Preview: Dayton at Massachusetts

Dayton at Massachusetts

Who: Dayton (16-3, 6-1 A-10) at Massachusetts (10-9, 3-3 A-10)

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: Mullins Center, Amherst, Mass.

TV/Radio: ESPNU/SportsNet New York /95.7, 1290

Probable Dayton starters

Jordan Sibert, 6-4, Sr., G, 15.7

Scoochie Smith, 6-2, So., G, 8.5

Dyshawn Pierre, 6-6, Jr., F, 12.7

Kyle Davis, 6-0, So., G, 6.4

Kendall Pollard, 6-6, So., F, 11.4

Probable UMass starters

Cady Lalanne, 6-10, Sr., C, 11.9

Maxie Esho, 6-8, Sr., F, 12.8

Derrick Gordon, 6-3, Jr., G, 10.4

Trey Davis, 6-0, Jr., G, 10.7

Donte Clark, 6-4, Fr., G, 8.8

Series history: Dayton leads 11-10. The Flyers won 86-79 last season in Dayton and lost 76-66 two years ago at the Mullins Center.

Coaches: Archie Miller is 79-41 in his fourth season at Dayton. Derek Kellogg is 119-95 in his eighth season.

About Dayton: KenPom.com gives the Flyers a 59 percent chance of winning and predicts a 66-64 score. Dayton ranks 38th in the Pomeroy ratings. The Minutemen are 115th. The Flyers rank 26th in the RPI. UMass is 64th. … Pollard has averaged 19 points and 5.7 rebounds in the last three games, while shooting 66 percent from the field. … The Flyers shot 43 percent from the field and 27 percent from 3-point range in their first nine games. In their last 10, they have shot 50 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range. In its first nine games, Dayton out-rebounded opponents 34.8-33.1 per game. In the last 10 games, with no one taller than 6-6, opponents have out-rebounded Dayton 31.7-30.7. … Dyshawn Pierre ranks 50th in UD history with 929 points. He's 11 points behind Bucky Bockhorn. He's on pace to reach 1,000 in the Feb. 19 home game against St. Joseph's.

About UMass: The Minutemen play a 10-man rotation. Nine players played double-digit minutes in their last game, a 62-56 loss at St. Joseph's on Jan. 21. … They are shooting 24 percent from 3-point range (9 of 38) in the last three games. … They are 6-2 at home this season with losses to St. Bonaventure (69-55) and Davidson (71-63) and 35-9 at home in the last four seasons. … Gordon and Lalanne are the team's two returning starters from last season's 24-9 team.

Looking ahead: Dayton hosts Fordham at 2 p.m. Sunday. Fordham (5-12, 0-6) hosted Rhode Island on Wednesday night.

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