NEXT GAME
Arkansas State at Dayton, 2 p.m. Saturday, No TV, 1290
The University of Dayton basketball team has had a tradition of taking the court for home games to a “Ding, ding, ding” of a boxing bell and the famed catchphrase, “Let’s get ready to rumble.”
But UD surveyed more than 1,000 fans to ask how the game-day experience could be improved, and the feedback the school received was that the team’s entrance had become a little stale.
“The old ‘Ding-ding-ding’ song is done. It’s put on the shelf forever. It is retired,” UD Arena director Tim O’Connell said. “I think we’ve used it about 12 years. We certainly got our work out of that license. Fans are going to see something new.”
Not only will the team enter the arena to a more current song along with a video-board package to get fans jazzed up, but player introductions have been completely revamped.
The arena lights will go dark and a spotlight will shine on each starter as he makes his way to midcourt.
“They’re going to be highlighted like stars coming out on a stage,” O’Connell said. “It’s going to be really cool and different.”
The Dayton-based company RealArtUSA has designed the run-up to the tip-off. UD will expand its use of the four video boards in the corners of the arena. And for Saturday’s game, all fans will receive rally towels.
To darken the arena, automated blinds will cover the lights and then open again after the introductions.
“This is something our fans are telling us we need to modernize,” O’Connell said. “People are going to want to be at the arena early. There’s a lot of time and funding invested in this.”
UD coach Archie Miller and some players were consulted before the changes were made. The Flyer women’s team will get the same treatment for home games.
“It’s exciting,” Miller said. “It’s a new day and age. You respect tradition and, at the same time, we really try to move the brand of our program forward a little bit. There will be a lot of good things happening at the arena — hopefully with our team as well.”
Finding the range: The Flyers made a major jump in foul shooting during the first year under coach Archie Miller last season, going from 67.7 percent to finishing second in the nation at 77.8. Four players shot above 80 percent: Kevin Dillard (82.7), Chris Johnson (85.9), Paul Williams (83.1) and Matt Kavanaugh (80.7).
But all except Dillard are gone, and the Flyers were only 24-for-41 (58.5 percent) in their two exhibitions. The front court of senior Josh Benson and freshmen Jalen Robinson and Devon Scott were a combined 14-for-25 (56.0).
“It’s early in the season,” Miller said. “Jalen and Devon have been there a bunch and I would say neither one is a game-ready free-throw shooter. They’re going to have to have some success.
“Josh is going to have to work really hard. He’s going to get to the line a lot, and I think he’s a better shooter than he’s shown.”
The Flyers also struggled in the Red & Blue scrimmage in October, going 8-for-21.
How important are free throws? They Flyers scored 41 more points than their opponents from the foul line while going 20-13 last year. If the 2010-11 team had shot 77.8 percent, it would have scored an additional 69 points and probably would have improved significantly on its 22-14 record.
“We won a lot of games and were able to hold leads because guys stepped to the line and hit two,” Miller said.
Scouting report: UD's season opener is at 2 p.m. Saturday against Arkansas State, which was picked second in the Sun Belt West Division in the preseason coaches poll. The Red Wolves finished 14-20 last season but have three preseason all-conference picks: guard Trey Finn (first team), forward Brandon Peterson (second) and guard Marcus Hooten (third).
They’re coached by John Brady, who is in his fifth season after a long stint at LSU that included a Final Four appearance.
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