Dayton Flyers: Top 10 most-read men’s basketball stories of 2018

Stories in spring about departure of players rank as most popular articles on our websites

A tumultuous 12 months for the Dayton Flyers men’s basketball program has featured memorable victories, disappointing defeats and plenty of off-the-court news to keep fans busy.

Here's a look back at the most-read stories on DaytonDailyNews.com or MyDaytonDailyNews.com in 2018:

1. Three more Dayton players leaving basketball program (March 22)  

The University of Dayton basketball team has lost three more players, including 6-foot-10 redshirt freshmen Kostas Antetokounmpo, who has already withdrawn from school.

Junior point guard John Crosby and 6-foot-11 freshman Jordan Pierce also requested and were granted their release from the program so they could transfer elsewhere.

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The trio — whose departure was revealed Thursday afternoon by Coach Anthony Grant — follows the exit of two other players, Xeyrius Williams and Matej Svoboda, since the Flyers ended their 14-17 season two weeks ago after losing to VCU 77-72 in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Washington D.C.

2. Xeyrius Williams leaving Dayton Flyers after three seasons (March 11)

Dayton Flyers coach Anthony Grant announced Sunday he has granted junior Xeyrius Williams a release from his scholarship and that Williams intends to transfer.

Williams, a 6-9 forward, said he would have “no further comment” on his decision. He appeared in 18 games this season, averaging 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

3. Dayton Flyers lose another player from roster (March 19)

Dayton Flyers freshman Matej Svoboda will leave the program after one season to return home to the Czech Republic, according to a source.

Svoboda's departure means Dayton has two scholarships open for the 2018-19 season. Xeyrius Williams announced he was transferring earlier this month.

4. UD Arena renovation changing outside of building (June 18)

Anyone driving on Edwin C. Moses Boulevard this summer will see the transformation of UD Arena during phase two of the three-year, $72 million renovation.

5. Dayton veterans give their thoughts on newcomers (July 11)

Three of Dayton’s veteran players — redshirt senior forward Josh Cunninghman, junior guard Trey Landers and redshirt junior forward Ryan Mikesell — provided their first impressions of the newcomers in interviews Wednesday at UD.

6. Analyzing early recruiting of last four coaches (May 16)

Dayton still has two scholarships open for the 2018-19 season, and Grant said “everything is on the table” when it comes to recruiting, meaning the Flyers could fill those scholarships or leave one or both open for 2019. But, for now, here’s a look at what Grant and his staff have accomplished in recruiting in their first year on the job and how Grant compares to the previous three Dayton coaches in that department.

7. Dayton Flyers hit century mark in rout of VCU (Jan. 13)

Joey Gruden capped one of the greatest offensive performances by the Dayton Flyers in school history with a 3-pointer, the first of his career, in the final minute as UD routed VCU 106-79 on Friday at UD Arena.

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Dayton set a school record for points scored in the first half, building a 66-41 halftime lead and then coasted in the second half.

8. Moulaye Sissoko picks Dayton Flyers over VCU, others (Oct. 9)
A Dayton Flyers roster short on height in the spring after the departures of Kostas Antetokounmpo and Jordan Pierce won't lack size in the 2019-20 season.

Nebraska transfer Jordy Tshimanga, who’s 6-foot-11, will debut for Dayton a year from now after sitting out this season, and the newest UD recruit, the first player from the class of 2019 to pick the Flyers, is almost as big. His name is Moulaye Sissoko.

9. Jordy Tshimanga commits to Dayton Flyers (Aug. 2)

Jordy Tshimanga, a transfer from Nebraska, has committed to the University of Dayton, according to a report by ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla.

The familiar "We are UD!" chant echoed around Imperial Gym in the final minutes Wednesday as the Dayton Flyers put the finishing touches on a 69-64 victory against Butler.

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