2020–21 Dayton Flyers men's basketball team

The 2020–21 Dayton Flyers men's basketball team represented the University of Dayton in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Anthony Grant, in his fourth season with the Flyers. The Flyers played their home games at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. They finished the season 14-10, 9-7 to finish in 7th place. They defeated Rhode Island in the second round in the A10 Tournament before losing to VCU in the quarterfinals. They were invited to the NIT where they lost in the first round to Memphis.

2020–21 Dayton Flyers men's basketball
NIT, first round
ConferenceAtlantic 10 Conference
Record14–10 (9–7 A-10)
Head coach
Associate head coachAnthony Solomon (4th season)
Assistant coaches
Home arenaUD Arena
Seasons
2020–21 Atlantic 10 men's basketball standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L PCTW L PCT
St. Bonaventure114 .733165 .762
VCU104 .714197 .731
Davidson74 .636139 .591
Saint Louis64 .600147 .667
UMass64 .60087 .533
George Mason86 .571139 .591
Dayton97 .5631410 .583
Richmond65 .545149 .609
Duquesne77 .50099 .500
Rhode Island710 .4121015 .400
George Washington35 .375512 .294
La Salle611 .353916 .360
Saint Joseph's39 .250515 .250
Fordham211 .154212 .143
2021 A10 Tournament winner

Previous season

The Flyers finished the season with an overall record of 29–2 and were undefeated regular season champions of the Atlantic 10. Grant was named consensus national coach of the year while sophomore Obi Toppin became Dayton's first consensus first-team All-American and earned the majority of major college player of the year awards, including the Naismith College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award. The season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic prior to the Flyers’ first game of the Atlantic 10 tournament. They finished ranked third in both major polls, their highest ranking in a major media poll since the Don Donoher era.

Offseason

Departures

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownReason for departure
Obi Toppin1F6'9"220RS SophomoreOssining, NYDeclared for 2020 NBA draft
Trey Landers3G6'5"221SeniorHuber Heights, OHGraduated
Jared Becker4G6'4"180FreshmanMilford, OHWalk-on; did not return
Sean Loughran11G6'3"200FreshmanPittsburgh, PAWalk-on; did not return
Jheury Matos31G6'5"196RS JuniorSanto Republic, DRTransferred to Charlotte
Ryan Mikesell33F6'7"217Graduate StudentSt. Henry, OHGraduated

Incoming transfers

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownPrevious School
Elijah Weaver11G6'6"205JuniorCocoa, FLTransferred from USC. Weaver would sit out for first semester of the 2020–21 season until all transfers Ruled eligible.

2020 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
R. J. Blakney
#74 SG
Windsor, CTThe Loomis Chaffee School6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)174 lb (79 kg)Oct 25, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Koby Brea
SG
Bronx, NYMonsignor Scanlan High School6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)175 lb (79 kg)Nov 13, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: ScoutN/A   RivalsN/A   247SportsN/A    ESPN grade: NR
Lukas Frazier
#71 PG
Mentor, OHLake Catholic6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)170 lb (77 kg)Jun 11, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

2021 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for 2021 recruits
NameHometownHigh school / collegeHeightWeightCommit date
Mustapha Amzil
#58 PF
Washington, PAFirst Love Christian Academy6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)215 lb (98 kg)Nov 16, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
DaRon Holmes II
#10 PF
Montverde, FLMontverde Academy6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)195 lb (88 kg) 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Malachi Smith
#23 CG
Bronx, NYSt. Raymond for Boys6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)155 lb (70 kg)Sep 22, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Kaleb Washington
#26 SF
Mableton, GAPebblebrook6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)185 lb (84 kg)Sep 22, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:    Rivals:    247Sports:    ESPN:
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

Roster

2020–21 Dayton Flyers men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G0Rodney Chatman6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)180 lb (82 kg)RS SrChattanoogaLithonia, GA
G2Ibi Watson6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)195 lb (88 kg)RS SrMichiganPickerington, OH
G3Luke Frazier6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)170 lb (77 kg)FrLake CatholicMentor, OH
G4Koby Brea6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)174 lb (79 kg)FrMonsignor ScanlanWashington Heights, NY
G10Jalen Crutcher6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg)SrRidgewayMemphis, TN
G11Elijah Weaver6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg)JrUSCCocoa, FL
F12Zimi Nwojeki6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)220 lb (100 kg)RS FrSPIRE AcademyQuincy, FL
C14Moulaye Sissoko6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)250 lb (113 kg)RS FrLincoln AcademyBamako, Mali
G/F23R. J. Blakney6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)195 lb (88 kg)FrLoomis Caffee SchoolBaltimore, MD
F30Mustapha Amzil6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)220 lb (100 kg)FrHBA-MarskyHelsinki, Finland
C32Jordy Tshimanga6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)278 lb (126 kg)GSNebraskaMontreal, Quebec
G35Dwayne Cohill6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg)JrHoly NameCleveland, OH
F40Chase Johnson (L)6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)226 lb (103 kg)RS JrFloridaRipley, WV
G51Drew Swerlein (W)6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)175 lb (79 kg)RS SoSt. Francis De SalesPerrysburg, OH
G52Camron Greer (W)5 ft 7 in (1.7 m)160 lb (73 kg)SrRich CentralCountry Club Hills, IL
G53Christian Wilson (W)6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)160 lb (73 kg)RS JrNorthmontDayton, OH
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results

Dayton had to cancel its games against Cedarville, Alcorn State, and Purdue Fort Wayne due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also postponed their game against George Washington.

Date
time, TV
Rank#Opponent#ResultRecordHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsSite (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
Nov 28, 2020*
Canceled
CedarvilleUD Arena 
Dayton, OH
Regular season
Dec 1, 2020*
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Eastern IllinoisW 66–63 1–0
 16  Watson  8  Tshimanga  6  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Dec 5, 2020*
2:00 p.m., ESPN+
SMUL 64–66 1–1
 23  Watson  12  Tshimanga  7  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Dec 8, 2020*
7:00 pm, ESPN+
Northern KentuckyW 66–60 2–1
 19  Watson  10  Johnson  8  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Dec 12, 2020*
3:00 p.m., ESPNU
vs. Mississippi State
Holiday Hoopsgiving
W 85–82 2OT3–1
 23  Crutcher  7  Johnson  5  Watson State Farm Arena (0)
Atlanta, GA
Dec 19, 2020*
2:30 p.m., NBCSN
Ole MissW 65–62 4–1
 23  Crutcher  5  Tshimanga  4  Tied UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Dec 30, 2020
7:00 p.m., ESPN+
La SalleL 65–67 4–2
(0–1)
 22  Amzil  7  Tied  7  Chatman UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Jan 2, 2020
4:30 p.m., NBCSN
George MasonW 75–64 5–2
(1–1)
 26  Crutcher  6  Tied  7  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Jan 5, 2020
6:00 p.m., ESPN+
at FordhamL 54–55 5–3
(1–2)
 14  Crutcher  16  Tshimanga  3  Crutcher Rose Hill Gym (0)
New York, NY
Jan 8, 2021
9:00 p.m., ESPN2
at DavidsonW 89–78 OT6–3
(2–2)
 29  Crutcher  8  Tshimanga  7  Weaver John M. Belk Arena (0)
Davidson, NC
Jan 13, 2021
7:00 pm, CBSSN
DuquesneW 72–63 7–3
(3–2)
 19  Watson  9  Tshimanga  6  Weaver UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Jan 17, 2021
4:30 pm, NBCSN
at George WashingtonW 67–54 8–3
(4–2)
 23  Crutcher  8  Tshimanga  6  Weaver Charles E. Smith Center (0)
Washington, D.C.
Jan 23, 2021
3:30 pm, CBSSN
at VCUL 43–66 8–4
(4–3)
 10  Tied  5  Tied  4  Weaver Siegel Center (250)
Richmond, VA
Jan 26, 2021
8:30 pm, CBSSN
at No. 22 Saint LouisW 76–71 9–4
(5–3)
 27  Crutcher  10  Tshimanga  3  Tied Chaifetz Arena (0)
St. Louis, MO
Jan 30, 2021
4:00 pm, CBSSN
Rhode IslandW 67–56 10–4
(6–3)
 22  Watson  8  Tshimanga  6  Weaver UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Feb 2, 2021
9:00 pm, ESPN2
at DuquesneL 64–69 10–5
(6–4)
 28  Crutcher  11  Amzil  6  Crutcher UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (212)
Pittsburgh, PA
Feb 5, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN2
George MasonW 74–65 11–5
(7–4)
 21  Crutcher  14  Tshimanga  7  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Feb 9, 2021
5:00 p.m., CBSSN
VCUL 67–76 11–6
(7–5)
 20  Watson  12  Tshimanga  8  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Feb 16, 2021
7:00 pm, CBSSN
at Rhode IslandL 89–91 2OT11–7
(7–6)
 29  Nwokeji  9  Nwokeji  5  Crutcher Ryan Center (0)
Kingston, RI
Feb 19, 2021
7:00 pm, ESPN2
Saint LouisW 76–53 12–7
(8–6)
 19  Crutcher  8  Tshimanga  6  Crutcher UD Arena (0)
Dayton, OH
Feb 24, 2021
6:00 pm, ESPN+
at Saint Joseph'sL 84–97 12–8
(8–7)
 17  Crutcher  9  Amzil  4  Tied Hagan Arena (0)
Philadelphia, PA
Mar 1, 2021
5:00 pm, ESPNU
at St. BonaventureW 55–52 13–8
(9–7)
 14  Watson  7  Tshimanga  5  Crutcher Reilly Center (0)
Olean, NY
A-10 tournament
March 4, 2021
3:30 pm, NBCSN
(7) vs. (10) Rhode Island
Second Round
W 84–72 14–8
 25  Watson  7  Tshimanga  7  Tied Siegel Center (250)
Richmond, VA
March 5, 2021
3:30 pm, NBCSN
(7) vs. (2) VCU
Quarterfinals
L 68–73 14–9
 21  Crutcher  10  Tshimanga  2  Tied Siegel Center (250)
Richmond, VA
NIT
March 20, 2021
Noon, ESPN
(4) vs. (1) Memphis
First Round – Memphis bracket
L 60–71 14–10
 16  Weaver  8  Amzil  3  Tied UNT Coliseum (0)
Denton, TX
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

Source:[1]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516171819Final
APNot released
Coaches

References