Flyers mush Huskies with big first half

The University of Dayton men’s basketball team used a historic defensive effort in the first half to defeat Northern Illinois 60-43 on Saturday night at UD Arena.

 

Dayton held the Huskies to just five first-half points, tying the fewest allowed in the first half in an NCAA Division I game since the shot clock was introduced in 1986.  Notre Dame held Cal to five points before halftime on Nov. 26, 2010. (The record for fewest points in a half in the shot clock era is four, by Savannah State on Jan. 7, 2008 against Kansas.)

 

It was also the fewest points allowed by UD in a half in the modern era (since 1947) of Flyer basketball.  The previous low was eight against Richmond in 2006-07 and Miami in 2001-02.

 

Josh Benson and Devin Oliver led the Flyers with 12 points each.  Oliver filled the stat sheet with six rebounds, two assists and two steals, while shooting 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.  Vee Sanford added 11 points, and was the team co-leader in assists (with teammates Kevin Dillard and Khari Price) with three.

 

Freshman Devon Scott came off the bench to lead the team with 10 rebounds in 17 minutes of play.  Scott came into the game with three rebounds in 41 minutes of action in the first six games of the year. 

 

Sanford drained a three to start the game and NIU answered with a two-point basket at the 19:09 mark.  But the Huskies would not score again for 16:02, leading to 26-5 halftime lead for Dayton.  UD would lead by as much as 30 in the second half as nine Flyers would play at least 15 minutes in the game.

 

Northern Illinois drops to 1-5 on the season and Dayton improves to 5-2 with the win.

 

The Flyers head to Alabama for their next game on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET to take on the Crimson Tide.