The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Kansas State beats up UD on boards

Flyers’ 83-75 loss to Wildcats is their second setback in three days.

Area teams remain on boys basketball state poll
2/9/10
Browns release WR Stallworth
2/8/10
Daytona ready for Patrick, but is she ready for it?
2/8/10
Snow disrupts Atlantic 10 games
2/8/10
UD's next opponent atop A-10 with newcomers leading the way
2/8/10
> More sports headlines

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 11:46 PM Sunday, November 22, 2009

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Brian Gregory, the University of Dayton basketball coach, can’t decipher why his team is getting battered so badly on the boards, and his star player, Chris Wright, is digging for answers, too.

The Flyers normally pursue rebounds with glee, but in the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic, they ran into three top-tier teams from power conferences that were more committed to the chore.

UD was obliterated on the glass in an 83-75 loss to Kansas State on Sunday, Nov. 22. The Wildcats had a 44-32 rebounding edge, grabbing 17 on the offensive end while continually thwarting Flyers rallies with second-chance points.

“We’re getting demolished on the boards, and we have to do something about it,” Gregory said.

“We only lost one player (Charles Little) from last year, and he only averaged four rebounds a game. It’s not that. We need to do a much better job. We’re not embracing the physicalness you need in order to rebound and the toughness you need to defend. We’ve got to get that back pretty quick.”

Trailing by 15 with six minutes gone in the second half, the Flyers (2-2) finally showed some fight. They had a four-point play when K-State’s Jamar Samuels was called for a “contact technical foul” against Kurt Huelsman, who made both free throws, and Wright turned the possession into two points on a put-back dunk, making it 68-65 with 3:10 to go.

But the Wildcats (4-1) reeled off five straight points, and the Flyers couldn’t get the deficit under four again.

Wright had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Chris Johnson had 16 points, Marcus Johnson 14 and Paul Williams 10. Jacob Pullen, who had UD in his final two schools as a recruit before choosing K-State, had 26 points, while backcourt mate Denis Clemente added 21.

“You’ve got to rebound, man,” Wright said. “It’s got nothing to do with part of the team (missing). It’s all about heart and effort on the glass. At different points in the game, we showed that. But that’s not going to get you a win if you want to beat a quality team.”

Next game

Who: Towson (1-1) at Dayton (2-2)

When: 2 p.m. Saturday

Radio: WHIO-AM (1290) and WHIO-FM (95.7)

Online: Get Flyers updates at DaytonDailyNews.com/ud

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Sorry folks, but don't be thinking Cavanaugh is the answer...he's nowhere near ready, and if they don't find a way to make him quicker on his feet, he may never be...he's actually another Huelsman...only slower and less confident, if that's possible...is Donoher still working with the big men? Maybe he can work some magic with the kid...I am pulling for them tho'...but right now they are frustrating the dickens out of me...they are not playing anywhere near the defense they did last year

Paul
6:16 PM, 11/23/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Why Kurt continues to play baffles me. He is slow defensively, unathletic, constantly turnovers the ball, and looks lost on the floor. I cant stand how I always here how Kurt does the things that dont show up on the stat sheet. He doesnt rebound, gets beat off the dribble, gets in early foul trouble, and cant defend. Gregory, please play the Freshman or go small/more athletic.

Matt
5:55 PM, 11/23/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Sorry, but it's now clear that the Dayton Flyers were highly overrated in the preseason.

Are they a good, middle-of-the-pack team? - yes.
A top 25 team? - NO.

BrutusBuckeye
3:01 PM, 11/23/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Honestly, I don't believe Chris is quite ready for the jump... he should stay and finish school, get better and then increase his odds of actually playing at the next level, rather than sitting the bench or going to the developmental league. He's still making way too many "focus" errors. Although he did have a better 3rd game, most of those points were cleaning up missed shots. He needs to become a complete basketball player, not just a high-jumping athlete. He'll get there, eventually.

bub
11:54 AM, 11/23/2009

REPORT ABUSE

Wonder what the pro scouts were saying about Chris Wright after the tournament. A pro prospect would have taken over and willed his team to a win.

Steve
10:31 AM, 11/23/2009

REPORT ABUSE

There are 8 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.