Redshirt freshman becoming more of a factor for Flyers

By Doug Harris, Staff Writer Updated 1:10 AM Tuesday, December 22, 2009

DAYTON — Josh Benson didn’t get major minutes early this season, but let’s just say the 6-foot-9 redshirt freshman is growing on the University of Dayton men’s basketball coaches.

Benson, who failed to get off the bench against Georgia Tech and Towson, scored four points and tied for the team high with seven rebounds in the 65-49 win over Appalachian State on Monday, Dec. 21.

He had a career-high 10 points and seven rebounds in the Flyers’ win over Presbyterian College on Saturday.

“I have a little secret ... I’m really nervous before every game,” Benson said. “But I look for my mom in the crowd, and she gives me a smile. I start to calm down, and I’m ready to play the game.”

Benson is sometimes too eager to shoot, but UD coach Brian Gregory likes the Dunbar High School product’s assertiveness.

“He did a great job on the glass. He’s a very talented, skilled player,” Gregory said. “He’s young. His mistakes are out of youthful exuberance.

“He does not have to shoot it every time, but it’s much easier to get a guy to take good shots than to get a guy to be aggressive and shoot it. He’s helped us win these last two games.”

Two missed dunks

Ever seen two missed dunks on one possession? How about two clankers and then getting another offensive rebound?

Chris Wright missed one in transition, and Devin Searcy ended up with the loose ball and doinked a wide-open two-handed jam.

UD retrieved that rebound, and Paul Williams missed a 3-pointer.

“You still get two points (by laying it in),” said Gregory, who managed to grin about the flurry afterward. “You do not have to try to rip down the rim. Devin tried to out-do Chris’ miss.”

Wright shrugged it off.

“It happens when you get up in that altitude. The altitude affects you,” he joked. “It happens to LeBron, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard — everyone with a 40-inch vertical.”

Trio on the mend

Chris Johnson (concussion), Marcus Johnson (sprained foot) and Luke Fabrizius (sprained knee) watched the game in sweat suits from the end of the bench.

Fabrizius, who was injured Dec. 11, has shed his crutches and is making progress. The team’s 3-point ace and fourth-leading scorer (7.2 points per game) was expected to be out 2-4 weeks.

Marcus Johnson, who is third in scoring (8.0), may be able to practice again after Christmas break — the Flyers are off until Saturday — but Chris Johnson is still experiencing discomfort from a blow he took to the head against Presbyterian.

The sophomore star, who is second on the Flyers in scoring (12.1) and rebounding (6.2), said he blacked out temporarily after plowing into a screen. He’ll be sidelined indefinitely.

“I’ve still got a slight headache,” he said.

Tidbits

Free throws kept the Flyers from building a comfortable cushion in the first half. They went 8-for-15 on foul shots and finished 14-for-24. They entered the game shooting 67.7 percent from the line.
The Flyers only had seven turnovers and forced 17. They also had 16 assists. With starting point guard London Warren in foul trouble, backup Rob Lowery led the way with six assists and just one turnover.
The Flyers have had two sellouts this season. Two other games (Duquesne and Xavier) also are sold out. UD had three full houses in 2008-09 and five in the season before that. The program record is eight, set in the first year of UD Arena in 1969-70.

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