Dayton's Javon Bennett stole the show at UD Arena, scoring 20 points to lead the Flyers to a hard-fought 72-70 win over St. Bonaventure. The victory marked a quality win for Dayton, who improved to 15-8 on the season. As predicted by CHD Scout, Dayton emerged victorious, although the actual margin of 2 points was narrower than the predicted 8-point difference.
The first half belonged to Dayton, who took a 41-30 lead into the break. Jordan Derkack and Amaël L'Etang provided valuable support to Bennett, scoring 18 and 16 points, respectively. However, St. Bonaventure refused to back down, with Darryl Simmons II leading the charge. Simmons II finished with 17 points, while Frank Mitchell added a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
As the second half got underway, St. Bonaventure began to chip away at Dayton's lead. The Bonnies outscored the Flyers 40-31 in the final 20 minutes, but it wasn't enough to overcome the deficit. Dasonte Bowen contributed 14 points for St. Bonaventure, but the team's comeback efforts ultimately fell short.
CHD Scout Report Card
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Final
Dayton's win was a reflection of the team's resilience and ability to close out games. Despite being outscored in the second half, the Flyers held on for a crucial victory. The win also marked a significant boost to Dayton's tournament resume, as it qualified as a Quadrant 3 win. For St. Bonaventure, the loss was a Quadrant 2 defeat, which won't significantly harm their chances but won't provide much of a boost either.
With this result, Dayton moves to 15-8 on the season, while St. Bonaventure drops to 13-10. The Flyers' current NET ranking of 90 will likely receive a slight boost, given the quality of the win. As the season enters its final stretch, Dayton want to build on this momentum and make a push for a tournament berth. The Flyers' resume now features a notable win over a respectable St. Bonaventure team, which will undoubtedly be considered by the selection committee. For now, Dayton can savor a hard-fought victory and look to carry this energy into their upcoming games.