Flyers look to regroup after collapse against Duquesne

Next game

Who: Dayton (15-7, 3-4) vs. St. Bonaventure (11-9, 3-4)

When: 9 p.m. Wednesday

Where: UD Arena

TV: Fox Sports Ohio

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

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University of Dayton basketball coach Brian Gregory is like a foreign dictator when it comes to conceding defeat, doing it only when the last hope of a miracle turnaround has completely vanished.

That’s why his relatively early surrender against Duquesne on Sunday caught many observers by surprise. Trailing 76-59 with 3:33 left, Gregory subbed in freshman Ralph Hill, who had played in just four games, and walk-on Brian Vonderhaar, who had appeared in only two.

A second-half collapse led to an 82-64 defeat, and the Flyers’ lack of fight over the final 20 minutes was so apparent that even junior guard Paul Williams admitted afterward, “In the second half, we just didn’t care.”

Asked Monday if he thought his team quit, Gregory said: “I’m not sure that would be the word I’d use, but we didn’t perform as well as we’re capable of performing. And sometimes when the snowball starts rolling, it’s hard to stop.”

The Flyers have lost two straight games to fall to 3-4 in the Atlantic 10, and there was no mistaking Gregory intended to send his players a clear message by giving them the hook.

After falling behind by double digits against the Dukes, the Flyers played the rest of the way as if they just wanted the game to be over.

“In the second half, we didn’t have the same intensity and energy we played with in the first half,” junior wing Chris Johnson said. “On the road, you’ve got to play with energy. It’s about the team, and we got away from that at the end.”

The Flyers had a disappointing regular season last year, being picked as A-10 favorites and finishing 8-8. They won the NIT and went 25-12, though, and each of their 12 defeats was by eight points or fewer, a sign that their competitive spirit never waned.

This year’s team already has had three setbacks more one-sided than that.

“Obviously, the seniors are the ones that have to set the tone,” Gregory said. “That goes beyond performance on the court. We need to become much more consistent in the core values of the program, and that’s defending the ball, rebounding the ball and moving the ball.”

Contact this writer at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.