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Flyers keeping perspective on opening stretch

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer 11:55 PM Tuesday, November 10, 2009

DAYTON — University of Dayton basketball fans may look at the first four games as a make-or-break stretch of the season, but coach Brian Gregory is keeping the bigger picture in view.

The 21st-ranked Flyers open with a home game against Creighton, which has made 12 straight postseason appearances, and face No. 22 Georgia Tech in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-off Classic. If UD wins, it likely would meet fifth-ranked Villanova before finishing the tourney with one more game, possibly against another opponent from a BCS league.

But while the Flyers parlayed wins over Louisville and Pittsburgh into an NIT bid in 2007-08 and victories against Marquette and Auburn into an NCAA trip last season, Gregory is careful not to put too much emphasis on the first few games.

“With the long season, it’s important that we play well,” Gregory said. “That will be the most important thing, that we played well and made some strides in where we want to get to.”

With few shots at marquee wins, though, it would behoove the Flyers to strike while they can.

“Playing some top-30 teams in Georgia Tech and Creighton, all games are important, but those are big games, very big games,” senior guard Marcus Johnson said. “I think because those teams are the caliber they are, the NCAA is really going to look at those games and base results on how we do.”

Jerry Palm of CollegeRPI.com sees that opening stretch for the Flyers as a potential springboard to a favorable seed in the NCAA tourney, but with four months still to go in the season after that, he doesn’t believe their NCAA dreams would be doomed if they lose them all.

“Those are all big games that certainly could have an impact on where they get seeded or, if things end up going badly, on even if they get selected. ... (But) I don’t think you’re done three games into your season unless somebody gets hurt. It’s a little too early. I think 27-3 would be good enough,” Palm said.

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2125 or  dharris@DaytonDailyNews.com.