Flyers Men’s Basketball back in win column

Pictured is DaRon Holmes II. Photo courtesy of Olivia Shirk for Flyer News.

TJ Thompson | Contributing Writer

Dayton Flyers are back in the win column after an impressive 83-61 victory over George Washington Tuesday Night.

The 21st-ranked Flyers responded to a disappointing loss Saturday against Richmond with a lights-out shooting performance. Dayton shot 50% from three going 12-24 led by Kobe Brea with 5 threes. Dayton also controlled the paint with a massive 25-point and 12-rebound performance from DaRon Holmes II.

George Washington came out firing to start the game with a three, but a block by Daron Holmes II and some Nate Santos free throws would swing the momentum immediately back to the Flyers. For the next several minutes, both teams experienced a cold streak until Kobe Brea hit the first of his 5 three-pointers, putting the Flyers up 4-3 after the first media timeout. Dayton experienced scoring woes for almost three minutes until Nate Santos converted a tough layup through GW defenders to put Dayton up 9-5.

After the second media timeout, the Flyers had mounted a 12-2 run over the previous 6 and a half minutes putting them up 12-7. An impressive alley-oop from Elvis to Holmes II would electrify UD arena, pushing the Flyers further ahead. Nate Santos would become a one-man wrecking crew after the third media timeout scoring 14 of Dayton’s 16 points over 6 minutes, putting the Flyers firmly in the driver’s seat up 24-9. In the final minute of the half, Holmes II would convert an and-one extending the Flyers lead to 38-24 at halftime. Santos led all scorers at the half with 17 points. Dayton shot 41% from the field and 43% from three in the first half, while holding GW to 29% from the field and 14% from three.

The second half was a similar story as the first half for both teams. George Washington got in the scoring column first, but Holmes II immediately drew another foul in the paint and knocked down both his free throws. Holmes II would then rally off six straight points to extend the Flyer’s lead to 16 just before the first media timeout. The Flyers fell into another cold spell instilling some hope back into the Revolutionaries, until Javon Bennett sunk a three to increase the lead to 18 with nine minutes to play. The unconscious three-point shooting would continue with a deep Brea three bringing the lead back to 21 with just over 7 minutes to play. Holmes II would go on to add a layup and midrange jumper bringing his point total to 25. After subbing on late in the half Brady Uhl would join in on the Flyer’s three-pointer club bringing his total to a career-high 7 points in the game. Dayton shot 57% from the field and 60% from three in the second half, while putting up another dominant half of defense holding the Revolutionaries to 35% from the field and 20% from three.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Holmes led all scorers and rebounders with 25 and 12.
• Santos had 17 while shooting 3 for 4 (75%) from the three and also co-led the team with 4 assists (Holmes II)
• Kobe Brea had 17 while shooting 5 for 9 from three (3 for 4 in the second half).
• Javon Bennett had the team’s best +/- at 28.
• Dayton as a team shot 13 for 16 (81%) from the free throw line with Holmes II making all seven of his attempts.

*Flyer News inadvertently left off the first paragraph of this story about the UD-George Washington men’s basketball game. Flyer News regrets the error.

For more Flyer News coverage of UD Men’s Basketball, check out more here.