No. 21 Dayton soars to 12th straight win with 96-62 rout of Rhode Island
Students cheer before an NCAA college basketball game between Rhode Island and Dayton, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: AP/Aaron Doster
DAYTON, Ohio — Javon Bennett had 22 points and No. 21 Dayton won its 12th straight game, blowing past Rhode Island 96-62 on Saturday.
Koby Brea was 5 for 7 from behind the arc and had 15 points for the Flyers (15-2, 5-0 Atlantic 10), who haven't lost in two months. Bennett was 4 of 5 from 3-point range. DaRon Holmes II had 21 points.
The less-experienced Rams (9-9, 3-2) were never in it. They didn't have an answer for Holmes, Dayton's star who dominated the game until being relieved about five minutes into the second half with the Flyers already leading by 30.
The Flyers were 16 of 27 (59.3%) from the 3-point line and turned the ball over only twice.
“We do a good job handling adversity and prosperity,” Holmes said. “So I feel like right now is the prosperity part.”
Jaden House led all scorers with 27 for Rhode Island, but nobody else on the roster had more than eight points.
The Flyers opened with an 11-0 run, with Holmes hitting a jumper, a 3-pointer and getting a dunk off a fast break. The Rams didn't get on the scoreboard until House hit a 3-pointer 4:19 into the game.
Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II, center, drives to the basket past Rhode Island guard Luis Kortright, left, forward Tyson Brown, back, and forward David Fuchs, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: AP/Aaron Doster
Dayton led 47-27 at the half, scored the first eight points of the second half and cruised from there.
“A lot of things are going great,” Holmes said. “So we have to lock in and make sure we're focused. A lot of us have great games, but we got to be able to flush it and and keep our head in a straight line.”
BIG PICTURE
Rhode Island: Coach Archie Miller returned to University of Dayton Arena for the first time since his coaching tenure here ended in 2017. He coached at Dayton for six seasons, leading the Flyers to four NCAA Tournament appearances before taking the Indiana job. He was fired by Indiana after four seasons and zero tournament appearances.
Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II, right, shoots against Rhode Island center Jeremy Foumena during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024, in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: AP/Aaron Doster
“You’re so locked in on representing what you’re doing right now, but you’re hard pressed if you don’t reminisce a little bit,” Miller said. “All the people that helped you get to where you got to, friendships that you still have, and this place, this place in general just being in here, you know, second to none.”
Dayton: The Flyers broke into the AP Top 25 after going unbeaten for the past two months. Their last loss came to then-No. 6 Houston on Nov. 19 in the Charleston Classic. Dayton has a solid chance of running the table in the A-10.
“We're a long way from anything we say we want to accomplish, but we can see the vision of what we work for,” Dayton coach Anthony Grant said.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Flyers should keep rolling in the A-10 and stay in the AP Top 25.
UP NEXT
Rhode Island: Hosts Fordham on Wednesday.
Dayton: Visits La Salle on Tuesday.
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