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The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), representing the University of Dayton, Ohio. The Flyers' colours are red and blue, and they play their home games at the University of Dayton Arena. The team has appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times, most recently in 2024. The Flyers joined the A-10 in 1995 and have since remained a part of the conference, which was founded in 1975 as the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (ECBL).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Conference Name | Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) |
| Year Founded | 1975 (as the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League) |
| Year of Name Change to Atlantic 10 | 1982 |
| Number of Members | 15 full members |
| Commissioner | Bernadette McGlade |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Media Partners | ESPN, CBS, NBC, ESPN+ |
| Notable Teams | UMass, Temple, Richmond, VCU, George Washington, George Mason |
| Notable Rivalries | Richmond vs. VCU (Capital City Classic), St. Louis vs. Dayton (Arch-Baron Cup) |
| Sports Sponsored | Basketball, Lacrosse, Field Hockey, Women's Golf |
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What You'll Learn
Dayton Flyers' history with the Atlantic 10 Conference
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), representing the University of Dayton in Ohio. The Flyers play their home games at the University of Dayton Arena and are coached by Anthony Grant, who is in his seventh season.
The Flyers have a long history with the Atlantic 10 Conference, dating back to the 1980s. During that time, Dayton resisted joining a league and instead formed an informal scheduling alliance with other college basketball programs. However, they eventually gave in to the trend towards league affiliation and joined the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (later known as the Horizon League) for the 1987-88 season. After three losing seasons, Dayton hired Jim O'Brien as head coach, and the team won the MCC conference tournament in 1990.
In 1993, the Flyers moved to the Great Midwest Conference but struggled, producing a 1-23 conference record over two seasons. O'Brien was dismissed, and Dayton brought in Old Dominion head coach, Oliver Purnell, to rebuild the program. However, the dissolution of the Great Midwest Conference in 1995 complicated Purnell's task, and the team was snubbed by former conference mates when they formed the new Conference USA. In 1995, the Flyers accepted an invitation to join the A10, where they remain today.
Under Purnell's guidance, the Flyers made their first post-season appearance in eight seasons with an NIT berth in 1998. Purnell led the team back to the NCAA tournament in 2000 and the quarterfinals of the NIT in 2001. The 2002-03 season marked the completion of Purnell's rebuilding project, with the Flyers reaching a high ranking and winning their first Atlantic 10 championship.
Since then, the Flyers have continued to compete in the A-10, experiencing both successes and setbacks. They have appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times, most recently in 2024, and have reached the quarterfinals of the NIT multiple times. In 2020, the Flyers were ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, their highest ranking since the 1955-56 season. Despite missing out on the 2020 NCAA Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have continued to strive for success in the A-10.
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The Flyers' NCAA Division I status
The Dayton Flyers basketball team is the college basketball programme representing the University of Dayton in Ohio. The Flyers compete in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10).
The Flyers play their home games at the University of Dayton Arena and are currently coached by Anthony Grant, who is in his seventh season. Dayton has appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times, most recently in 2024. The team has enjoyed notable success, including a 2019-2020 season ranking of #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, their highest ranking since the 1955-56 season when they were ranked #2.
The history of the Flyers' conference affiliations began in the 1970s and 1980s when they resisted joining a league and instead formed scheduling alliances with peer programmes such as DePaul, Marquette, and Notre Dame. Despite early approaches to join the Horizon League (then known as the Midwestern Collegiate Conference), Dayton avoided league affiliation until the 1987-88 season when they began play in the MCC. After three losing seasons, Donoher retired and was replaced by Jim O'Brien ahead of the 1989-90 season.
In 1993, the Flyers moved to the Great Midwest Conference, but their performance suffered, and O'Brien was dismissed after two poor seasons. The team then appointed Old Dominion head coach, Oliver Purnell, who led them back to respectability and an NIT appearance in 1998. The dissolution of the Great Midwest Conference in 1995 complicated Purnell's task, but he successfully guided the Flyers to the NCAA tournament in 2000. In 1995, the Flyers accepted an invitation to join the A10, where they remain today.
The A-10 was founded in 1975 as the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (ECBL) and began conference play in 1976 with basketball as its only sport. After its first season, it added other sports and changed its name to the Eastern Athletic Association, although it was popularly known as the Eastern 8 due to its eight members at the time. The conference adopted its current name, the Atlantic 10, in 1982 after changes in membership.
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The team's home games
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team represents the University of Dayton, Ohio, in the NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The team's home games are played at the University of Dayton Arena, where they have enjoyed considerable success over the years.
The Flyers have a rich history in college basketball, resisting league affiliation in the 1970s and early 1980s, instead opting for an informal scheduling alliance with notable programs such as DePaul, Marquette, and Notre Dame. However, they eventually joined the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (later known as the Horizon League) for the 1987-88 season. After three losing seasons, legendary coach Donoher retired, passing the torch to Jim O'Brien, who led the team to their first MCC conference tournament victory in 1990.
The Flyers then moved to the Great Midwest Conference in 1993 but struggled, posting a disappointing 1-23 conference record over two seasons. This led to the hiring of Old Dominion head coach Oliver Purnell, who steered the program towards the Atlantic 10 Conference in 1995. Under Purnell's guidance, the team experienced a resurgence, qualifying for the 1998 NIT and returning to the NCAA tournament in 2000.
In recent years, the Flyers have continued to excel, making 19 appearances in the NCAA tournament, including a berth in 2024. They achieved their highest ranking in the 2019-2020 season, placing third in the AP Top 25 Poll. The COVID-19 pandemic cut that season short, denying the Flyers the opportunity to participate in the 2020 NCAA Tournament despite projections placing them as a top seed.
The Flyers are currently coached by Anthony Grant, who was hired in 2017 and is in his seventh season. Grant's tenure has included standout players like Obi Toppin and Jalen Crutcher, and his third season stands out as one of the best in Dayton basketball history. The team's home games continue to be a stronghold, with the Flyers aiming to defend their turf and build upon their proud basketball tradition.
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Dayton's coaching staff
The University of Dayton's basketball team, the Dayton Flyers, competes in the NCAA Division I and the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10). The Flyers' current head coach is Anthony Grant, who is in his seventh season. Grant was hired as the Flyers' head coach in March 2017, replacing Archie Miller, who left to become the head coach at Indiana. Grant previously served as head coach at VCU and Alabama and is a Dayton alum. In his first season at Dayton, the Flyers finished 14-17 overall, which was the first time since the 2005-06 season that the team had a losing record.
Grant's second season saw the emergence of breakout redshirt freshman Obi Toppin, who led the team to a third-place finish in the A-10. Despite this success, they lost their first game of the conference tournament and missed the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year. They earned a five-seed in the NIT but lost in the first round to Colorado. Grant's third season, however, proved to be one of the best in Dayton basketball history.
Dayton has a rich history of basketball coaches, with Brian Gregory, Jim O'Brien, and Oliver Purnell among the notable former coaches. The Flyers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times, most recently in 2024. In March 2020, they were ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, their highest ranking since the 1955-56 season. The Flyers play their home games at the University of Dayton Arena and are known for their red and blue colours.
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The Arch-Baron Cup rivalry
The Arch-Baron Cup is a college basketball rivalry between the University of Dayton Flyers and the Saint Louis University (SLU) Billikens. The rivalry is often referred to as "The Greatest Rivalry in Sports", with some claiming it is the biggest game in college basketball. The Arch-Baron Cup has a dedicated website that describes it as a true bucket-list event and an annual classic.
The University of Dayton Arena, formerly known as the Sweater Centre, has hosted more UD-SLU matchups than any other venue. The arena has been the site of many classic games, fan brawls, and even an arena-wide carbon monoxide poisoning incident. The rivalry games are known to be intense, with one fan quoted as saying they have never been so scared for my life during a basketball game. Another fan described the rivalry as "an oftentimes scary journey to a place where humanity goes to die".
The Arch-Baron Cup has a long history, with games held at various venues over the years. Kiel Auditorium was a frequent site of the Cup, hosting games off and on for over 30 years, including the first non-neutral game in December 1966, which the Flyers won 80-78. The St. Louis Arena only hosted one Arch-Baron Cup game, in December 1968, which Dayton won 67-56. Chaifetz Arena was the site of a memorable play, with SLU's Kwamain Mitchell hitting a thirty-foot shot to force the first overtime period, eventually winning 68-65 in double overtime.
While the rivalry is well-known and intense, there is some debate over its seriousness. One source claims that it is "100% a meme in the Dayton fanbase", while another states that there isn't a concise and detailed history of the rivalry. However, the rivalry does appear to have some legitimacy, with a dedicated website and quotes from fans describing their experiences. The University of Dayton men's basketball team, also known as the Flyers, competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) in NCAA Division I. They have appeared in the NCAA tournament 19 times, most recently in 2024, and were ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll in 2020.
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Frequently asked questions
The Dayton Flyers compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10).
The Flyers joined the A-10 in 1995.
The Atlantic 10 Conference was founded in 1975 as the Eastern Collegiate Basketball League (ECBL) and began conference play in 1976. At that time, basketball was its only sport. After its first season, it added sports other than basketball and changed its name to the Eastern Athletic Association. However, despite its official names, it was popularly known as the Eastern 8. The conference adopted the current Atlantic 10 name in 1982.
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team has had several notable achievements, including appearing 19 times in the NCAA tournament, most recently in 2024. In March 2020, they were ranked #3 in the AP Top 25 Poll, their highest ranking since the 1955-56 season. They also won the MCC conference tournament in 1990 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament that year.
