DaytonDailyNews.com

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The basketball used in the Chicago Invitational Challenge is called "The Rock." And the way Dayton and Auburn performed with it, the sphere definitely lived up to its name.

UD was 0-for-24 from 3-point land and shot 27.8 percent overall. The Tigers missed their first 16 three-pointers before making seven of their final 15.

"We have some junior-college players, and they were saying it was the junior-college ball," Auburn guard DeWayne Reed said. "It felt like a rock. We were trying to get used to it in warm-ups and the shoot-around."

UD players didn't like it any better.

"It was real hard," forward Chris Wright said. "Sometimes when you'd catch it, it'd jam your fingers. But both teams had to use it."

"It did have a lot of air in it," teammate Marcus Johnson said. "If someone threw you a hard pass and it hit your hand wrong, it could break your fingers. But we just had an off night."

UD coach Brian Gregory wasn't buying the notion that the ball was to blame.

"It's the same one we use (in home games)," he said.

Johnson welcomes pressure

Marcus Johnson is shooting 77.8 percent from the free-throw line, and the Flyers made sure they got the ball in his hands at the end. He went 8-for-8 from the stripe, making all four tries in the final 14.6 seconds of OT.

"I feel real comfortable there," he said. "I'm shooting 70-some percent. I take a lot of time working on it before and after practice."

Wright too rushed

Chris Wright had six turnovers and missed five of his first six foul shots, but he muscled his way to a three-point play that started the scoring in OT and gave UD momentum.

"I wasn't knocking down my free throws, and I had a few turnovers," he said. "The refs made the right calls, I just have to play with more patience and poise. I was too excited. I had happy feet."

Flyers go cold

The Flyers jumped to a 47-43 lead with 4:14 to go in regulation — bringing a pro-UD crowd of about 2,000 to its feet — but they didn't score again until the overtime, getting blanked on their last five possessions.

Wright was called for traveling with 33.5 seconds to go, and Auburn worked for the last shot. But Alvin Pegues settled for a fade-away 3-pointer that bounced off the rim.

"We had some good looks," Gregory said. "At times, our offense didn't play with the poise and composure we needed. It's something we have to get better at."

Wright, though, shrugged off the horrid offensive display.

"Throughout the year, we're probably going to win a few more like that," he said. "It was an ugly win. But we came out with a W. A win is a win."

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