Dayton (2-1) has played three games. Each game has been won by the team that scored 66 points. The Flyers opened the season with a 66-63 victory against Eastern Illinois on Dec. 1 and then lost 66-64 to Southern Methodist on a last-second shot Saturday.
Dayton trailed 32-27 when it began a 9-0 run with 2:28 left in the first half. It then started the second half with a 13-2 run in the first three minutes of the second half to take a 49-34 lead.
Dayton led the rest of the way, though NKU (2-2) cut the lead to 64-60 in the final minute. Jalen Crutcher hit two free throws with 20 seconds left to clinch the victory.
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Ibi Watson led Dayton with 19 points. Crutcher scored 17 and had eight assists. Chase Johnson had 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Dayton struggled with turnovers for the third straight game. It had 15 in the first game, 19 in the second game and 22 in this game.
Dayton returns to action Saturday when it plays its first road game against Mississippi State in Atlanta.
HALFTIME RECAP
The Flyers outscored Northern Kentucky 9-0 in the final 2 minutes, 28 seconds of the first half to take a 36-32 halftime lead.
It was a sloppy first half in that the teams combined for 18 turnovers (11 by Dayton) and 20 fouls (11 by Dayton).
The Flyers opened the game with a 3-pointer by Watson and then gave up a 9-0 run. Dayton trailed 16-8 and then went on a 9-0 run of its own. It was tied at 27-27 when NKU scored five straight points. Dayton answered that with the run at the end of the half.
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Watson and Crutcher each scored 11 points in the half. Johnson added eight points. Rodney Chatman had five assists.
Freshman R.J. Blakney delivered the most production by any freshman in the first three games, scoring four points and drawing a charge.
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