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After looking at our schedule I just realized that if we can beat Dayton, we have an excellent shot of winning 10 of our next 11 games which would give us a 13-2 record going into Houston on January 13th.

Now that would be something! Of course outside of Dayton, Oklahoma and possibly TCU, we are playing some real bottom feeders, but hey, that is not Coach Ds or the teams fault. In fact, that is just the type of schedule we need to get used to the new system and gain confidence.

I will take 13-2 with no apologies to anyone. If this team can beat who they are supposed to, we will do it.

Dayton Fan here, just swinging thru to say hello.

If you're looking for UD info, visit udpride.com. You can also catch a link there to the A-10 message board where you'll find probably the best non partisan UD preview available anywhere (done annually by a UMASS fan for all A-10 schools and significantly more in depth than anything you'll find in cbs.sportsline, espn, etc... Great work that man does for us A-10 fans)

Anywho, a little insight into UD. UD's best post player was suspended the first 2 games for a DUI, but should be back. Former Richmond PG Andres Sandavol (spent 1 year at Richmond, transferred to JC following their coaching change, then came to UD this year) is out w/ an injuried foot for 4 weeks.

UD features Brian Roberts (SG/PG), Monty Scott (SF) and Norm Plummer (DUI recipient at the PF spot). Supporting roles played by true frosh Marcus Johnson (SG), London Warren (PG) and Kurt Huelsman (C). Throw in the very athletic Charles Little (PF), Jimmie Binnie at the SG/SF spots and Nick Stafford down low, and this is probably the most athletic UD squad in a long, long time.

Marcus Johnson has exploded on the scene thru the exhibitions and first 2 games. He was a freshman on LeBron's Senior laden high school squad, and remains close. Its obvious he's spent lots of time working w/ Lebron thru the years as he appears very polished and unfazed when driving the lane.

Brian Roberts is explosive, can drive the lane and is deadly from the perimeter. W/ Sandavol out, he's forced to carry some the PG load. He played a lot of point last year, and eventually wore down when he was forced to carry not only the PG responsibilities, but a large chunck of the scoring load as injuries hampered UD all year long. Other than Sandavol, UD appears to be healthy, and Roberts should have a lot more help.

Monty Scott is the only senior, and can be an enigma at times. Has the talent to put up 20+ on any given night, but often dissapears at times, and seems hesitant to drive the lane. Supreme leaper, and a good outside stroke, he's probably the biggest key to UD's success this year. As Monty goes in a support role to Brian Roberts, so goes UD.

Norm Plummer will have to knock off some of the rust, but is a lunch and bucket kind of player. Can knock down the occasional 3 pointer, but is best fighting inside for offensive rebounds and low post buckets.

Those are our 4 main cogs. Beyond that, true frosh London Warren is quick on quick and plays solid defense. Tends to go a little too quick at times, as frosh as prone to do. Ugly looking shooting stroke. The other frosh, Kurt Huelsman has started both of the first 2 games, and I'm guessing he gets the starting nod down there. Has proven to be a reliable rebounder and shot blocker, with decent touch around the rim. It will be interesting to see how he handles your big guys. The competition hasn't been exactly stellar so far, and he's yet to see anyone w/ much height. Charles Little is probably the most explosive leaper on the squad, and extremely strong. Needs polish down low, but if he can catch a lane to drive, watch out as he'll dunk it on anyone.

Good luck to the Mustangs saturday night, it appears that you've had an excellant start to the year. This is the first test for UD, and I think many are anxious to see how the young kids mix it up against the better talent than they've seen so far, not to mention Plummer's return to the lineup. Hoping for a double dip saturday with an OSU victory over that school up north, and a UD victory on the road over you guys. Wish it was on TV so that I could watch, I think it should be a good game. Good luck and swing by updride.com if you want any friendly banter.

Famous University of Dayton Graduates are:

1. ESPN broadcaster Dan Patrick
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach John Gruden

They had some very good teams in the 1980s under Don Donoher (sp?) and in late 1990s and early 2000s under Oliver Purnell before Purnell left to take the job at Clemson.

I think Dayton's last appearance in the NCAA tournament was 2002 when Purdue beat them in a tight first-round game (1 or 2 points). I'm going off the top of my head because I think Purdue hit a shot in the final seconds to win. Dayton missed its shot.

But they have a very good tradition of basketball there.

Dayton's arena is also the home of the NCAA tournament play-in game, the 65th game if you will.

Thanks for all the info Medford, good stuff.

I expect a tough game and hope we can play well.

Good luck to your team after this Saturday .

You can watch it on the Computer if you really want to see it. The Feed SMU provides is pretty decent and will only cost you a little bit of money.

R u talking about the cstv.com feed? UD and the A-10 (thru a terrible TV arangement at the present by the A10, but that's another thread for another board) are going the cstv route this year. All of UD's home games were suppose to be up on cstv, but the first month's worth were pulled.

I hope the quality is as good as you say.

Other famous alum:

Super Bowl coach Chuck Knoll (how many schools have 2 super bowl coaching alums?)
First ever winner of the NBA rookie of the year (forget his name at the moment)
Writer Erma Bombeck (who I've been told is a big deal, but I'm not really sure why)

UD trivia that will win you money in a bar bet. UD won more basketball games during the 50s & 60s than any other NCAA progam (yes more than UCLA, Kentucky, UNC, etc...)

Former celtics/sixers coach Jim O'Brien won that last tourny game for UD over Illinois in 1990. Unfortunetly a late game injury to sharp shooter Norm Grevey proved costly in a 4 pt 2nd round loss to eventual final 4 squad Arkansas. O'Brien promptly took that first year squad and ran the proud program into the ground. Current Clemson Coach Oliver Purnell revived UD from a single digit winner, and turned them into a consistant 20 game winner. UD did lose on a late game situation where many UD fans think UD got the short end of the call against Purdue.

The followed that up w/ a first round loss to Tulsa as a 4 seed a couple of seasons later, then lost to DePaul in a 2 OT first round game in Brian Gregory's first season.

Following the DePaul NCAA game, UD lost a bunch of talent, and many of Purnell's later recruiting classes were lacking big time in talent. BG brought in 5 new frosh (3 remain as juniors, 1 transfered to Illinois late in the summer last year and crippled UD at the PG spot last year, the other transferred to Northeastern after last year) and has steadly improved the talent level at UD. They have a top 20 class coming in next season, led by top 50 recruit Chris Wright.

Fomer Dallas Area resident (or perhaps current?) Whacker usually post a solid pregame scouting report on UD's upcoming foe on UDPRIDE.com. I'd be interested to hear you're take of it if you get the chance to read it.

Looking forward to the game, I heard you had 2 near 7 footers? I hope that doesn't prove to be too much as UD lacks much height on the inside.

Oh one other historical note on UD. UD's former AD pretty much wrote the NCAA guidelines how to handle an NCAA tournament for the individual sites. He's a big reason why UD is currently 2nd or 3rd on the all time list of NCAA tournament games held. Well that and the UD faithful that still came out to the tune of 10k+ even during the single digit win seasons in the later years of Jim O'Brien's tenure.

I believe UD is set to get a full complement of first round games in the near future. Madison Square Garden is currently #1 on the list, but since they'll most likely only be getting the 2 sweet 16 & 1 elite 8 round games, UD should pass them for #1. #2, or perhaps #3 if UD has already passed them is the old field house in Kansas City. I don't they'll be hosting games anymore, so if UD Arena hasn't passed them yet, they will soon.

Isn't it just Chuck Noll (no K)?

Hey, welcome to PonyFans, medford, and thanks for the information. You're not related to our true freshman (redshirting this year) wide receiver, A'Darius Medford, are you?

I'm going to go out on a limb here regarding Dayton's hoops team: I will bet that Dayton is the only team in the country to feature a MONTY and a NORM in the same lineup.

And how does Brian Roberts handle the conflicts for his time when the Baltimore Orioles open spring training?

giacfsp wrote:Isn't it just Chuck Noll (no K)?

Hey, welcome to PonyFans, medford, and thanks for the information. You're not related to our true freshman (redshirting this year) wide receiver, A'Darius Medford, are you?

I'm going to go out on a limb here regarding Dayton's hoops team: I will bet that Dayton is the only team in the country to feature a MONTY and a NORM in the same lineup.

And how does Brian Roberts handle the conflicts for his time when the Baltimore Orioles open spring training?

Ha, no relation. Named after the street I lived on while at UD. Used to cut thru a cemetery to get to the UD owned housing (affectionatly refered to as the Ghetto) for parties and such. Sorry about the spelling, mine sucks and I rarely bother to make sure I get it right on message boards.

Yes, I'd think its a safe bet that UD is the only program starting both a Monty and Norman. While Monty infuses thoughts of a stuffy blue blood, as the son of a preacher man, I doubt Monty is very stuffy. Norm is far from fat, but based upon his DUI, I'm guessing he's spent a time or 2 bellied up to the corner of a bar

If anyone's got time, I'd love to hear some history on SMU. All I really know is the pony express and the death sentence the football program recieved. I'm sure there has to be something more positive to be know.

Thanks.

medford wrote:
All I really know is the pony express and the death sentence the football program recieved.

Although most Mustang fans would agree that it has been a death sentence, the PC term is death penalty.

In basketball, we had some great tems in the middle 50's. We lost to Wilt Chamberlain in the Final four with our star player being Jim Krebbs. I am not fully up to speed with our basketball history, but during my time in the 80's, Dave Bliss had some great teams (how he got them is anyone's guess). We lost to Georgetown and Patrick Ewing by a last minute basket in the NCAA's the year they won the National Championship, 1984 I believe. We also beat North Carolina on their home court and Louiville at home. SMU behind Koncak and Wright were rnked #2 and lost the week they would have moved up to #1. Then the team cratered and lost in the 2nd round of the NCAA's. Once Bliss left and SMU was put on the death penalty in football, the basketball team never got going again except for a couple of seasons here and there.

In Football, other than the Pony Express, we had the all american boy, Doak Walker. Lots of other great players like Kyle Rote, Raymond Berry, Forrest Gregg and Don Meredith. SMU won the National Championship in Football in 1935 and played in the Rose Bowl - losing to Stanford. Others can fill in the rest of the blanks, but that is a start.

Thanks for the Dayton info. It is always good to see the Flyers court in the Tournament. Good luck to y'all the rest of the season, just not tonight.

Well my friend medford

Was a good game, but you can never expect to win scoring less than 50 points.

Good luck to the Flyers the rest of the season.

Just to correct a slight error: We lost to Bill Russell and San Francisco in the Final Four. The next year Chamberlain and Kansas (ST?) beat us on our own court in the regionals. Krebs fouled out with about 5 minutes to play and us leading. Without Krebs to guard Chamberlain, they beat us. I wuz Dere Charlie! Sports Illustrated said we obviously had a better team than Kansas but need Krebs to beat them.

thanks for the correction. I need to get up to speed on my basketball history. Ark, I bet that was an awesome game. Was it at Moody?

yes, yes it was, at the next game if you will walk around the concourse there are some trophy cases that have some historical tidbits from the different non-football sports. I believe the one in the NE corner has some memorabilia from Krebs and that season.

Treadway21 wrote:SMU behind Koncak and Wright were rnked #2 and lost the week they would have moved up to #1.

I was at that game. What an atmosphere! Soldout Moody! Didn't want to miss a minute. It is the kind of atmosphere that drew Doherty to SMU and I have no doubt that we will see it again very soon!