Today’s game
Who: No. 9 Dayton vs. No. 1 Xavier
When: Noon
Where: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, N.J.
TV: WHIO Channel 7
Radio: WHIO-AM (1290); WHIO-FM (95.7)
Deep threats
UD’s best 3-point shooting games under Brian Gregory:
Date: Opponent; Shots (Percentage)
March 7, 2007: Charlotte; 11-17 (64.7)
Jan. 31, 2007: George Washington; 10-16 (62.5)
Nov. 26, 2005: Creighton, 12-20 (60.0)
March 1 2006: Saint Louis; 11-19 (57.9)
March 8, 2011: UMass; 13-23 (56.5)
Note:
Minimum 10 3-pointers made
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — If you’ve had a hard time knowing what to expect from game to game out of the University of Dayton basketball team this season, don’t be distressed.
UD coach Brian Gregory is having that same problem.
The Flyers won at UMass 78-50 in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament Tuesday night, avenging a five-point loss in Amherst in January. A sign of improvement? Not necessarily.
The Flyers opened league play with a 10-point win at Saint Louis and turned around and lost to the Billikens by 18 on Senior Night at UD Arena.
“The only consistent thing we’ve done is been inconsistent,” said Gregory, whose team meets No. 18 Xavier in the A-10 quarterfinals today.
The Flyers are much better in an up-tempo game. And while he doesn’t want to turn into Paul Westhead, the fast-break guru and current University of Oregon women’s coach, whose past teams have routinely scored in the 100s (and regularly given up 100 or more, too), Gregory wants UD to move briskly downcourt and take the first open shot it gets, as opposed to relying on its half-court offense when the defense is already set.
“I’d take a couple more turnovers a game to play at that pace,” Gregory said. “To play at that pace, you have to do two things: control the glass and defend better. Usually, when we haven’t done those things, the pace of our game has been slower, too.”
The Flyers did both well at UMass. They made 13-of-23 3-pointers, many of them coming after two or three quick passes in transition.
The 56.5 percentage ranks among the top five marks in eight years under Gregory in games in which they’ve made at least 10 treys. It’s only the sixth time in the last three years UD has topped the 50-percent plateau, regardless of the number made.
They also shot 53.1 percent from the field overall, their best showing since a 53.6 display against Akron in the second game of the season.
“It’s a funner way to play,” Gregory said. “Our fans, who have been great, have been accustomed to the effort and energy we play with. That’s the thing I’m most disappointed in. We haven’t played that way on a consistent basis.”
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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