, after the Flyers advanced to the Elite Eight in the 2014 tournament.

“It’s been increased appropriately,” Curran said. “UD wants to keep Miller the highest-paid coach in the A-10”, Curran said.

Former men’s basketball coach Brian Gregory made $943,004 in 2010, his last full year of employment at UD.

Archie Miller was hired in April 2011. His first-year salary at UD was $335,152.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

The University of Dayton can well afford to pay a generous salary to the Flyers’ basketball coach, and due to the importance of men’s basketball to UD, it is in the financial interests of the university to maintain a high-quality men’s basketball program.

Previously posted:

How Much Is Your College-Basketball Team Worth? – The Wall Street Journal - March 31, 2016

Rank - Team • 2015 Valuation

24 - Dayton • $80,600,000
26 – Xavier • $78,100,000
35 – Marquette • $59,600,000

College Basketball's 20 Most Valuable Teams - 2016 - Forbes - March 14, 2016

17 - Dayton • 2015 Team Value: $11.9 million • 2015 Revenue: $12.0 million • 2015 Expenses: $4.8 million • 2015 Profit: $7.2 million

19 - Xavier • 2015 Team Value: $11.5 million • 2015 Revenue: $12.1 million • 2015 Expenses: $5.5 million • 2015 Profit: $6.6 million

20 - Marquette • 2015 Team Value: $11.4 million • 2015 Revenue: $15.3 million • 2015 Expenses: $9.0 million • 2015 Profit: $6.3 million

Forbes obviously uses a different valuation methodology than The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes ranks only the top 20 teams, but Forbes provides more detailed information about each team than the WSJ rankings.
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How Much Is Your College-Basketball Team Worth? – The Wall Street Journal - March 30, 2017

In an annual study, Ryan Brewer, an assistant professor of finance at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus, assesses what every college team would be worth on the open market if it could be bought and sold like a professional franchise. The study analyzes each program’s revenues and expenses with cash-flow adjustments, risk assessments, and growth projections.

Rank - Team • 2016 Valuation • 2015 Valuation • % Change

21 - Dayton • $88,415,000 • $80,594,000 • +9.70%
28 - Marquette • $71,918,000 • $59,623,000 • +20.60%
29 - Xavier • $70,562,000 • $78,084,000 • -9.60%
38 - Connecticut • $57,962,000 • $137,895,000 • -58.00%
47 - Villanova • $50,534,000 • $40,445,000 • +24.90%
52 - Georgetown • $47,910,000 • $42,157,000 • +13.60%
55 - St. John's • $45,213,000 • $55,036,000 • -17.80%
73 - Providence • $31,734,000 • $29,656,000 • +7.00%
74 - Creighton • $31,619,000 • $28,084,000 • +12.60%
81 - Saint Louis • $28,094,000 • $18,570,000 • +51.30%
82 - DePaul • $27,210,000 • $42,911,000 • -36.60%
85 - Seton Hall • $25,715,000 • $27,689,000 • -7.10%
92 - Butler • $22,588,000 • $20,240,000 • +11.60%

Final 2016-17 RPI Rankings and 4-Year Average RPI Rankings (Link to HLOH post dated April 4, 2017)

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Former Dayton Coach Jim O'Brien inherited an NCAA Tournament-bound team in 1989, and four years later, led the Flyers to an abysmal 4-26 record with the players he recruited and trained – the all-time low for the Dayton Flyers’ basketball program. Jim O’Brien sunk the Flyers so deep that it would take another two decades for the program to recover. It has admittedly been an excruciatingly slow process.

The rebuilding process has been incremental, but sustained, with each new head coach being more successful than his predecessor:

Jim O'Brien (1989-1994) – 5 Seasons ==> Overall: 61–87 (.412), Conference: 27–56 (.422)

Oliver Purnell (1994-2003) – 9 Seasons ==> Overall: 155–116 (.572), Conference: 72–68 (.514)

Brian Gregory (2003-2011) – 8 Seasons ==> Overall: 172–94 (.647), Conference: 70–58 (.547)

Archie Miller (2011-2017) – 6 Seasons ==> Overall: 139–63 (.688), Conference: 68–34 (.667)

In 2003 and 2011, Dayton gambled by hiring high-profile assistant coaches with no prior experience as an NCAA head coach. Brian Gregory was an assistant coach at Michigan State under the tutelage of Tom Izzo and Archie Miller was an assistant coach at Arizona under the tutelage of his older brother Sean Miller. Neither Gregory nor Miller had any previous connections to the University of Dayton.

By March 2017, the UD administration prudently realized that they could not afford to gamble with the future of the men’s basketball program again by taking another chance with another unproven assistant coach, and realized that hiring a new head coach with no previous ties to UD would likely result in that coach leaving UD for a P5-conference job if he was successful at UD. The administration was undoubtedly aware that Xavier’s outstanding success in basketball over the past 8 seasons was due to Chris Mack, and the fact that Coach Mack was a former Xavier basketball player was a significant factor in Xavier’s ability to retain him, despite reported offers for greater pay from P5-conference schools looking for a new head coach.

With all of this in mind, the UD administration had only one name on their short list in March 2017 – former UD basketball player Anthony Grant.

Year Hired – Coach (age when hired) • Yrs. Experience Asst. Coach • Yrs. Experience Head Coach • Yrs. Experience NBA Asst. Coach • Starting Salary

2003 - Brian Gregory (36) • 6 • 0 • 0 • $275,000

2011 - Archie Miller (32) • 8 • 0 • 0 • $335,152

2017 - Anthony Grant (50) • 13 • 9 • 2 • $2,100,000 - $2,500,000

Coach Grant's experience and salary do not guarantee his future success at UD, but it does show a very significant commitment by the administration to hire and retain a head coach that they believe will be successful. Time will tell ...

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

My apologies to those of you who are viewing this post with the hope of reading more unusable and uninteresting data about the Dayton Flyers.

I am creating this post as a College Basketball History locker to store links to threads and posts I have previously made on the Big East basketball message board, as I may wish to add to them or refer to them in the future.

Comparing Dayton, Saint Louis, Richmond, and UConn to the Big East Teams - HLOH post dated April 5, 2016

Big East Expansion in 2025? (Envisaged Expansion Methodology) - HLOH post dated August 18, 2016

The Dayton Flyers at Madison Square Garden - HLOH post dated December 7, 2016

The ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings 1937-2009 / Dayton in the NIT and NCAA in the 1960's - HLOH post dated April 14, 2017

History of NCAA Basketball Rule Changes - HLOH thread started May 13, 2017

Religious Affiliations of Selected Universities and Colleges - HLOH thread started July 9, 2017 (featuring The Spanish Inquisition, Dominicans, and Jesuits)

History of Madison Square Garden - HLOH thread started July 14, 2017

History of NCAA Conference Realignment and the Big East - HLOH thread started July 15, 2017

History of the NIT and the NCAA Tournament - HLOH thread started July 24, 2017

History of the Big East Member Institutions - HLOH thread started July 26, 2017

History of the Former Dayton-Xavier Rivalry – 8 posts dated September 8, 2017

History of the Former Dayton-Xavier Rivalry

• 1907 to 1937: The Beginnings of the 106-Year Dayton-Xavier Rivalry
• 1938 to 1949: Basketball Emerges at Catholic Schools
• The 1950's: Dayton Is Top Catholic Basketball School
• The 1960's: Dayton Is Top Catholic Basketball School ... Again
• The 1970's and 1980's: Dayton and Xavier Go in Opposite Directions
• The 1990's: Xavier Re-emerges on the National Scene
• 2000-2009: Xavier Basketball Moves Up the Charts
• The 2012-13 Season: Xavier's Last in the Atlantic 10 Conference
• November 2013 to April 2017: The Current Big East's First Four Seasons
• Dayton-Xavier Series Summary

Religious Affiliations of Selected Universities and Colleges – Page 3 – 10 posts dated September 8, 2017

BASKETBALL RANKINGS OF SELECTED UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

1. Introducing the ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings
2. The ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings (1937-2009)
3. The ESPN/Sagarin Top 40 Programs of Each Decade
4. The Top 40 Programs of Each Decade – 2010-2019
5. The ESPN/Sagarin All-Time Rankings - Adjusted through the 2016-17 Season for Dayton and Xavier
6. How Much is Your College Basketball Team Worth? and 2016-17 Average Home Attendance
7. Basic School Information from Wikipedia (Schools listed in order of Year Founded.)
… 7.1 Selected Schools Ranked in order of Endowment Value
… 7.2 Selected Schools Ranked in order of Total Number of Students
… 7.3 Selected Schools Ranked in order of Number of Undergraduate Students
… 7.4 Selected Schools Ranked in order of Number of Postgraduate Students
… 7.5 Selected Schools Ranked in order of Campus Size
8. Cost of Attendance from CollegeData.com (Schools Ranked in order of Cost of Attendance.)
9. Academic Admissions Information from CollegeData.com (Ranked in order of Range of ACT Scores.)
10. ACADEMIC RANKINGS OF SELECTED UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

Saint Louis University update (city riots and violent crime, falling enrollment, financial problems, layoffs) – HLOH post dated September 18, 2017

University of Dayton update (record enrollment, record revenue, UD Research Institute, UD China Institute) – HLOH post dated September 18, 2017
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Please allow me to express my thanks and appreciation to bilyjack for his wisdom in moving this thread to the Off Topic board (where it belongs), and to admin, Jet915, and marquette for not deleting this thread. They do a great job of moderating the HLOH website.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

The 5 Recruits Chris Holtmann Must Land in 2018 – Land of 10/Ohio State – June 10, 2017

Justin Ahrens (3 Stars): 6-foot-5, 181-pound Ahrens ranks as the No. 38 small forward and No. 6 overall player in the state of Ohio in the 2018 class.

Jerome Hunter (4 Stars): 6-foot-5 Hunter ranks as Ohio’s No. 5 overall player and the 25th-ranked small forward in the 2018 class.

Dwayne Cohill (4 Stars):

The Buckeyes will want to add at least two more guards to their upcoming class. Kam Williams is entering his senior season and JaQuan Lyle unexpectedly left the team this past spring.

Ideally, that player would be Dwayne Cohill, a 4-star prospect and the No. 3 player in Ohio’s 2018 class. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Cohill ranks as the nation’s No. 3 combo guard and No. 57 overall player.

With the ability to fill the backcourt scoring void that will be left by Williams, securing a commitment from Cohill will undoubtedly be one of Holtmann’s top priorities in the coming months. While at Butler, Holtmann had offered the Cleveland Holy Name product a scholarship. And with his new gig, he has a better chance of landing him.

In addition to Ohio State and Butler, Cohill holds offers from Northwestern, Penn State, Virginia Tech, and Vanderbilt among others.

Pete Nance (4 Stars): 6-foot-8, 180 pound Nance ranks as the nation’s No. 9 small forward and No. 34 overall player.

Darius Bazley (4 Stars): 6-foot-9, 200-pound small forward Bazley ranks as Ohio’s second-best player.

Dwayne Cohill, Jerome Hunter get offers from Chris Holtmann's new Ohio State basketball staff - Cleveland.com - June 15, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two of Ohio's best players in the Class of 2018 have received Ohio State basketball offers ... again. Holy Name guard Dwayne Cohill and Pickerington North forward Jerome Hunter were offered by Chris Holtmann's new Buckeyes staff on Wednesday night. If you feel like you've heard this news before, it's because Cohill and Hunter were already Ohio State targets with offers. They were also targets of Holtmann's at Butler.

Dwayne Cohill is a four-star prospect rated the No. 60 player in the country, and the No. 3 combo guard in the Class of 2018. Jerome Hunter, also a four-star, is the No. 109 player in the country and No. 30 small forward in the class.

Ohio State 2018 Basketball Targets - 247 Sports - updated June 16, 2017

Top Target (2):
Dwayne Cohill (4-Star) - Holy Name (Cleveland, OH) – CG, 6’-2”, 170 lbs.
Jerome Hunter (4-Star) - Pickerington North (Pickerington, OH) – PF, 6’-7”, 195 lbs.

On June 29, 2017 Pete Nance committed to Northwestern.

On July 3, 2017 Darius Bazley committed to Syracuse.

On July 17, 2017 Jerome Hunter committed to Indiana.

Ohio State 2018 Basketball Targets - 247 Sports - updated July 18, 2017

Top Target (1):
Dwayne Cohill (4-Star) - Holy Name (Cleveland, OH) – CG, 6’-2”, 170 lbs.

Crystal Ball Predictions for Dwayne Cohill – 247 Sports

January 1, 2017 to September 10, 2017: 8 Crystal Balls: 7 Crystal Balls for Ohio State and 1 Crystal Ball for Penn State.

On Wednesday, September 6, 2017, 247 Sports still listed Dwayne Cohill as the sole Top Target for Ohio State. Then lightning struck:

Top-100 Recruit to Visit UD on Thursday – Dayton Daily News –Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at 7:16 PM

Dwayne Cohill, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Holy Name High School in Parma Heights, Ohio, announced Wednesday via Twitter he will be on campus Thursday. He ranks 92nd in the 2018 class, according to Rivals.com.

Cohill will visit Ohio State on Sept. 23, and has scheduled a visit to Virginia Tech on Oct. 20-22. Cohill also listed Vanderbilt, Clemson, UNLV, West Virginia, Texas, Pittsburgh, and Penn State in his final 10 in July.

Dwayne Cohill’s official visit to UD took place from about 4:00 PM Thursday until 4:00 PM Saturday, September 9th. On Sunday afternoon, September 10th, UD got their first Crystal Ball Prediction for Dwayne Cohill, followed by 3 more Crystal Balls on Monday morning and afternoon, September 11th.

Cohill Ends Recruitment, Picks Dayton – Matt Schwade, Publisher, FlyerHoops.net/Rivals.com – September 11, 2017 at 6:32 PM

It didn't take long for Dwayne Cohill to figure out where he wanted to go to college. After taking his first official visit this past weekend, he ended his recruitment with a verbal pledge to Anthony Grant and Dayton.

Top-100 2018 Recruit Picks Dayton - Dayton Daily News - September 11, 2017 at 6:35 PM

The Dayton Flyers earned a verbal commitment from a top-100 recruit in the class of 2018 on Monday.

Dwayne Cohill, a 6-foot-2 guard and four-star recruit from Holy Name High School in Parma Heights, Ohio, announced his commitment on Twitter. He's the highest-ranked recruit and first recruit from Ohio to commit to new Dayton coach Anthony Grant and his staff.

OHIO STATE HOOPS TARGET DWAYNE COHILL COMMITS TO DAYTON – ElevenWarriors (Ohio State) - September 11, 2017 at 6:54 pm

Chris Holtmann has missed out on another in-state recruit.

Dwayne Cohill, Holy Name senior basketball guard, commits to Dayton - Cleveland.com - September 11, 2017 at 6:56 PM

2018 guard Dwayne Cohill out of Holy Name High School in Cleveland announced his commitment to the University of Dayton on Monday night. Cohill was considered one of Ohio State's top targets in the 2018 class. He took an official visit to Dayton on Sept. 8, and it took just three days for him to announce his commitment. Cohill had scheduled his official visit to Columbus for September 23rd.

4-Star G Dwayne Cohill Commits to Dayton – FanRag Sports Network - September 11, 2017

First-year Dayton head coach Anthony Grant landed his first verbal commitment in the Class of 2018 Monday, and it’s a big one for the program. Dwayne Cohill, a 6-foot-3, 4-star guard, announced via Twitter that he’s decided to attend college in his home state, picking Dayton over programs such as Ohio State, Penn State, Pitt, Texas, West Virginia, UNLV, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, and Clemson.

Cohill was one of two highly regarded in-state prospects offered a scholarship by Ohio State head coach Chris Holtmann shortly after his arrival in Columbus, but in the end he was one of many high-major head coaches who were unable to sway the 4-star combo guard. Cohill had also scheduled official visits to Ohio State, Vanderbilt, and Virginia Tech. But with his decision to commit now, those planned visits are likely off the table.

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Dwayne Cohill (4-Stars) – Rivals Profile

Dwayne Cohill (4-Stars) – Scout Profile

Dwayne Cohill (4-Stars) – 247 Sports Profile

Dwayne Cohill (4-Stars) – ESPN Profile
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The following two lengthy articles contain a lot of very interesting information about Anthony Grant, Dwayne Cohill, and Archie Miller:

Newest UD Commit Was Program’s Top Recruiting Priority – David Jablonski, Dayton Daily News – September 12, 2017

Dwayne Cohill first top-100 recruit for Anthony Grant at UD

Recruiting Process

Cohill has been on Dayton’s radar for years. Former Dayton coach Archie Miller recruited him when he was a freshman. After Cohill’s freshman year, he traveled to UD with his high school team for a team camp and saw campus and UD Arena for the first time.

As Dyawne Cohill’s high school career progressed and he rose in the recruiting rankings, Dayton backed off in its recruiting of him.

Cohill said Miller told him he was too much of a “big-time player” to come to Dayton. “He didn’t know if I would actually think about it,” Cohill said.

“He didn’t want to waste his time. But I always tell everyone no school is too small or too big. Wherever I feel is perfect for me, that’s where I’m going to end up.”

Dayton introduced Anthony Grant as coach on April 1. Twelve days later, Cohill met Grant for the first time at an AAU tournament.

“At every game, there was a different coach,” Cohill said. “There were games when there were multiple assistants. Coach Grant made a lot of games. At my tournament in Kentucky, which was the second evaluation period in July, I think he made it to every game. Not often do you see a head coach put in that much time with one kid when he could be scouting 100 other kids.”

Dayton made it clear to Cohill he was their No. 1 priority, even as it offered scholarships to a number of players in the class of 2018 — nine at the last count, not including Cohill.

“A lot of schools preach to you that you’re their top priority, but they don’t 100 percent show it,” Cohill said. “They preached it and backed it up. They didn’t just talk a good game. They showed me I was 100 percent their top priority. That was something that really stood out to me.”

One signing says Anthony Grant can keep Dayton on path charted by Archie Miller – CBS Sports – September 13, 2017

When Miller left for Indiana, there was cause for concern in Flyerland; a top-100 signee says otherwise.

It was realistic to assume there would be a big drop-off at Dayton in its first season after Miller left for Indiana, and to wonder how long it would take the 51-year-old Grant to get this program to those same heights -- or even if he could.

But this week's signing of Dwayne Cohill ought to put fellow Atlantic 10 schools on notice that Dayton will remain a nationally relevant program under its new coach.

"Dayton's always had a very rich basketball tradition," Grant said. "When you look at what Archie and his staff was able to do - it's exposed the world to what I experienced 30 years ago when I came to Dayton for first time."

His first team at Dayton will be young -- really young. When you have one of the most experienced teams in college hoops, as Dayton did last season, the pendulum swings the other way the next. Six of Grant's 11 scholarship players have never played a minute of college basketball. Junior Ryan Mikesell will redshirt after two offseason hip surgeries. Dayton fans who have gotten used to constant success may have to temper expectations this season.

But I wouldn't temper expectations for the future. That's what Grant's big signing this week told me: Talented players are going to see the same thing Grant saw 30 years ago and come to one of the most lowkey great basketball schools in the country.

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

CSM’s Top 144 Previews 2017-18

# 58 - Saint Louis Billikens Preview (#4 in A10) - Joel Welser, CSM - September 13, 2017

# 53 – Dayton Flyers Preview (#3 in A10) - Joel Welser, CSM - September 18, 2017 . . . Dayton Flyers 2016-17 Stats – ESPN

Who’s Out: With their top three scorers gone ...

Who’s In: Dayton’s 6 Freshmen – HLOH post dated June 8, 2017

Projected Postseason Tournament: NIT

2016-17 HAS BEEN A GOOD SEASON FOR THE FLYERS – University of Dayton – April 3, 2017

The four Flyer seniors – Charles Cooke, Kyle Davis, Scoochie Smith, and Kendall Pollard became the winningest senior class in Dayton history with 102 wins and were the first class to go to the NCAA Tournament all four years.

Four Flyers earned All-Conference honors. Kyle Davis was named Sixth Man of the Year, Scoochie Smith was named All-Atlantic 10 First Team, Charles Cooke was named All-Atlantic 10 Second Team, and Kendall Pollard was named All-Atlantic 10 Third Team. Cooke and Kyle Davis were also on the A-10 All-Defensive Team.

One signing says Anthony Grant can keep Dayton on path charted by Archie Miller – CBS Sports – September 13, 2017

Anthony Grant’s first team at Dayton will be young -- really young.

When you have one of the most experienced teams in college hoops, as Dayton did last season, the pendulum swings the other way the next.

Six of Grant's 11 scholarship players have never played a minute of college basketball. Junior Ryan Mikesell will redshirt after two offseason hip surgeries. Dayton fans who have gotten used to constant success may have to temper expectations this season. But I wouldn't temper expectations for the future.

8-Year Average Final RPI Ranking - Team ( 2009-10 • 2010-11 • 2011-12 • 2012-13 . . . 2013-14 • 2014-15 • 2015-16 • 2016-17 )

32 - Villanova ( 15 • 45 • 120 • 54 . . . 8 • 6 • 2 • 3 )
37 - Xavier ( 17 • 26 • 37 • 95 . . . 56 • 28 • 8 • 27 )

47 – Georgetown - ( 16 • 15 • 14 • 15 . . . 75 • 24 • 103 • 115 )
50 – Butler - ( 7 • 19 • 105 • 21 . . . 154 • 30 • 53 • 13 )
56 - Dayton ( 37 • 80 • 91 • 115 . . . 33 • 29 • 25 • 36 )
68 – Marquette - ( 56 • 49 • 9 • 13 . . . 94 • 145 • 111 • 67 )
71 – Creighton - ( 106 • 113 • 23 • 22 . . . 17 • 157 • 94 • 32 )
85 – Seton Hall - ( 70 • 103 • 69 • 133 . . . 136 • 103 • 23 • 46 )
89 – Providence - ( 147 • 158 • 156 • 86 . . . 46 • 25 • 32 • 61 )

110 – St. John’s - ( 78 • 25 • 153 • 91 . . . 82 • 52 • 245 • 148 )
132 – Saint Louis - ( 80 • 183 • 28 • 17 . . . 19 • 273 • 207 • 247 )
205 – DePaul - ( 217 • 233 • 194 • 204 . . . 157 • 197 • 201 • 236 )

Dayton freshman Obi Toppin ineligible for 2017-18 season – NBC Sports - September 19, 2017

Obi Toppin being declared ineligible is the third hit Dayton has taken to its front court this offseason. Ryan Mikesell, who played in 32 games last season, will redshirt after undergoing two hip surgeries. And Sam Miller, who was also part of the team’s front court rotation last season, was suspended from school for the fall semester after he was arrested during the summer.

Obi Toppin will join Dwayne Cohill as newcomers in 2018, along with one or two additional recruits. Coach Grant is now down to 10 active scholarshipped players for the 2017-18 season: 1 senior (Darrell Davis), 3 juniors (Josh Cunningham, Xeyrius Williams, and John Crosby), 1 sophomore (Trey Landers), and
5 freshmen (Jalen Crutcher, Jordan Davis, Matej Svoboda, Kostas Antetokounmpo, and Jordan Pierce).

Dayton Flyers 2017-18 Roster – University of Dayton

[Fieldhouse Flyer]

Dauster: On the coaching hires. How will it impact BE? – HLOH thread – August 16, 2018

Look at how the A10 slipped last year because they couldn’t retain Miller and Wade.

The A10 certainly slipped last year, but it wasn’t due to the departure of Archie Miller. Dayton was due for a big fall in 2017-18 because of the weakness of the Flyers’ roster last season – regardless of who was head coach. In short, the quality of recruits signed by Archie Miller declined significantly during his last three seasons at Dayton and those chickens came home to roost in the 2017-18 season. When Anthony Grant arrived at Dayton, he inherited a roster that included one senior, four players signed by Archie Miller who were not A10-calibre players, and the little brother of an NBA All-star - who showed little interest in college basketball nor in developing his basketball skills.

In 2017-18, the RPI # 152 Dayton Flyers went 14-17 (8-10 in A10; #9 seed in A10 Tournament) in Anthony Grant’s first season at UD. Then Grant cleaned house, letting four players know they were not included in his plans for the 2018-19 season. Consequently, only five active players from Grant’s first season at UD will be returning for the 2018-19 season.

Dayton Flyers: A look at 2018-19 roster – Dayton Daily – August 1, 2018

The departures of Xeyrius Williams, Matej Svoboda, Kostas Antetokounmpo, John Crosby, and Jordan Pierce gave the Dayton Flyers coaches five open scholarships to work with this spring. With the signings of Frankie Policelli, Michigan transfer Ibi Watson, and Chattanooga transfer Rodney Chatman, 11 of 13 spots have been filled.

Dayton Flyers 2017-18 Roster . . . Dayton Flyers 2017-18 Stats

Xeyrius Williams – 5.0 PPG junior forward in 2017-18 ==> transferred to Akron.

Matej Svoboda – 2.2 PPG, 21-year-old freshman forward ==> returned to play professional basketball in his native Czech Republic.

Kostas Antetokounmpo - 5.2 PPG freshman forward in 2017-18 ==> selected in second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

John Crosby – 4.1 PPG junior PG in 2017-18 ==> transferred to Delaware State.

Jordan Pierce – 6’-11”, 265-lb freshman: zero points and one rebound in 2017-18 ==> transferred to Odessa Community College, Odessa, Texas.

Had Archie Miller remained at Dayton for the 2017-18 season, that would not have fixed the glaring holes in the Flyers’ roster last season.
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ANTHONY GRANT’S FIRST 8 RECRUITS

ANTHONY GRANT’S RECRUIT DEBUTING IN 2017-18

1. Jalen Crutcher – freshman PG, 6’-1”, 161 lbs. [UD Class of 2021]. Crutcher averaged 9.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 4.4 APG in 31.2 MPG. 2.1 A/T ratio. Shooting percentages: 41.2%, 68.1%, 33.8% 3-Pts. Jalen Crutcher was one of five players named to the 2018 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team.


ANTHONY GRANT’S RECRUITS DEBUTING IN 2018-19

2. Obadiah Toppin - redshirt freshman SF, 6’-10”, 230-lb [UD Class of 2022]. Toppin attended a year of prep school after graduating high school, so he’ll be 20 years old when he debuts with the Flyers in November and turn 21 near the end of next season. He sat out the 2017-18 season as an academic redshirt. He was reportedly one of the Flyers’ best players in practice in 2017-18, repeatedly got the better of Kostas in practice, and got some nice national publicity after faring quite well against NBA stars in a pick-up game in NYC last month.

Obi Toppin, a redshirt freshman at Dayton, is out here making a name for himself - Bleacher Report - August 16, 2018

Video 1: Obi Toppin vs. NBA stars – posted August 14, 2018
Video 2: Obi Toppin dunks from free-throw line – posted August 14, 2018
Video 3: Obi Toppin swishes a 95-ft. baseball shot – posted August 14, 2018

Obadiah Toppin highlights create buzz online – Dayton Daily News - August 15, 2018

A 30-second clip posted this week had already been viewed over 200,000 times as of Wednesday morning, and it gives some clues about what Toppin could bring to the floor for UD this season.

Regarded as a late bloomer, Toppin went to prep school for a year after high school and signed with the Flyers in May 2017 over offers from Illinois and Mississippi State. He was 6-foot-8 then but said recently he has grown to 6’-10”.

The New York kid and Dayton Flyer who got a shot to ball with (and dunk on) NBA stars - The Athletic - August 16, 2018

The opportunity came out of nowhere. Obi Toppin, a New York kid and college basketball neophyte, was out at Rucker Park last week watching his brother play when a friend asked him if he was interested in one of the NBA’s most high-profile open runs. A mutual friend told him that Chris Brickley’s Black Ops games needed another player.

That’s how an unheralded forward from Dayton ended up sharing a court with Carmelo Anthony, CJ McCollum, and Enes Kanter, then dunking on them. In a day, Toppin went from a redshirt freshman who had yet to play a college game to the 6-foot-9 leaper throwing down a windmill on an alley-oop and jumping over Kanter.

“It was amazing,” he said by phone Wednesday. “Playing with them, it felt like I felt free. I felt I could play with them.”

Redshirt Freshman Obi Toppin Eager to Make Dayton Debut - Tom Archdeacon, Dayton Daily News - June 10, 2018


3. Dwayne Cohill, freshman SG/PG, 6’-2”, 176 lbs., [UD Class of 2022]. Four-star Dwayne Cohill is Dayton’s highest-ranked recruit so far in the Grant era. He finished his Holy Name High School career with 2,182 points. That ranks 31st in Ohio history.

4. Jhery Matos, junior SF/SG, 6’-6”, 190 lbs., [UD Class of 2020]. Matos averaged 17.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists as a sophomore at Monroe College. He verbally committed to Dayton in February and has two season of eligibility remaining. As a junior college transfer, he doesn’t have to sit out this season.

5. Frankie Policelli, freshman SF/PF, 6’-8”, 210 lb. [UD Class of 2022]. Policelli played his first three years of high school basketball at New Hartford High School (N.Y.). His junior season was cut short by a partially torn meniscus. He transferred to Long Island Lutheran for his final season and averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.


ANTHONY GRANT’S RECRUITS DEBUTING IN 2019-20

6. Ibi Watson, 6’-5”, 200-lb. SG/SF [UD Class of 2021]. Watson played two seasons at Michigan and will have to sit out the 2018-19 season before playing his final two seasons. He averaged 2.2 points and 0.8 rebounds in 5.2 minutes per game last season. Watson has freakish athleticism and a reported 44.5” standing vertical leap.

7. Rodney Chatman, 6’-1”, 178-lb. PG [UD Class of 2021]. Chatman averaged 13.3 points, 4.5 assists and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore at Chattanooga. Chatman joined the Flyers in the knowledge that in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, he would likely be third on the Flyers depth chart at the PG position for both of his seasons as a Flyer (behind Jalen Crutcher and Dwayne Cohill).

8. Jordy Tshimanga, 6-foot-11, 270-lb. Center [UD Class of 2021]. Tshimanga started 18 games last season for Nebraska, averaging 4.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game. He announced his decision to transfer in July. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining and will have to sit out the 2018-19 season.

Watson, Chatman, and Tshimanga will undoubtedly provide valuable competition in the Flyers’ practices during the 2018-19 season.
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ANTHONY GRANT’S FIRST 8 RECRUITS – BUILDING FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE

In order to understand where Anthony Grant is going with the program, it is necessary to look at the Dayton Flyers’ depth charts for the next three seasons:

DAYTON FLYERS DEPTH CHART 2018-19 (9 active players with the lone Senior in red and Juniors in blue, plus 3 transfers sitting out the 2018-19 season)

C: (0)
PF: (1) R-Sr. Josh Cunningham* (6’-7”, 233 lbs.)
SF/PF: (2) R-Fr. Obi Toppin (6’-10”, 230 lbs.), Fr. Frankie Policelli (6’-8”, 210 lbs.)
SF: (1) [R-Jr. Ryan Mikesell* (6’-7”, 215 lbs.)
SF/SG: [ (2) Jr. Trey Landers* (6’-5”, 224 lbs.), Jr. Jhery Matos (6’-6”, 190 lbs.)
SG: (1 ) Soph. Jordan Davis* (6’-2”, 195 lbs.)
SG/PG: (1) Fr. Dwayne Cohill (6’-2”, 176 lbs.)
PG: (1) Soph. Jalen Crutcher* (6’-1”, 161 lbs.)

* previously a starting player for Dayton.

DAYTON FLYERS DEPTH CHART 2019-2020 (11 active players with present-day player weights listed)

C: (1) R-Jr. Jordy Tshimanga, (6’-11”, 270 lbs.)
PF: (0)
SF/PF: (2) R-Soph. Obi Toppin (6’-10”, 230 lbs.), Soph. Frankie Policelli (6’-8”, 210 lbs.)
SF: (1) R-Sr. Ryan Mikesell (6’-7”, 215 lbs.)
SF/SG: (3) Sr. Trey Landers (6’-5”, 224 lbs.), Sr. Jhery Matos (6’-6”, 190 lbs.), Jr. Ibi Watson (6’-5”, 200 lbs.)
SG: (1 ) Jr. Jordan Davis (6’-2”, 195 lbs.)
SG/PG: (1) Soph. Dwayne Cohill (6’-2”, 176 lbs.)
PG: (2) Jr. Jalen Crutchen (6’-1”, 161 lbs.), Jr. Rodney Chatman ( 6’-1”, 178 lbs.)

DAYTON FLYERS DEPTH CHART 2020-21 (8 active players with present-day player weights listed)

C: (1) R-Sr. Jordy Tshimanga, (6’-11”, 270 lbs.)
PF: (0)
SF/PF: (2) R-Jr. Obi Toppin (6’-10”, 230 lbs.), Jr. Frankie Policelli (6’-8”, 210 lbs.)
SF: (0)
SF/SG: (1) Sr. Ibi Watson (6’-5”, 200 lbs.)
SG: (1 ) Sr. Jordan Davis (6’-2”, 195 lbs.)
SG/PG: (1) Jr. Dwayne Cohill (6’-2”, 176 lbs.)
PG: (2) Sr. Jalen Crutchen (6’-1”, 161 lbs.), Sr. Rodney Chatman ( 6’-1”, 178 lbs.)
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The 2018-19 Flyers appear to be much stronger and deeper than the 2017-18 team, and this season, Dayton will return 5 players who have regularly started for the Flyers. Assuming that the Flyers do not have any injuries to key players, I expect the 2018-19 Flyers to be a Top 75 / NIT team.

2018 Battle 4 Atlantis – Paradise Island, Bahamas – November 21-23, 2018

The 2018 Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis field will include Wisconsin, Florida, Virginia, Butler, Dayton, Stanford, Oklahoma, and Middle Tennessee State.

Game 3: Butler vs. Dayton

Butler will be favored to win in this one, but hopefully the Flyers will give the Bulldogs a good game.

Without unforeseen roster changes, the 2019-20 Flyers will feature 3 seniors, 5 juniors, and 3 sophomores. Assuming that the Flyers do not have any injuries to key players, I expect the 2019-20 Flyers to be a Top 40 / NCAA Tournament team.

Without unforeseen roster changes, the 2020-21 Flyers will feature 5 seniors and 3 juniors. Assuming that the Flyers do not have any injuries to key players, I expect the 2020-21 Flyers to be a Top 25 / NCAA Tournament team.

A strong argument can be made that the Flyers are actually in better shape now with Anthony Grant as head coach instead of Archie Miller.

Kostas Antetokounmpo was declaring early for the 2018 NBA draft regardless of who Dayton’s head coach was.

Matej Svoboda was too slow for A10 basketball and was likely headed back to the Czech Republic, regardless of who Dayton’s head coach was.

Jordan Pierce was a total bust on the floor and reportedly had a poor attitude in practice. He was gone, regardless of who Dayton’s head coach was.

However, it was likely that Archie Miller would have kept seniors-to-be Xeyrius Williams and John Crosby (neither of whom were A10-calibre players) and allowed them to get their University of Dayton diplomas in May 2019 – obviously to the detriment of the quality of the 2018-19 Flyers.
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THE EXPERTS’ PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2018-19 DAYTON FLYERS

A-10 predictions roundup: Saint Louis favored by most - David Jablonski, Dayton Daily News – September 1, 2018

Dayton picked as high as fourth and as low as 10th

Based on the early rankings, Saint Louis, George Mason, and St. Joseph’s are the favorites. No one really knows where to rank Dayton, Virginia Commonwealth, Massachusetts, and most of the teams in the middle.

David Jablonski (DDN): 1. Saint Louis; 2. George Mason; 3. St. Joseph’s; 4. Dayton; 5. Davidson; 6. Richmond; 7. Massachusetts; 8. Rhode Island; 9. Virginia Commonwealth; 10. St. Bonaventure; 11. Duquesne; 12. La Salle; 13. George Washington; 14. Fordham.

Zachary Weiss (DYST Pittsburgh.com): 1. Saint Louis; 2. George Mason; 3. Saint Joseph's; 4. Davidson; 5. Rhode Island; 6. Duquesne; 7. Massachusetts;
8. Dayton; 9. VCU; 10. St. Bonaventure; 11. Richmond; 12. La Salle; 13. George Washington.; 14. Fordham.

John O’Connor (Richmond Times-Dispatch): 1. Saint Louis; 2. George Mason; 3. Saint Joseph's; 4. Davidson; 5. Massachusetts; 6. Richmond; 7. VCU;
8. Dayton; 9. St. Bonaventure; 10. Rhode Island; 11. Duquesne; 12. George Washington; 13. La Salle; 14. Fordham.

Jon Rothstein (CBSSports.com): 1. Saint Louis; 2. Saint Joseph’s; 3. Davidson; 4. Rhode Island; 5. George Mason; 6. St. Bonaventure; 7. Dayton; 8. UMass;
9. VCU; 10. Duquesne; 11. Richmond; 12. La Salle; 13. George Washington; 14. Fordham.

Brad Cavallaro (BustingBrackets.com): 1. Saint Louis; 2. George Mason; 3. VCU; 4. Rhode Island; 5. Saint Joseph’s; 6. Duquesne; 7. UMass; 8. Davidson;
9. St. Bonaventure; 10. Dayton; 11. Lasalle; 12. George Washington; 13. Richmond; 14. Fordham.

Joel Welser did not include the Dayton Flyers in his Top 144 Previews:

2018-19 Top 144 Previews – College Sports Madness – Updated September 9, 2018

?? – Saint Louis Billikens (#1 in Atlantic 10)
57 - Davidson Wildcats (#2 in Atlantic 10)
61 - George Mason (#3 in Atlantic 10)
62 – Providence (#6 in Big East)
63 - Saint Josephs (#4 in Atlantic 10)
70 – Georgetown (#7 in Big East)
78 – Rhode Island (#5 in Atlantic 10)
88 – Massachusetts (#6 in Atlantic 10)
105 – Duquesne (#7 in Atlantic 10)
128 – Virginia Commonwealth (#8 in Atlantic 10)

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AND FINALLY, A LOOK AHEAD

Dayton’s biggest problem by far last season was defense, with Anthony Grant having no reserve players who were capable defenders - a fact that became well-known by the other 13 A10 head coaches by the time A10 conference games began in January. All 5 Dayton Flyer starters were reasonably good defenders in 2018-19, but when Grant substituted in a reserve player, they became the weak link in the Flyers' defense, and opposing coaches exploited it.

FINAL 2017-18 STATISTICS – Atlantic 10 Conference – March 20, 2018

FIELD GOAL DEFENSE – OPPONENTS’ FG SHOOTING PERCENTAGE

1. Saint Joseph's …………. .419
2. St. Bonaventure ……… .421
3. Saint Louis ………………. .428
4. Davidson …………………. .439
5. VCU …………………………. .450
6. George Mason ….………..451
7. La Salle ………....……… .452
8. Rhode Island …………… .453
9. George Washington … .453
10. Duquesne ……………… .453
11. Massachusetts ………. .456
12. Fordham …..…………… .464
13. Dayton ………….……… .470
14. Richmond……….……… .489

3-POINT FIELD GOAL DEFENSE – OPPONENTS’ 3-POINT FG SHOOTING PERCENTAGE

1. St. Bonaventure ………… .321
2. Rhode Island ……………… .332
3. Duquesne ….……………… .335
4. Saint Joseph's …………… .337
5. Massachusetts ………….. .347
6. Davidson …………………… .350
7. Saint Louis ………………… .350
8. VCU …………………………… .351
9. Fordham …………………… .351
10. George Mason ………… .353
11. George Washington … .357
12. Richmond ………………. .372
13. La Salle …………………… .381
14. Dayton …………………… .383

Last season, Dayton’s poor defense (particularly by reserve players) likely cost the Flyers 6 games they should have won, with even ‘average’ defense:

Dayton Flyers 2017-18 Schedule and Results - ESPN

Nov. 16, 2017 – Hofstra (neutral) – Lost 72-69
Dec. 3, 2017 - Mississippi State (away) – Lost 61-59

Jan. 6, 2018 – Massachusetts (home) – Lost 62-60
Feb. 3, 2018 – Massachusetts (away) – Lost 86-82 (2OT)

Feb. 10, 2018 - VCU (away) – Lost 88-84 (OT)
March 8, 2018 – VCU (neutral; A10 Tournament) – Lost 77-72

Anthony Grant has repeatedly said that defense will be the focus of this year’s preseason practices, and will continue to be for years to come. Grant got rid of the 5 players who couldn’t or wouldn’t defend adequately in 2017-18, and replaced them with HS recruits and four transfers who can. Look for Dayton’s defense to improve significantly in 2018-19.

In 2019-20 and 2020-21, Michigan transfer Ibi Watson and Nebraska transfer Jordy Tshimanga should have a huge impact on the Flyers’ defense. We’ll see.