The season of destiny is finally upon us. After teasing us with a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season, the 2009-2010 version of the Flyers basketball team is set to be the best in recent memory.

Losing just one senior from that 27-win season a year ago along with adding in three pieces from the tournament victory over West Virginia, it is impossible to consider this team any worse off than a year ago. Already dubbed the pre-season favorite in the Atlantic-10 Conference, expectations will be high and do not be surprised if Dayton manages their way into the national pre-season rankings.

Last season was just the appetizer for fans of the revamped program under Coach Brian Gregory. It was the first tournament appearance in five years and the most wins by a Dayton men's basketball team since Tom Blackburn was the coach in the 1950s. For those new to the Flyers experience, that just happens to be the man for whom the court at UD Arena is named after.

As a fan, it was difficult to temper expectations throughout last season's run to the second round. Charles Little was an exemplary starter who had battled alongside many Dayton stars, but standing only 6'6" he was not the bruising force the team needed on the inside to combat opposing big men. This year, the team adds redshirt Josh Benson (6'9" from nearby Dunbar High School) and true freshman Matt Kavanaugh (6'9" from Centerville) to the frontcourt.

Think that will help the team beat the Xavier's, Kansas's and Pittsburgh's of the world this season? No doubt about it, as it will help to lessen the overall load for stud NBA prospect Chris Wright. Playing alongside Little last season, Wright was expected to be the top rebounder and top offensive weapon for the team night in and night out.

Sure his athleticism paid through in a handful of games such as the upset over the Mountaineers, but overall it was not the greatest follow-up to his scintillating freshman year. Throwing Benson and Kavanaugh to the fold, along with returning big men Kurt Huelsman and Devin Searcy, and now the Flyers have one of the most physical frontcourts among all the mid-majors in the country.

With those four bruising forwards all standing taller than 6'9" playing serious minutes, it will enable Wright to sneak into the scene much like he did during his freshman campaign. He will be able to use his high-flying athleticism to create opportunities for himself and others offensively while also matching up with a size advantage against most small forwards in the conference.

Looking down at the backcourt then, everything remains the same from a year ago. Seniors London Warren and Marcus Johnson will be the starters game with even more expectations this year, but the main storyline will be the improvement of the bench players. A summer of seasoning did wonders for Paul Williams and Chris Johnson, giving Dayton more weapons than ever before.

Coming off the bench last season, Rob Lowery always proved to make some of the most exciting plays in the entire game. A devastating knee injury cut his season short, but he is back in practice and should be ready to go for the season-opener. When Warren and Lowery were splitting minutes at the point guard slot, or even on the court at the same time, Dayton took on a different identity and was very difficult to defend by teams with only one natural distributor.

Things are looking good for a return to glory of the Flyers basketball program, but in the end the legacy of this team will rely upon their post-season performance and play against Xavier. Making the second round and splitting the season-series with the Musketeers a year ago made it a successful year overall, but expectations are extremely high and that should only be the bare minimum of goals for this year's team.

The season tips off in just over two weeks so get excited for a season of success that will keep you on the edge of your seat.