DaytonDailyNews.com

Mickey Perry threw the ball to the heavens, London Warren jumped up on the courtside media table to high-five the clamoring fans and Chris Wright stood at midcourt, begging the crowd to let the cheers roll down.

And did they ever.

Oh, what a difference a year makes.

A year ago when the University of Dayton met Xavier for the first time in the season, they were all but run out of the gym in a 26-point loss.

This time, the Flyers ran wave after wave of players at the No. 14 Musketeers and left their exhausted rivals with tongues hanging and their gaudy record stained.

In one of the biggest victories the Flyers have had in the past few years, UD dumped Xavier 71-58 in front of an overhyped crowd Wednesday night, Feb. 11, at UD Arena.

And that prompted the joyous postgame celebration.

It wasn't so much about the Flyers winning for the first time in seven tries against Xavier, it was the fact that victory underscored so many of the tenets coach Brian Gregory has built this team on — athleticism, tough defense and backup players, who can step in at any time.

The only down note was the season-ending knee injury to point guard Rob Lowery.

"More than anything this was for him," Perry said after. "We're a team in good times and bad. That's what won the game for us tonight and why Rob is in all our thoughts now."

Afterward, no one was talking about the meaning of the game, though it is huge. It gives UD a bookend quality win to go with its victory over No. 12 Marquette and a 22-3 record. Unless there's a total collapse in the final six games, they should be make the NCAA tournament.

And who were the heroes?

Both the usual guys — Wright (19 points) and Marcus Johnson (13) — and some of the most unlikely of candidates.

Especially little-used point guard Stephen Thomas.

When Lowery was injured with 9:46 left in the half — and Warren was on the bench with two fouls — Thomas readied himself for the most pressurized moment of his college career.

"I'll admit I was a little nervous," he said. "I said a prayer to myself — 'God give me the strength to perform' — and then I just went in. I didn't have time to think."

He hadn't gotten off the bench in two of the last three games and had played just one minute in the other.

"He hadn't even practiced much the last couple of days because he was sick," Perry said. "At halftime he looked like he was going to (keel) over. But he gave everything he had tonight.

And he gave it right away.

It took him just 22 seconds to drive and score. Then at the other end of the court, he forced Xavier to turn the ball over. By game's end, he had played 20 minutes and scored five points.

After he forced the early turnover, he had thrown his arms skyward and bellowed to the heavens.

"That felt good right then," he said after the game, "but this feels so much better."