Flyers’ Big 2 have been nonfactors so far

Sophomores deliver for Flyers against Georgia Tech
Blog: Gregory knows Villanova will be huge test
Tournament bracket At daytondailynews.com
Photos: 2009-10 UD men's basketball
More UD coverage

Bengals' Maualuga charged with assault
2/11/12
Raiders drop to 8th place in league with loss
2/11/12
UD women faces off against tough St. Bonaventure team
2/11/12
Dixie tops Carlisle to halt 4-game skid
2/11/12
Local Scoreboard for Feb. 11
2/10/12
> More sports headlines

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer Updated 11:59 PM Thursday, November 19, 2009

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Dayton registered another victory that will look splendid in March — the Flyers have gone 7-2 against teams from BCS conferences the last three years — but UD was forced to stray from its usual script to beat Georgia Tech on Thursday.

The Big Two of junior Chris Wright and senior Marcus Johnson, who typically do much of the heavy lifting, never asserted themselves in a 63-59 victory in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. Another veteran backup, Mickey Perry, also had a lackluster showing.

“To be honest, I thought London (Warren) played well for us,” UD coach Brian Gregory said, “but our two other senior guards (Johnson and Perry) did not play well. For us to beat a Georgia Tech without two of our three senior guards playing well, first, is incredible; second, I would never have thought it; and, three, some of the younger guys are stepping up.

“But the bottom line is we can’t be the type of team we want to be without those two playing better.”

Johnson went 0-for-5 from the field and failed to score. Perry had three points, two assists and four turnovers in 14 minutes.

Wright air-balled a 3-pointer, looked out of control at times and finished with almost as many turnovers (6) as points (7).

“It’s going to be the challenge of the year (for him) to play with that relentless fury and not play too fast,” Gregory said. “And at times, I thought he was sped up a little bit.”

Johnson hadn’t been held scoreless since his freshman year against Duquesne, a span of 83 games.

“I struggled a little bit today — well, a lot,” he said. “I wasn’t able to help our team defensively. I picked up some tough fouls. But my teammates supported me and got it done.”

Wright also was grateful for that cavalry charge from the bench.

“Everybody’s got everybody’s back,” he said. “When you’re facing adversity, you pull each other through, and that’s what we did.”

Turnovers abundant

Warren was as cool as a diamond-cutter while notching five points and four assists with just one turnover in 28 minutes, but an audience of about 500 (most of them red-clad UD followers) weren’t treated to a ball-handling clinic.

The Yellow Jackets had 26 turnovers, UD 22.

“No disrespect to them — they played very, very well — but we turned the ball over too much,” GT coach Paul Hewitt said. “We had a little flow going ... then we got a little frantic, missed a couple free throws and gave them life.”

Chris Johnson provides spark

Gregory started two 6-foot-10 players in Kurt Huelsman and Devin Searcy, but the 6-6 Chris Johnson was off the bench with 17:58 to go in the first half. He hit a pair of 3s and another jumper in about three minutes and has 37 points and 22 rebounds in two games.

“I just come in and play my role and not doing anything spectacular, just bring energy to the team,” he said.

Villanova next

UD will play in the second round against No. 5 Villanova (3-0), which trailed by double digits against George Mason but rallied for a 69-68 win on Isaiah Armwood’s 3-pointer with 17 seconds left. It was his only shot of the game.

The Flyers haven’t played a top-5 nonconference team since losing 85-74 to Duke on Dec. 29, 2002. They haven’t beaten a top-5 foe since Ed Young’s famous shot took down No. 3 DePaul, 72-71, in February 1984.

“I really like that team. That’s a good team,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said of UD. “They’ve got a lot of pieces. I like how their point guard controls the game.

“Wright was getting a lot of great shots (against Georgia Tech) and not making them. I know tomorrow he’ll be making them.

“I love their attitude and how they withstood a run by Georgia Tech. They’re very good.”

Share this article