Women’s Basketball Exhibits Offense Versus Findlay

By: Steve Miller – Sports Editor

Seven months off the court couldn’t stop the offense of Dayton’s women’s basketball team. The Flyers defeated the Findlay Oilers 91-65 in an exhibition game at UD Arena Saturday afternoon. Six Flyers scored in double digits in the offensive showcase, which was the team’s first official event at the arena for the new season.

“It was good to just be out there and be back at the arena in front of our fans,” said Head Coach Shauna Green, who just spent her first full offseason at the helm of the team this year. “It was good to see everything kind of come together and different players step up.”

Dayton’s bread-and-butter, for as long as even the senior leaders on this team can remember, has been a fast offense. And the first minutes of action showed that the Flyers have the potential to execute it better than ever this season.

They came out and hit six of eight three-point attempts in the first quarter while scoring 29 points along the way.

“We’re always going to play fast,” Green said. “We want to try to score in six seconds or less if we’re open, I’m telling them to shoot it so we want to get up and down.”

Senior point guard Jenna Burdette scored eight of her 10 points on the day in the first quarter, and built on Green’s faith in the offense.

“We have a lot of confidence in our shots and our coaches have a lot of confidence in us, so no one feels backwards about taking anything,” Burdette said. “And I think that’s good for gaining confidence also. Especially games like this, people are taking it to the rim and getting and-one’s and that’s just what we need right now.”

Perhaps the most promising aspect of UD’s play was the balance of their offensive attack. Burdette, who is the team’s leading returning scorer, was outscored by four of her teammates on Saturday. Sophomore guard Jayla Scaife led the team with 17, but she was followed closely by sophomore forward Jordan Wilmoth’s 14. Wilmoth averaged just 1.6 points in 7.7 minutes per game in her freshman season.

Another pleasant bright spot for the Flyers was junior forward Maddy Dennis, who knocked down 10 points and grabbed six rebounds. Dennis struggled throughout her first two years at UD, averaging just 2.7 points per game since debuting in the fall of 2015.

“I’m really happy with them, and you can see their growth throughout this offseason they really grew and got good at their games individually,” Green said. “And I think all of our young kids from Jordan to Maddy to Jayla and Tiaera [Phillips], they really stepped up and contributed. And we’re going to need them, so that was a really bright spot for me to see their growth and to see them come out and execute live.”

Phillips, who is a junior guard playing her first season at UD after transferring from Chipola College, scored nine points in 20 minutes of playing time on Saturday.

As impressive as the offensive performance was, the exhibition did highlight areas that, in Green’s mind, the team needs to improve.

“I don’t want to give up 65 points. We’ve got to lock in defensively and clean some stuff up and play with a little more consistent urgency,” she said. “There were too many times we got too lackadaisical and gave up open threes.”
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In that sense, the exhibition aspect of the game was important for the Flyers to get their footing without putting too much pressure on themselves.

It was an exhibition for the referees as well, who were delayed arriving to the arena due to logistical complications. The game began a few minutes later than scheduled with some euphemistically-termed ‘replacement-refs,’ who were much more conspicuous than the NFL’s version several seasons ago.

The interim referees, who sported white sneakers and gym trousers, were subbed out for their more professional counterparts a few minutes into the first quarter.

“It was a scheduling mistake. But that stuff happens and we don’t make a big deal about it,” Green said. “As soon as we’re out on the floor, we don’t care who’s reffing. We gotta do what we gotta do, and I was proud of them to stay focused.”

Saturday was also a trial run for the first phase of UD Arena’s upgrades, which most notably are the central jumbotron and lower-bowl seats.

“All the renovations look high-tech, professional-style,” said senior forward Alex Harris of the arena.

“I can’t wait to watch a game in it,” added Burdette.

For now, though, Dayton’s fans are the ones lucky enough to watch Burdette and the fast Flyer offense in the arena’s new glitz.

The team plays its first regular season game Nov. 10 in Orono, Maine against Harvard in the Maine Tournament. They take on Morgan State in their home opener one week later at UD Arena.

Photos Courtesy of Steve Miller/Sports Editor